Things To Do in Fes

There's no particular sight within Fes's aging walls that defines its attractions; it's what you experience -- through sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch -- that you remember most. Within the largely confining walls of Fes el Bali and Fes Jdid is the world's last great medieval city, and this is what you come here to see. When Fes was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980, the organization's director-general described the city as "a single example of what men, moved by the same faith and the same ideal, and coming together from different horizons . . . have been able to achieve."

Besides the very worthy attractions listed, there are an infinite number of possible attractions just waiting to be discovered down every one of the medina's 9,500 twisting alleys, blind corners, dark lanes, and frustrating dead ends. Heaving masses of impatient people, mules laden with anything from stinking animal hides to baskets of fresh flowers, giggling school girls skipping home from school, grizzly old men playing checkers in a cafe, an impromptu game of street football -- open yourself up to these possibilities, and you'll begin to know the real Fes.

Watch Out! -- As you are exploring the medina, listen out for cries of "Balak! Balak!" This is a warning that coming up in front or behind you is one of the medina's thousands of working donkeys and mules.

Fes Jdid (New Fes)

At the beginning of the 14th century, Fes's Jewish community was relocated to an area known as the Mellah in the Merenid-built Fes Jdid. This concentration of the community's skills -- and wealth -- led to a prosperous neighborhood of multistory houses with large interior patios and balconies hanging over the street, many of them decorated in the stucco and zellij designs from the Jew's Andalusian heritage. Take a walk along wide, straight rue de Merenides (also known as Derb el Mellah) to see the faded grandeur of these houses and balconies.

In the south of the Mellah abutting the medina walls is a blinding mass of more than 18,000 whitewashed tombs dating from the beginning of the Mellah itself to as recent as 2004. Row upon row of rounded rectangular tombs are lined up in sections for children, adults, priests, and distinguished persons. Two tombs rising above the others are those of Sol the Just and Yehuda ben Atar, both of whom are considered saints and are subject to ongoing annual pilgrimages. An elegant white tomb with green trim is that of Solica, a 14-year-old girl who, in 1834, was killed after rebuking an offer of marriage -- along with the necessary conversion to Islam -- by the governor of Tangier. The elderly gardien is usually on hand at the main gate (ring the bell) to show you around. Enter via the door at the junction of Derb Temara and Derb Taourirt. A second entrance is located on the first street to the right after entering through Bab Lamar. The garden is open daily and is free, but a 10dh gratuity is recommended.

Salt & the Jews -- Mellah is the name given to all the Jewish neighborhoods in Morocco. The Mellah in Fes Jdid was the country's first, built in 1276 for the Jewish Syrian archers employed in the army of the ruling Merenid dynasty. Eventually all of the city's Jews were relocated to this district and fell under the direct protection of the sultan and his nearby palace. The Saâdian rulers took similar action in Marrakech in 1558. Both relocations may have occurred to install the Jewish population as a physical buffer zone between the ruling sultan and his subjects should there have been any unrest and violence. Another school of thought is that it simply made it easier for the sultan to collect taxes from the Jews. Even up until the early 20th century, Moroccan Jews were relatively wealthy compared to their Muslim and Berber countrymen, comprising a large majority of the country's bankers and jewelers. Historically, they also controlled Morocco's sugar and salt trade. It's this latter connection to salt, maleh in Arabic, and the Fes neighborhood's close proximity to the Oued el Maleh (Salty River) that the name Mellah was derived.

Outside the Medina

Medina Viewpoints -- At some stage of your visit, try to head up to one of the convenient viewpoints looking over the medina. Borj Sud and Borj Nord were both lookout towers built in the late 16th century by the Saâdians to keep watch over any potential unrest within the medina. Nowadays they offer the best views of the medina. Borj Nord is the closest, and therefore most accessible of the two from Bab Boujloud. About 500m (1/3 mile) past Borj Nord are the Merenid Tombs, which also have a great view and usually play host to a sunrise concert during Fes's Festival of World Sacred Music. Any other time of the year, however, it's not safe to hang around at the ruins too long after dark. For all three lookout points, catch a petit taxi from Fes el Bali for 10dh one-way. The Merenid Tombs are the closest to both the main road and the medina walls, should you wish to walk one or both ways.

