Fez

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Fez (فاس) (sometimes spelled "Fès") is a city in Morocco. It is famous for the hats of the same name, which originated here. Fez is also famous for its ancient walled city, which many compare to the walled city of Jerusalem.

Contents 1 Understand 2 Get in 2.1 By plane 2.2 By train 2.3 By car 2.4 By bus 3 Get around 4 See 5 Do 6 Learn 7 Work 8 Buy 9 Eat 9.1 Budget 9.1.1 Ville Nouvelle 9.2 Mid-range 9.3 Splurge 10 Drink 11 Sleep 11.1 Budget 11.2 Mid-range 11.3 Splurge 12 Contact 13 Stay safe 14 Cope 15 Day trips 16 Get out

[edit] Understand

Fez is the medieval capital of Morocco, and a great city of high Islamic civilization. It also has the best-preserved old city in the Arab world, the sprawling, labyrinthine medina of Fes el-Bali, which is incidentally also the world's largest car-free urban zone.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Royal Air Maroc offers daily flights from Casablanca and Paris-Orly to Fes-Saiss airport.

Jet4You flies from Paris-Orly and Marrakech to Fez.

Ryanair offers flights from Girona (Barcelona), Frankfurt (Hahn), London (Luton) and Marseille to Fez, though not on a daily basis.

[edit] By train

There is regular train service along the line that runs from Marrakech to Oujda.

From Marrakech, the trip is about 7 hours and costs approximately 200 dirhams second-class or 300 dirhams for first class.

The trip from Casablanca takes about 4 hours and costs 100-150 dirhams.

From Rabat takes about three and a half hours and costs 75-105 dirhams.

[edit] By car

Fez is about 4 hours' drive by car from Casablanca. The stretch of toll highway from Rabat to Fez is in superb condition.

Traveling by grand taxi (inter-city taxi), though more expensive than trains, is viable for tourists- a ride from Fez to Casablanca costs approximately 1200 dirhams (120 euros), which is not bad if you are sharing the cost among 3 or 4 passengers. Note that grand taxi fares are regulated and it is worth checking the official rates with the tourist board, as some drivers or hotels will quote inflated prices.

Within Fez, ride in the petits taxis (local taxis) rarely cost more that 15-20 dirhams. However, the medina of Fes el-Bali is only accessible from a few points by car. Bab Boujeloud and nearby Place Batha are popular dropoff points, as is Place R'cif; for parking there is spaces at Ain Zleten on the northeast edge of the medina.

[edit] By bus

The old bus terminal ("gare routiere") is just outside the old city on the north side, near the Ain Zleten entrance to the medina. Grands taxis (inter-city taxis) can also be obtained here. The CTM terminal ("gare CTM") is in the Atlas neighborhood of the ville nouvelle, 7 km from the medina, but has taxi stands nearby. While the gare routière covers more routes more cheaply, many travelers prefer CTM for its reliability and cleanliness.

[edit] Get around

Ignore the travel guides that tell you that you'll get lost in the medina and that you must hire a guide. If you are particularly worried, be sure to arrange a licensed guide through your hotel or the tourism office - they will be able to give you an accurate history and will make fewer shopping stops. The faux-guides in particular will simply take you from shop to shop where you will be pressured to buy goods, which will cost you extra because the seller will be obliged to pay the guide a hidden commission.

There are some basic landmarks that you can use to get around, and there are an increasing number of signs. The main street is the Talaa Kbira, which runs from Bab Boujloud to the Karaouiyne mosque in the heart of the medina. The Talaa Sghira also begins at Bab Boujeloud and eventually merges back into the Talaa Kbira. Once you get into the narrow, windy heart of the medina, you can find your way out again by constantly heading downhill, which will eventually lead to the Place R'cif, a dropoff for buses and taxis, where you can get a petit taxi out of the medina.

