Fes, Morocco Travel Guide: Tanneries, Tagines & Top Things to Do
Fes or Fez (you will see it written both ways depending on where you look) is the second largest city in Morocco, and was our second stop in our 10 day trip in Morocco. It was once the capital of Morocco and the Medina, Fes el Bali, is a World Heritage Site and is considered one of the world’s largest car free zones. In this Fes travel guide I will break down the top things to and see.
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Fes Travel Guide: How long to Stay in Fes?
There are many things to see in Fes, so I would recommend staying no less than 3 nights, which gives you at least 2 full days to explore. It is easy to get lost in all the souks and many maps, especially offline map apps will not have all the streets, and not all the streets will be properly marked, so choose to stay at a hotel that is close to all the sites you want to visit. This will save you time and allow you to see more sites, instead of spending half your time wandering around lost.
Fez Travel Guide: Where to Stay in Fez?
We stayed at Palais Amani and had a great time. The hotel has a great restaurant Eden at Palais Amani, as well as a Hammam, and a Cooking Workshop. We were lucky enough to get to experience all three and I highly recommend that you do as well, if you are ever in Fes.
Where To Eat in Fes?
There are many great restaurants we tried while we were in Fes, however our favorite meal was at Eden at Palais Amani. This really surprised me as I usually prefer to venture out of hotels to eat as I’m not usually very impressed by hotel food.
My Fes Food Guide goes more in-depth on the best food experiences in Fes, so be sure to read that before heading to Fes.
Eden at Palais Amani
Eden at Palais Amani, was our first meal in Fes. After arriving from an 8 hour train ride from Marrakech in the evening, it was perfect to simply walk out of our room and not have to spend time searching for somewhere to eat.
We sat in the beautiful courtyard next to a lovely fountain. We had the Market Moroccan Menu, which has a set price for an appetizer and main course, or an appetizer, main course and desert.
I ate the Fig and Goat Cheese Salad, Beef Tagine and Orange Blossom Peaches. All of them were delicious and the presentation was topnotch. Definitely a must eat!
What To Do In Fes, Morocco?
Visit a Hammam
There’s a first time for everything and this was my first time having a Hammam treatment.
The Hammam at Palais Amani was better than I could have imagined. It was much more relaxing than I had anticipated.
I had the Traditional treatment where I had a clay hair treatment and was exfoliated through a multi-step process.
There was the sound of running water throughout the treatment that almost lulled me to sleep several times. The setting is nice and the only lighting in the Hammam is that of dim candlelight.
The best part is how soft my skin and hair felt afterwards, which is great since the low humidity in Fes was really making my skin dry. It’s a great way to treat yourself after walking around sightseeing all day.
Amani Cookery Workshop
I have never had a cooking workshop before but I couldn’t have chosen a better one to have.
Our Cooking Workshop with Palais Amani took us first through the souks of the Medina, to buy each ingredient fresh, and when I say each ingredient, I don’t just mean the vegetables and meat, I mean down to each of the spices used in the dishes. Every, single, ingredient was purchased while we travelled through the maze of the souks.
It was a wonderful way to spend an hour seeing the souks, and get an authentic experience of how locals shop for their food. We were with our lovely chef and guide/translator who gave us information and even took pictures of us along the way. It was also great to not have to worry about getting lost in the souks while we got to explore.
After purchasing all the ingredients we got to prepare the dish along with our chef.
We had an eggplant and tomato salad that might have been the best thing I’ve eaten in our entire 10 day trip in Morocco, along with a chicken tagine and an orange dessert. We even got a lovely gift basket at the end of our workshop with the recipes for all the dishes we made, as well as the spices needed to make them.
The Tanneries
Fes is famous for their leather tanneries so this is an absolute must stop.
The Tanneries were around the corner from our hotel and took only a few minutes to get to. It was amazing to see this traditional form of dying leather up close.
Beware: The smell is very pungent and you will be given a sprig of mint (thank god for that) to mask the stench. Here we got to take in the view from a balcony above and it’s incredible how big each vat of color is. This is a great spot to take in the amazing city view.
If you’ve seen any pictures of Fes, you have no doubt seen the tanneries as it is the most famous Fes view.
Conclusion: Fes Travel Guide
Fes is a wonderful city with lots to offer. If you are planning a visit to Morocco be sure to work it in to your itinerary. You will not be disappointed.
If you’re planning a broader Morocco trip then I suggest reading my Morocco Desert Guide, as no trip to Morocco is complete without a Sahara desert tour.
If you’re curious how much to budget for a Morocco trip then check out my guide to the best affordable travel destinations (spoiler Marocco made the list and I break down daily average costs).
Still have unanswered questions about visiting Fes? Post them below and I will be sure to answer them!