Especially For Kids

The inherent joy and untainted affection that Fassis have for all children can open up doors to experiences that parents may not have otherwise been offered. On the other hand, however, exploring the medina can be a tiring experience with small children, largely due to the human traffic congestion that occurs along narrowing lanes and at various junctions. Keeping your children's attention level on high, however, shouldn't be difficult in the medina, thanks to a veritable circus of music shops with lots of drums; Berber pharmacies (called herboristes) with brightly colored concoctions; butcheries with the odd sheep's or camel's head prominently displayed; and tanneries of brightly colored leather and grown men jumping up and down in colored baths. Even having to dodge the regular trails of equine refuse can lead to squeals of laughter. Worth a visit, especially during summer, is Baghdadi Square between Bab Boujloud and Bab Mahrouka. In the late afternoon you'll normally find a few musicians, storytellers, and potion salesman. Other than the offerings in the medina, Fes is sadly lacking in any other activities that can claim to be child-friendly. Out in the ville nouvelle, at the junction of avenue Hassan II and avenue des F.A.R., a few calèches have begun to appear during the warmer months, offering rides for tired little legs. Come mealtime, those who are missing their familiar burgers and fries can be accommodated at the McDonald's on place de la Résistance in the ville nouvelle, which also offers the standard McDonald's play area.

To shop, or even browse, in Fes requires large doses of patience, humor, or money -- preferably all three. Fassi shopkeepers are the doyen of hagglers, and it takes a concerted effort to go head-to-head with one. Keeping this in mind, it must be said that Fes el Bali is Morocco's shopping center. Here you can find whole streets of artisans devoted to just one specific trade. Woodwork, babouches (slippers), jewelry, tailored clothing, leatherwork, pottery, mosaic tiling, brass and copperware, cotton and silk weaving, drums -- all can be bought direct from the factory, so to speak. Approach each experience with a smile and positive thoughts, and your shopping in Fes can prove memorable.

Items that particularly require the three previously mentioned qualities are carpets, kélims, and rugs. It seems everywhere you turn in Fes el Bali, a maison du tapis (carpet shop) is right there. Unfortunately, this seemingly excess supply doesn't equate to bargain prices. Carpets aren't cheap in Fes. If you're traveling into the Atlas mountains or beyond into central Morocco and the palmeraies, then frankly you are better off waiting until then. The carpet emporiums of Fes know this and can be annoyingly persistent for your business once you show even a flicker of interest. If you intend on shopping for carpets and rugs here, have a good idea of how much you are willing to pay before you begin any negotiations. It's your choice, and remember that you can always walk out of the shop. Once you've started, however, sit back and enjoy the banter, mint tea, and plethora of choice displayed before you.

Caution: When shopping in Fes's medina, don't rely on being able to use your credit card. For most of your purchases, cash -- usually dirham but sometimes euros or dollars -- will be the only form of payment accepted. Some carpet emporiums and antiques shops may accept credit cards, but be aware of the full amount being charged to your card prior to signing off the transaction. The purchase should be charged in dirham, so be aware of current exchange rates; if you're not sure, ask the proprietor to show you where the day's rate has been procured from and the calculation conducted to arrive at the price. On no occasion should you agree to pay for your purchase in monthly installments. There's every chance that the multiple slips you signed will either be banked all together or, worse, that you discover the amounts were manipulated upon your arrival back home.

For everyday items, head to the Central Marché in the ville nouvelle on boulevard Mohammed V, 2 blocks north of place Mohammed V. Here you'll find fresh produce, dried fruit and nuts, and dairy products. There are also a couple of alcohol shops on either side of the entrance opposite the Hotel Olympic. For fresh produce, groceries, toiletries, and alcohol, there's an Acima supermarket in the ville nouvelle, on avenue Mahmoud al Aqqad, in the direction of the Fes-Meknes auto route (tel. 0535/931374), which is open daily from 9am to 10pm. On the western edge of the ville nouvelle, on the old highway to Meknes, is the Western-style, air-conditioned Marjane Hypermarket (tel. 0535/957814), open daily from 9am to 9pm and selling everything from groceries and general foodstuffs (including bacon) to cookware and computers. There's also an ATM, pharmacy, and well-stocked liquor store that stays open for tourists during Ramadan.

