Ain Nokbi Potters' Quarter

The Ain Nokbi Potters' Quarter is a pottery district on the hillside east of the medina of Fès, in Morocco's Fès-Meknès region, where ceramics are made and sold at the Quartier des Potiers. It is the workshop area behind much of the pottery sold in the city, and it is the place to see the Fassi ceramic tradition at its source. The shops and workshops offer hand-painted Fassi pottery and kitchenware made from grey clay, including plates, bowls, tagines, tiles and decorative pieces, many in the cobalt blue known as Fès blue. This differs from generic souvenir shopping because buyers can see the clay shaped, fired and painted, and prices are lower than in the medina shops that resell the same work. Quality varies between workshops, with some producing carefully painted and evenly glazed pieces and others selling quicker commercial items. Checking for chips, cracks and uneven glaze, and tapping a piece to hear a clear ring, helps identify sound pottery. Bargaining is normal, and buying several pieces gives room for a discount. Payment is mostly Moroccan dirhams cash, with cards available at some of the larger showrooms, and tax refunds do not usually apply. Shops can arrange shipping, but packing should be checked because ceramics are fragile. The area is quieter than the medina, though tour groups visit in the late morning. A taxi from the medina is needed to reach it, as it lies beyond easy walking distance of the souks. There is little on-site food, so snacks and drinks are best taken before leaving the medina. Must-visit corners include the working kilns, the painting workshops and the large showrooms of finished tableware.