Fes travel guide: where to stay, what to do and where to eat in Fes, Fès-Meknès, Morocco.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Fassi blue-and-white pottery - MAD 50-1,000 (~$5.40-$108) for bowls, plates and tagines depending on size and painting
Babouches and leather goods from the Chouara quarter - MAD 100-500 (~$11-$54) per pair or item, prices vary widely
Copper cookware, teapots and etched bowls from Place Seffarine - MAD 100-1,000 (~$11-$108)
Carved cedar and carpentry from the Nejjarine area - MAD 100-3,000+ (~$11-$323+)
Berber carpets and kilims (Beni Ouarain, Azilal, Boucherouite) from Talaa Kebira dealers - MAD 500-5,000+ (~$54-$538+)
Wild honey from Fondouk Kaat Smen, up to 17 varieties - roughly MAD 50-200 (~$5.40-$22) per jar
Spices, henna and cosmetics from Attarine and the Henna Souk - MAD 10-150 (~$1.10-$16)
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Souk el-Attarine (Spice and Perfume Souk)
Spices, herbs, fruit and vegetables, and traditional cosmetics along one of the most fragrant lanes in the medina
Where: Central Fès el-Bali, beside the Attarine Madrasa
Hours: Daily approx. 9am-6pm; many shops close Friday morning
Souk el-Henna (Henna Souk)
Henna, traditional cosmetics and toiletries, and pottery with traditional Fassi patterns
Where: Heart of Fès el-Bali, off Talaa Kebira
Hours: Daily approx. 9am-6pm; many shops close Friday morning
Place Seffarine (Coppersmiths' Square)
Hand-beaten copper cookware, tagines, teapots and etched bowls made in the square; check welds and engraving regularity to spot mass-produced pieces
Where: Fès el-Bali, near the Qarawiyyin
Hours: Daily approx. 9am-6pm; many shops close Friday morning
Place Nejjarine and Carpenters' Souk
Cedar and carved woodwork, notably wedding thrones; antiques shops cluster around Derb Sidi Moussa near the Nejjarine Fondouk
Where: Fès el-Bali, around the Nejjarine fountain
Hours: Daily approx. 9am-6pm; many shops close Friday morning
Chouara Tannery and Leather Shops
Leather goods from the rooftop shops around the 11th-century tannery: babouches, poufs, belts, jackets, wallets and bags; prices vary widely, so haggle hard
Where: Fès el-Bali, tannery quarter
Hours: Daily approx. 9am-6pm; many shops close Friday morning
Terrasse de Tannerie
Leatherware in camel, cow and goat leather: babouches, poufs, belts, jackets, wallets and bags, with a terrace over the tannery
Where: Chouara tannery quarter
Hours: Daily approx. 9am-6pm; many shops close Friday morning
Fondouk Tazi (Talaa Kebira)
Traditional Fes blue pottery, modern tableware and striped collections; the Talaa Kebira street also has carpet, babouche and jewelry shops
Where: Talaa Kebira, Fès el-Bali
Hours: Daily approx. 9am-6pm; many shops close Friday morning
R'cif Market
Fresh produce, olives, a camel butcher and street snacks; arrive before 10am
Where: R'cif, lower Fès el-Bali
Hours: Daily, mornings are busiest
Ain Nokbi Potters' Quarter
Hand-painted Fassi pottery and kitchenware made from grey clay; shops can arrange shipping, but packing should be checked; a taxi from the medina is needed
Where: Ain Nokbi, east of the medina
Hours: Daily approx. 9am-6pm; many shops close Friday morning
Malls & modern shopping
Air-conditioned, international brands, and food courts.
Borj Fez Mall
Hours: Daily 9am-10pm (varies by season)