Hotels in Fez

Fez: Medina of a Thousand Tanners

Fez (also spelled Fès) is Morocco's third-largest city and home to the world's oldest continuously operating university, Al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859 AD. The city divides into three distinct quarters: Fès el-Bali, the medieval walled medina listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981; Fès el-Jdid, the 13th-century royal district; and the French-built Ville Nouvelle to the south. The medina contains roughly 9,400 lanes and alleys, several too narrow for a loaded donkey to pass.

Where to Stay in Fez

Most visitors base themselves in Fès el-Bali, where converted riads cluster around Bab Bou Jeloud (the Blue Gate) and the Talaa Kebira thoroughfare. The tanneries of Chouara, operating since the 11th century, sit in the northeastern medina — hotels on adjacent terraces offer direct views over the dye vats. Ville Nouvelle along Avenue Hassan II provides wider roads and easier taxi access for travelers with large luggage.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: Fez-Saïss Airport (FEZ) sits 15 km south; taxis to the medina take 20–25 minutes.
• Train access: ONCF trains link Fez to Casablanca in 3 hours 40 minutes and to Marrakech in 7 hours.
• Navigation: Hire a licensed guide for the first medina visit — GPS fails in the dense lane network.
• Timing: April–June and September–October offer temperatures below 30 °C; July–August regularly exceeds 38 °C.