Fès-Meknès is a region of north-central Morocco that holds two of the country's four imperial cities: Fès, home to the world's largest living medieval medina and the oldest university in continuous operation, and Meknès, the 17th-century capital of Sultan Moulay Ismail. Between and around them lie the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the holy hilltop town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, the cedar forests and lakes of the Middle Atlas around Ifrane and Azrou, and the cherry-growing towns of Sefrou and Bhalil.
Fès-Meknès has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate on the plains of Fès and Meknès, becoming cooler and wetter in the Middle Atlas. Summers are hot and almost rainless, with highs of 36C in Fès and spells above 40C; winters are cool and wet, with lows of 5C and frequent snow at Ifrane, Azrou and Mischliffen. Fès receives about 500 mm of rain a year and Ifrane about 1,000 mm, mostly between October and April. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons for sightseeing, while summer visitors can base themselves in the cooler mountain towns. Temperatures below are for Fès; Ifrane and Azrou run roughly 6-10C lower.
Best time to visit
Best: March–May and September–November
Peak Season: March–May, October and Christmas–New Year
Avoid: July–August for midday heat (36-40°C / 97-104°F) in Fès and Meknès
Notes: Spring has warm days, green countryside and cherry blossom near Sefrou, while autumn is warm, light and less crowded. Winters are rainy and cold at night, but Ifrane and Azrou offer snow scenery. In summer, visitors do best to explore the medinas at dawn and dusk and spend afternoons in Ifrane or Azrou.
Items:
- Month
- January
- Temp high
- 16
- Temp low
- 5
- Rainfall mm
- 70
- Humidity
- Moderate
- Notes
- Cool and wet. Ifrane and Azrou often have snow and Mischliffen may open for skiing; Fès nights near 5C, so layers are needed.
- Crowd level
- Moderate
- Month
- February
- Temp high
- 18
- Temp low
- 6
- Rainfall mm
- 70
- Humidity
- Moderate
- Notes
- Cool with frequent showers; snow persists in the Middle Atlas. Almond blossom around Sefrou and Taza.
- Crowd level
- Low–Moderate
- Month
- March
- Temp high
- 21
- Temp low
- 8
- Rainfall mm
- 70
- Humidity
- Moderate
- Notes
- Warm days and fresh nights as the countryside turns green. Good for walking the Fès medina and for spring wildflowers at Volubilis.
- Crowd level
- Moderate–High
- Month
- April
- Temp high
- 23
- Temp low
- 10
- Rainfall mm
- 60
- Humidity
- Moderate
- Notes
- Ideal sightseeing weather with occasional showers. Easter week is busy in Fès.
- Crowd level
- High
- Month
- May
- Temp high
- 27
- Temp low
- 13
- Rainfall mm
- 35
- Humidity
- Low–Moderate
- Notes
- Warm and mostly dry. Cherries begin to ripen around Sefrou and Bhalil.
- Crowd level
- High
- Month
- June
- Temp high
- 32
- Temp low
- 17
- Rainfall mm
- 10
- Humidity
- Low
- Notes
- Hot by midday; the Sefrou Cherry Festival is usually held in June. Visit sights early in the morning.
- Crowd level
- Moderate–High
- Month
- July
- Temp high
- 36
- Temp low
- 20
- Rainfall mm
- 2
- Humidity
- Very Low
- Notes
- Very hot in Fès and Meknès (up to 40C). Visit sites at dawn or dusk and use Ifrane or Azrou, which are 8-10C cooler, as a base.
- Crowd level
- Low–Moderate
- Month
- August
- Temp high
- 36
- Temp low
- 20
- Rainfall mm
- 3
- Humidity
- Very Low
- Notes
- As hot as July. Moroccan holidaymakers return from abroad, so trains and Middle Atlas towns are busy.
- Crowd level
- Moderate
- Month
- September
- Temp high
- 31
- Temp low
- 17
- Rainfall mm
- 20
- Humidity
- Low
- Notes
- Heat eases from mid-month; cooler evenings. An underrated month with moderate crowds.
- Crowd level
- Moderate
- Month
- October
- Temp high
- 26
- Temp low
- 13
- Rainfall mm
- 50
- Humidity
- Low–Moderate
- Notes
- Warm sunny days, cool nights and the first autumn rains; one of the best months for the cities.
- Crowd level
- Moderate–High
- Month
- November
- Temp high
- 20
- Temp low
- 9
- Rainfall mm
- 80
- Humidity
- Moderate
- Notes
- Cooler and wetter, with mild days in the medina. First mountain snow in the Middle Atlas late in the month.
- Crowd level
- Low–Moderate
- Month
- December
- Temp high
- 16
- Temp low
- 6
- Rainfall mm
- 85
- Humidity
- Moderate
- Notes
- Cool with rainy periods; snow in Ifrane and Azrou. Busy over Christmas and New Year.
- Crowd level
- Moderate–High
Month-by-month weather
Typical conditions throughout the year.
Items
The seasons
What to expect in each part of the year.
Items
Spring (Spring is the best season for Fès-Meknès. Temperatures rise from 21C in March to 27C in May, the plains are green and the cherry orchards around Sefrou blossom. Rain is moderate in March and April and light by May.), Summer (Summer is hot and dry in Fès and Meknès, with daytime highs of 36C and heatwaves up to 40C. The Middle Atlas around Ifrane and Azrou is much cooler and makes a better base. Visitors benefit from lower prices in the cities but must adapt to early starts.), Autumn (Autumn brings falling temperatures from 31C in September to 20C in November, with the first rains in October. The medinas are less crowded than in spring and the light is soft for photography.), Winter (Winter is cool and rainy: Fès has highs of 16-18C and lows of 5-6C, and Ifrane and Azrou often have snow. Fès el-Bali is atmospheric in the mist but lanes can be wet and slippery, and some riads are chilly without good heating.)
Crowds & peak times
When to expect tourists and when to avoid them.
- Items
- Period
- March–May
- Level
- High
- Notes
- Peak spring season with ideal weather. Book Fès riads weeks ahead, especially around Easter.
- Period
- October
- Level
- Moderate–High
- Notes
- Warm autumn weather draws many European visitors. Riads fill on weekends.
- Period
- December–January
- Level
- Moderate–High
- Notes
- Christmas and New Year weeks are busy in Fès, while the rest of winter is quiet.
- Period
- June and September
- Level
- Moderate
- Notes
- Transitional months with manageable crowds.
- Period
- February and November
- Level
- Low–Moderate
- Notes
- Cooler, wetter months with quieter lanes and lower prices.
- Period
- July–August
- Level
- Low–Moderate
- Notes
- International tourism drops with the heat, though Moroccan holidaymakers visit the Middle Atlas around Ifrane and Azrou.
Major events & festivals
Time your visit around what matters.
Fès Festival of World Sacred Music
Concerts of sacred and world music in Fès venues; dates change each year, so visitors should check the festival's official website before booking.
Sefrou Cherry Festival
A traditional festival in Sefrou celebrating the cherry harvest with a procession, the election of a Cherry Queen, music and craft stalls.
Moussem of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
A pilgrimage and fair at the shrine of Idriss I in Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, with processions and horse performances.
Eid al-Adha
The Festival of Sacrifice; the medinas fall quiet and many shops close for a few days. Dates shift earlier by about eleven days each year.
Ramadan
The month of fasting changes the daily rhythm; many restaurants close by day and the evenings after iftar are lively. Dates shift earlier by about eleven days each year.