Guided Shopping

Guides will invariably lead you to their shops of choice while showing you around the medina. As this is their livelihood, a guide will want you to purchase something so that he will earn a commission from the sale, sometimes up to 30%. This incentive for you to buy can work in your favor if you're a good haggler and stick to your guns. If you prefer to shop on your own, then strongly advise your guide of this before you begin. He may then request you to increase the rate for the tour by 100dh -- from 400dh to 500dh for example -- which is fair enough if it then affords you more time to visit the sights and profit from his knowledge rather than his shopping contacts.

Shopping A to Z

Antiques

On or around Derb Sidi Moussa, southeast of the Foundouk Nejjarine Museum, are a smattering of antiques shops, the best of which is Chakib Lahkim Bennani's Les Mystères de Fes, 53 Derb Bin Lemsarri, off rue Sidi Moussa, Guerniz (tel. 0535/636148 or 0661/483195). Chakib's family have been antiques dealers of note since 1922, and their three-story, 13th-century riad is all class. "I am obliged to find and sell the best of the best," Chakib says. You can spend a whole day here wandering around and marveling at the craftsmanship required to produce a 19th-century pure silver settee with blue-velvet cushions; twin 2m-high (6 1/2-ft.) bronze urns; carpets interwoven with silk and silver; Berber turquoise pottery; antique Arab jewelry; and a calligraphy-engraved crystal terriya, or chandelier. Most of the pieces are of Moroccan origin, but there are also items from Syria, Turkey, and India. There are small pieces that make great souvenirs; large items can be bought, wrapped, and shipped in handmade wood chests to anywhere in the world. It's open daily 9am to 7pm.

Carpets & Rugs

"If a carpet talks to your heart, it will make you happy," says carpet salesman extraordinaire Hakim Hamid, directeur of Aux Merveilles du Tapis, 22 Derb Sbaâ Louyat, Seffarine, Medina (next door to Dar Seffarine; tel. 0535/638735 or phone Hakim direct on 0663/672068). Sit back and enjoy your mint tea while he explains the connection between Morocco's architecture (the shop itself is housed in a grand 14th-c. palace) and its carpets; the difference between Berber rugs and Royal (Arabic) carpets; and the importance of knots, lamb's wool, and reversible carpets. His sales pitch is so corny it's funny, is not at all pushy, and makes for an enjoyable experience even if you don't buy. If you are buying, then you'll be spoiled for choice in design, color, and size. Hakim estimates there are 3,000 carpets, rugs, and kélims within this shop, and I don't doubt him. Prices vary greatly depending on the quality of craftsmanship and your negotiation skills, but small kélims can go for as little as 1,000dh; a medium-size (2*2m/6 1/2*6 1/2 ft.) Berber rug for 5,000dh; and a 4X4m (13*13 ft.) reversible carpet can sell for 32,000dh. Daily hours are 9am to 7pm.

For cotton and silk rugs, visit Chez Alibaba, 7 Derb el Mitter, Blida, Medina (btw. Pension Dalila and Restaurant Zohra; tel. 0535/636932). Mustapha Jamila and his jovial staff will gladly show you the weaving process; cotton, wool, and Algarve silk are some of the threads being used on the traditional loom here. Rugs and throw blankets can be ordered in a rainbow of colors and made within a day, and there is also a wide choice of lampshades, bed covers, curtains, and cushion covers. It's open daily 9am to 7pm.

Embroidery

Rachid Alaoui's Maison de Broderie, Derb Blida (20m/66 ft. southwest from the junction with Derb Hassan; tel. 0535/636546 or 0670/857675), is one of the premier embroidery shops in the medina. English-speaking Rachid has a wealth of knowledge on the craft and will gladly explain the work being produced on-site, except Fridays when the women have a day off. Crisp, white bedspreads, cushions, napkins, and tablecloths are all decorated with exquisitely embroidered Berber designs. It's open daily 9am to 7pm (American Express, MasterCard, and Visa are accepted).

Fashion

Chez Alami's Caftan Saâda, on Tala'a Kbira just east of the Bouinania Medersa (tel. 0667/188873 or 0667/334000), is the place to go for jellabahs and caftans. Alami has been operating from this 1312 riad for almost 25 years, and the wall-to-wall choice of designs and colors is staggering. For high quality shawls and scarves, visit Chez Alibaba.

