Private Fes Guided Tour of the Old Medina
Our Fes guided tour takes you through Fes el-Bali, the old walled medina of Fez and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a licensed local guide: the Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasas, the doors of the Al Quaraouiyine mosque, the Chouara tannery and the lanes of the coppersmiths, dyers and weavers. It is private and starts at your riad.
The Fez medina is one of the largest car-free city centers in the world, a maze of narrow lanes where even people from Fes use a guide in the parts they do not know. A full day adds Fes el-Jdid, the Mellah, the royal palace gates and the view from the Merenid Tombs, with your driver.
- Length
- Half or full day
- Starts at
- Your riad or hotel
- Guide
- Licensed local guide
- Price
- On request
What You See on the Fes Medina Tour
Fes el-Bali was founded in the 9th century and has changed less than any other old city in Morocco. These are the places most tours cover.
Bab Boujloud
The Blue Gate, tiled blue on the outside and green on the inside, is the main entrance to the medina and the start of its two long streets, the Talaa Kebira and the Talaa Seghira.
The madrasas
The Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasas are 14th-century Marinid colleges where students once lived and studied. Both are open to visitors, and their carved cedar, stucco and tilework are among the finest in the country.
Al Quaraouiyine
Founded in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri, the Al Quaraouiyine mosque and university is often called the oldest university in the world still working. Only Muslims may enter, but your guide takes you to the doors, where you can look into the courtyard.
The Chouara tannery
Hides are still washed and dyed by hand in stone pits, as they have been for centuries. You look down on it from the terraces of the leather shops around it; the shops hand out sprigs of mint for the smell.
The craft quarters
The Nejjarine square and its fountain, the coppersmiths hammering in the Seffarine square, and lanes of weavers, dyers and slipper makers.
On a full day
Your driver takes you to Fes el-Jdid, the 13th-century royal town, to see the brass gates of the royal palace and the Mellah, the old Jewish quarter, then up to the Merenid Tombs for the view over the whole medina.
How the Fez Guided Tour Works
Fes or Fez?
Both are right: Fès is the French spelling and Fez the older English one. The city is the same.
Meeting your guide
Your guide meets you at your riad in the medina, or your driver collects you from a hotel in the new town and drops you at one of the gates. From there, you walk.
Why a guide matters in Fes
The lanes of Fes el-Bali are narrow, steep in places and easy to get lost in, and unofficial guides wait at Bab Boujloud for visitors on their own. With a licensed guide, you see more, walk less and are left in peace.
Walking
The medina slopes down to the river, so expect steps and some climbs. Wear comfortable shoes, and tell us if anyone in your group finds walking hard: we can start at a lower gate and use the car more.
What it costs
The price covers your private guide and, on a full day, your driver and vehicle. Entrance fees to the madrasas, lunch and tips are paid on the day. Send us your date and group size and we reply with the price within 24 hours.
Fes as part of a longer trip
Fes is on most of our routes: the 6-day Imperial Cities tour, the 7-day itinerary from Casablanca and the desert tours between Fes and Marrakech. See all our tours from Fes.
More from Fes
Day trips and tours that start in Fes, all private with your own driver.
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Day tripMeknes and Volubilis Day Trip from Fes
Roman mosaics at Volubilis, the holy town of Moulay Idriss and the gates and granaries of Meknes.About 8.5 hours · From about $40 pp -
Day tripChefchaouen Day Trip from Fes
Five hours in the blue lanes of Chefchaouen, with the walk to the Spanish Mosque for the view.About 13 hours · From about $40 pp -
3 days3-Day Fes to Marrakech Desert Tour
From Fes over the Middle Atlas to a night in the dunes, then west through the kasbah valleys to Marrakech.Private tour · Price on request -
6 days6-Day Imperial Cities Tour
Morocco’s four royal capitals, Rabat, Meknes, Fes and Marrakech, plus Roman Volubilis, from Casablanca.Private tour · Price on request
Fes Guided Tour Questions
Something else on your mind? Send us your question and a real person on our team answers.
Do I need a guide in the Fes medina?
We recommend one, at least for your first day. The medina is huge and confusing, and a licensed guide shows you the madrasas, the tannery and the craft quarters in a few hours without the stress of finding them.
How long is the Fes medina tour?
A half day covers the heart of Fes el-Bali on foot. A full day adds Fes el-Jdid, the Mellah and the view from the Merenid Tombs, with your driver.
Can we visit the Al Quaraouiyine mosque?
Only Muslims may enter, but you can look into the courtyard from the doors, and your guide explains its history.
Does the tannery smell bad?
It can be strong on hot days. The leather shops above it give visitors sprigs of mint to hold, and you only stay a short while.
How much does a private city tour cost?
It depends on the city, the length of the tour and how many of you there are. Tell us your date and group size and we send the exact price within 24 hours. Entrance fees are paid on the day.
See Fes with a Local Guide.
Tell us your date, where you are staying and how many of you there are. We reply within 24 hours with a plan and a price.
