Thus far on my Moroccan adventure, I had visited Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakech.
The final stop on the trip was the legendary town of Fes.
Review: Private Full-Day Tour Of Fes With Lunch [Expedia] (Casablanca, Morocco)
Editor’s Note: This post is part of my ongoing Africa Travel Series and my European Travel Series, click here for more posts on all things Europe, and click here for all things Africa.
The drive into Fes
The City Of Fes
Fes is the second-largest city in Morocco and lies inland at the base of the middle Atlas Mountains.
Founded in the 8th century, Fes is known for its medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site (noted as one of the largest inhabited pedestrian zones on earth), as well as the University of Al Quaraouiyine (the oldest continually operating university in the world).
About The Private Full-Day Tour Of Fes With Lunch [Expedia] (Casablanca, Morocco)
The tour I chose was the “The Private Full-Day Tour Of Fes With Lunch” due to the itinerary, last-minute availability and the relatively affordable pricing.
The tour guide picked my up at 6:00 am sharp from my hotel, the Hyatt Regency Casablanca, and escorted me outside where the van and driver were waiting.
The van was a newer model vehicle, with a clean interior, A/C and some bottled water. The drive to Fes was 3 hours there – and 3 hours back.
Stop #1: Palais Royal Dar El Makhzen
The first stop was the royal palace of the King of Morocco. This visit was limited to the entrance of the palace.
Stop #2: Bab Semmarine
The next stop was the old Jewish Quarter.
It is said many Moroccan Hebrews once lived here above their shops.
The Gate To The Medina
Storks guard the gate
Stop #3: Borj Sud
The next stop was Borj Sud, a fortress built in 1582.
Its known as a famous lookout point over the city.
Stop #4: Pottery Shop
Stop 4 was a pottery shop. Yes, it was a tourist trap.
Stop #5: Bab Guissa
We entered the Fes medina through the Bab Guissa gate.
The entrance to the museum
Stop #6: The Narrow Streets
Finally inside the medina, we walked around the maze-like structure until we made it to one of the main attractions, the “narrow streets”.
A public fountain
Stop #7: Henna Souk
After successfully navigating the narrow streets, we walked though the marketplace known as Henna Souk.
Putting on a dye demonstration for tourists
Stop #8: Bab Sid L’Aouad
There was a view point of the Oued Bou Khrareb (river).
Stop #9: Nejjarine Square
Eventually, we arrived at Nejjarine Square where we had a wonderful lunch at the excellent Dar Hatim Restaurant.
Stop #10: Chouara Tannery
After lunch, we headed to the tannery section of Fes.
This area is famous as a place where animal hides are tanned, dyed, and made into leather (the old fashioned way).
It was quite the site to see, although the smell in the air was [unsurprisingly] very strong.
We could only stand a few minutes from the viewpoint, before we asked to return inside (which happened to be through the gift shop, of course).
Stop #11: Al Quaraouin University
Known as the oldest existing university in the world, Al Quaraouin University has been continually operating since 859 A.D.
This site is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Bab Rcif
View of the Al Quaraouin University and its white minaret
Metal and wood workings on a door
Stop #12: Bou Inania Medersa
The Bou Inania Medersa is known for being one of the best examples of peak Moroccan architecture.
Stop #13: Moulay Idriss II Mausoleum
The final visit of the day was a peek into the courtyard of the Moulay Idriss II Mausoleum.
This structure was built to house the remains of Idriss II, the founder of Fes.
The Bottom-Line Review: Private Full-Day Tour Of Fes With Lunch [Expedia] (Casablanca, Morocco)
Fes was unlike any other Moroccan city I had visited – or any other city in the world for that matter – and that is a good thing.
The highlight of the tour was easily the time spent walking through the massive medina (which was the majority of the tour). Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and spoke english well.
My only complaint came at the end of the tour. We were told our van had “broken down” and that we would have to ride with the driver in his small car (with no A/C) for the 3 hour ride back to Casablanca. Rather than complain, I decided to just take them at their word, as I had an early flight back to Paris the next morning.
Final Review: Highly Recommended! There were interesting things to see at almost every single stop. No trip to Morocco can be said to be complete without a trip to amazing town of Fes.
Cheers!