Leatherware

Terrasse de Tannerie, 10 Derb Chouwara at the Chouwara Tanneries (tel. 0535/636625), is a veritable rabbit's warren of all things leather. Camel, cow, and goat leather products -- babouches, poufes, belts, jackets, wallets, and every size bag imaginable -- are crammed within a series of rooms that eventually lead to a split-level covered terrace with the best view of the tanneries down below. It's a busy shop (guides bring their groups here throughout the day), but the staff are always keen to sell and are usually willing to give you time to absorb the atmosphere, view, and even smell before choosing something. Pay attention to the varying qualities of leather (camel leather is the most supple); bad-quality leather will crack over time. A well-placed basket of fresh mint leaves is at the top of the stairs as you enter. Daily hours are 9am to sunset.

Music

Lajaj Ali's Fabrication de Percussions & de Poterie, 23 Derb el Horra (20m/66 ft. from Tala'a Sghira; tel. 0535/635954 or 0660/916750), is a rustic, ramshackle treasure trove of the many different styles of percussion instruments played in Morocco. Since the 1930s, Lajaj's father and now Lajaj himself have been producing quality drums -- darbuka, bandia, tabla, tahr, and djembe -- from the 200-year-old riad. Drum makers are often at work in the front rooms, while in the courtyard is a mass of drums stacked in among Fassi pottery, antique carpets, and what can quaintly be described as bric-a-brac. Lajaj is a very genuine man who loves nothing more than to explain the historical context behind each drum. In a similar vein is Abdellah Leajaj, 54 Foundouk Tazi, Tala'a Kbira (tel. 0663/002918 or 0664/622050), who has been crafting ceramic drums for the past 50 years, and is only too happy to show his work to interested visitors. An average-size darbuka sells for around 200dh, and a tabla for 250dh. Both Lajaj and Abdellah's shops are open Saturday to Thursday 9am to 6pm, and sometimes Friday morning.

Pottery & Ceramics

Direct from the potter, the pieces at master potter Serghini Maître Potier, 32 Aïn Nokbi (tel. 0535/761629 or 0535/649726), are the best in quality and consequently not the cheapest. Two floors house everything from ashtrays to fountains. Most of the common housewares -- bowls, vases, cups -- are decorated in the distinctive Fassi style and colors. If you have the time, take the free guided tour at the rear of the property to see the entire process from raw clay to the finished product; note that some workers are absent on Fridays. There's usually a steady stream of shoppers traipsing through, but there's always a staff member on hand to assist you -- and haggle with. English-speaking Azzeddine Khaloui is one of the most respected sales assistants in the quarter, and can be contacted after hours at tel. 0672/723683 if required. The shop is open daily 8:30am to sunset.

If you can't make it out to the quarter, Abdelfettah Dahhouki's Le Bleu de Fes, on the corner of Tala'a Kbira and Rhat Shems (tel. 0667/254079), has a nice selection of both pottery and zellij. Easily packed items include square-tile house numbers for your home (150dh) and small, zellij-topped mosaic tables weighing only 3 kilograms (6.5 lb.) and selling for around 300dh. Offering a more varied selection, including clay pots and vases from the Rif Mountains to the north of Fes, is Zaz Abdelslam's Maison Sahara, 9 place Nejjarine (tel. 0535/634522 or 0665/735681). Both shops are open daily 8am to 8pm (closed Fri during the colder months).

Spices & Herboristes

Recognizable by the cone-shape mounds of green (henna), red (paprika), and yellow (turmeric) on display at their entrances are the medina's spice shops. An essential item in everyday Moroccan cooking, spices can be bought readily and without any haggling. Prices should be fixed (around 35dh per 100g/ 1/4 lb. for any standard spice, perhaps a little more for saffron) and the transaction drama-free.

