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MASA
The old town of Fez, Morocco
africa

FezTravel Guide

Morocco6 stories

Morocco's spiritual and intellectual capital guards the world's largest living medieval medina — nine thousand lanes of madrasas, tanneries, coppersmiths and riad courtyards.

Is Fez right for you?

When to come

Spring and autumn

Around 35°C by day in July, 16°C in January — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

Mid-range. Comfortable without planning around money, expensive if you stop counting.

What we've planned, and who for

We have a weekend here planned hour by hour.

Fez is inEnough for a long weekend
When to go
January: around 16 degrees by day, 4 at night, 60 millimetres of rain, some rain.
February: around 17 degrees by day, 4 at night, 54 millimetres of rain, some rain.
March: around 20 degrees by day, 7 at night, 59 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
April: around 22 degrees by day, 8 at night, 55 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
May: around 26 degrees by day, 12 at night, 38 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
June: around 31 degrees by day, 15 at night, 11 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
July: around 35 degrees by day, 18 at night, 1 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
August: around 35 degrees by day, 18 at night, 5 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
September: around 30 degrees by day, 16 at night, 22 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
October: around 26 degrees by day, 13 at night, 54 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
November: around 20 degrees by day, 8 at night, 66 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
December: around 17 degrees by day, 5 at night, 62 millimetres of rain, some rain.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

Spring and autumn

Average daily highs, recorded at Fez / Fes-Sais Airport, 579 m (1991-2020).

Where this comes from

NOAA (via Wikipedia 'Fez, Morocco')

Budget level

Mid-range

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
Plan itWhere to stay in Fezad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Fez

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Fez

A man leading a mule piled high with sheepskins down a narrow yellow-and-white walled lane in the Fez medina
01
The List

The Best Day Trips from Fez: Seven Escapes Worth the Early Start

Roman ruins, an imperial capital, cedar forests and a blue mountain town — Fez is a better base than most travellers realise. Seven day trips, ranked by how well they repay the drive.

Morocco · 2 min
The honeycomb of stone dye pits at the Chouara tannery in Fez, seen from a rooftop terrace with drying hides and the ochre rooftops of the medina spreading out behind
02
Stays

Fez Is a Hill, and Your Suitcase Will Find Out

The old city of Fez drains downhill from the blue gate to the river and no car can follow you in, which makes the gate you arrive at, not the star rating, the decision that shapes the whole stay.

Morocco · 9 min
The carved cedar canopy, stucco and zellij portal of the Nejjarine Museum of Wood Arts on Nejjarine Square in the Fez medina, its heavy studded door standing open.
03
Itineraries

One Day in Fez: The Medina at Speed

The largest car-free urban area on earth, condensed into a single day. A route through Fes el-Bali that hits the madrasas, the tannery and the sunset viewpoint.

Morocco · 2 min
The upper gallery of a riad in the Fez medina: carved plaster arches on white columns, blue-and-white zellij panels, tall cedar doors and brass lanterns around the open courtyard.
04
Stays

Where to Sleep in Fez, on Every Budget

Medina riad or Ville Nouvelle hotel? A guide to the three areas that make sense in Fez, what each costs in convenience, and the properties that define them.

Morocco · 2 min
Densely packed earth-toned rooftops and terraces of the medina of Fez, Morocco, seen from the surrounding hills
05
Itineraries

48 Hours in Fez: The Perfect Two Days in the World's Greatest Medina

Blue gate to tannery terraces, madrasa tilework to sunset over ten thousand rooftops — a paced, hour-by-hour route through Morocco's medieval marvel.

Morocco · 2 min
A market in Fez seen from above, produce stalls and shoppers filling the lane
06
Food

Eating Fez: a Day That Starts at Bab Boujloud and Walks Downhill

Fez cooks far better than it advertises, and the good food is spread across quarters that each keep their own hours: a walk through the city's stalls, communal ovens and hidden riad tables, with what to order at every stop.

Morocco · 13 min
In pictures

Fez, framed

The arcaded interior of a shrine in Fez, with horseshoe arches, a large hanging brass chandelier, patterned red carpets and visitors gathered at the central fountain
Photo: Carlos Leret / Unsplash
Fez medina tannery Morocco, Fez
Photo: Matt Dany / Unsplash
Fez medina tannery Morocco, Fez
Photo: Henry Ren / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Fez

See and do

Eat and drink

Where to stay

Before you go

Practical essentials for Morocco

Money

Moroccan dirham (MAD), a closed currency you exchange on arrival and back before you leave

Language

Arabic and Amazigh, with French widely used in business and cities; English is common in Marrakech and the other tourist centres

Power

Type C/E, 220V 50Hz

Getting around

ONCF trains, including the Al Boraq high-speed line from Tangier to Casablanca, link the cities, while petits taxis work within them - agree the fare or insist on the meter.

Tipping

Small tips are part of daily life - 5-10% in restaurants, and a few dirhams for porters, guides and parking attendants.

Tap water

Tap water is not recommended for visitors; drink sealed bottled water.

Driving

Right-hand side; a Latin-script national licence is accepted for short stays, but rental firms and checkpoints commonly ask for an International Driving Permit.

Emergency

19 police, 15 ambulance and fire, 177 gendarmerie outside towns; 112 from a mobile

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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