The medina's herboristes, on the other hand, provide much more entertainment for your money. Along with selling spices, including a mixture of 35 different varieties known as ras el hanout that is great for stews and casseroles, these Berber chemists show off their stock of herbal medicines, oils, and teas said to "cure" everything from bladder problems and constipation to depression and obesity; there's even a "Viagra" tea for impotence. Abdou Belkhaid, aka Herboriste Abdou, 148 rue Sidi Moussa, Guerniz (tel. 0535/638127), has more than 350 jars of goodies to show you, along with a huge lineup of perfumed oils -- cedar wood, jasmine, orange, amber, rose -- and natural cosmetics. He's open every day from 9am to 7pm. In a similar vein is Amina's and Sanae's Aux Mille Epices, 42 Derb Blida (20m/66 ft. southwest from the junction with Derb Hassan; tel. 0535/741879 or 0666/514825).

Tip: If you are anywhere near the Acima or Marjane supermarket, have a look at their spice section. Although they are obviously lacking the atmosphere of shopping in the medina, you are very likely to find the exact same spices at a cheaper price.

As befits this spiritual, conservative, and orthodox city, most nightlife in Fes revolves around family activities and nonalcoholic pursuits, namely enjoying an ice cream or drinking coffee or mint tea in one of the city's cafes. From late afternoon to late evening, you'll often find families and young Fassis hanging out on Baghdadi Square, between Bab Mahrouk and Bab Boujloud. Quite often you'll find musicians, storytellers, and even some African herboristes -- a la Jemaa el Fna in Marrakech -- entertaining the crowds and adding a noisy, lively atmosphere to the evening stroll. Cafe Clock is a great place to meet both locals and travelers. It hosts irregular literary and film events, including movie nights in the special projector room. Farther down Tala'a Kbrira is the recently opened Fez Lounge, 95 Zkak Rouah, off Tala'a Kbira (tel. 0535/633097; www.fezlounge.com). Alesandro Betissam's sultry lounge bar blends aspects of his native Spain with that of the exotic l'Orient, offering tapas and a menu of Moroccan standards in an interior of charcoal walls, soft lighting, and minimalistic decor. Nonalcoholic drinks are also available and in the back room is a shisha lounge complete with stretch-out lounges. They often have themed party nights, when the usual sounds of world lounge are replaced with the latest in Euro electronica. It's open daily from 11am to 10pm. If you're looking for a drink in the medina, the longtime watering hole of choice is still the Hotel Batha. The hotel's colonialesque Churchill lounge is a popular haunt with both expat residents and hotel guests, while Le Consul bar at the rear can sometimes have quite a party happening and stays open until 2am. Between the two medinas of Fel el Bali and Fes Jdid, and only a 5-minute walk from Bab Boujloud, is Mezzanine, 17 Kasbah Chems, opposite Jardin Jnan Sbil (tel. 0611/078336; mezfez@gmail.com). During the day this relaxed lounge and eatery offers a welcome respite from the outside world, with a menu of mainly tapas, Moroccan and Mediterranean dishes, and a drinks list that ranges from fresh juices and cold beer to cocktails and shots of whiskey. In a compact building sandwiched between everyday shops and houses, the two softly lit and inward-facing interior levels emit an exotic ambience and encourage intimacy, with low-lying chairs, glass tables, and charcoal walls adorned with African masks. Natural light beams downward from the rooftop terrace, which is both private and a little voyeuristic as it allows patrons to look down on all and sundry while sipping their drinks. There's a couple of welcome lounges up here, as well as a small corner bar complete with chandelier. Come nighttime the vibe transforms to chic and cosmopolitan as the young and beautiful of Fes come to drink and be seen, backed by a soundtrack of world lounge music. It's open daily from noon to 1am, and two-for-one drinks are on offer nightly from 6 to 8:30pm. For a refined, though expensive, after-dark drink, head to the Sofitel Palais Jamaï, Bab Guissa (tel. 0535/634331; www.sofitel.com). This 1879 former palace has a piano bar -- which actually has a piano -- and also offers glorious sweeping views over the medina. Come here for sunset.

Out in the ville nouvelle, the cafes surrounding place Mohammed V are always a good spot to watch the evening throngs. There are also a few male-only bars around here. The only other options for a drink are in the enclosed bars of some of the hotels, including Hotel Mounia and Hotel Splendid.

For evening pursuits of the cultural kind, contact the Arabic Language Institute in Fes (ALIF) and the American Language Center, 2 rue Ahmed Hiba, Ville Nouvelle (tel. 0535/624850; fax 0535/931608; www.alif-fes.com), to see if they have any upcoming events.