For more detailed tours and directions, look for the book Fez from Bab to Bab (Hammad Berrada). It has a complete map of the medina and several well-described walking tours. It can be found in most bookshops, both on the Talaa Sghira or at the large bookstore on the Avenue Hassan II in the ville nouvelle. However, be discreet taking out your map or you will have many offers from false guides!

[edit] See

Just walking around, you will see a great deal!

In the midst of the maze-like medina are the colorful leather-dying pits. Any number of young boys will offer to guide you to them: just listen for "you want to see the tanneries?" The tour is free (though it is appropriate to offer 1-5 dirhams to your "guide").

Bou Inania madersa: a breathtaking 14th-century religious college. The best example of Islamic architecture a non-Muslim can see in Fez, with wooden walls elaborately carved with geometric patterns and Arabic calligraphy, and a beautiful minaret. In the courtyard there is a portico with a still-functioning mosque, separated by the rest of the courtyard by a small moat.

The view from the hills surrounding the old city is spectacular- there are two fortresses overlooking the old city, the Borj Nord which contains an armaments museum, and the Borj Sud, which is being developed for tourism.

The Merenid Tombs next to the Merenid Hotel, provide excellent panoramic views over the medina and the wider city, as well as the olive tree lined hills surrounding the city, and sanctuary from the bustle of the rest of the city. Beware of the odd opportunistic tout.

The Sofitel Palais Jamai terrace has an incredible view over the medina if you are willing to pay 30 dirhams for a glass of tea in order to access it. This is particularly worthwhile if you can time your visit to coincide with the call to prayer, as you can hear multiple minarets from the terrace.

Entrance to the Moulay Idriss II shrine, the tomb of Fez's founder, is limited to Muslims, but the view from just outside its doors is still well-worth hunting down. The mosque is just off the Talaa Kbira near the Souk Attarine.

Similarly, the Qaraouyine library and mosque and the al-Tijani mosque have beautifully decorated exteriors and worth a visit even by those who cannot enter them.

[edit] Do

One of the most fascinating activities to do in Fez is a trip in the medina (Old City Market). The medina is so complex to navigate that sometimes it's easier to simply lose yourself in the hustle and bustle of the market, and find your way out once you have had enough of all the sights, sounds, and smells that will overwhelm your senses. You will eventually find your way out via lots of dried fruit, leather goods, ceramics, textiles and food stalls!

Make sure you find an opportunity to escape from the bustle of the streets and see the medina from one of its rooftops - some shops and restaurants have rooftop terraces (see the food section below for some useful tips). The views are particularly spectacular during sunset and after dark.

• The Berber pharmacy in the Medina has hundreds of jars of twisted root and twig neatly lined up along the walls. Don't eat the seed-pod like things the proprietor offers you. Although he's eating them also, they are very high in oestrogen and can cause a man's nipples to be sore for several days afterwards.

• The tannery in the medina features leather-making techniques unchanged since the Middle Ages. Men walk the narrow paths between huge vats of lye and colorful dyes, water wheels creak as the leather is rinsed, and buildings facing the tannery are covered with pelts hanging to dry. Visit early in the morning before the sun hits the tannery and the stench sets in.

There are several well-marked trails through the city: follow the green (Andalusian palaces and gardens), orange (walls and fortifications), or blue signs and you won't get lost in all the narrow twisting streets.

[edit] Learn

• The Arabic Language Institute in Fez, +212 35 62 48 50 (fax +212 35 93 16 08, <info@alif-fes.com>), [1] offers high quality three-week and six-week courses in Arabic, both Modern Standard Arabic and the Moroccan colloquial language. The Institute can also arrange accommodation with a Moroccan host family for their students if required.

[edit] Work

[edit] Buy

Some may consider Fez to be the handicraft capital of Morocco, but in reality the quality and value of its wares can be hit and miss. Leathergoods, copper and brassware are the bargains to be had, although you may also find good prices on drums and other musical instruments.

As a rough guide, you can expect to pay:

• Leather satchel: Dh 200 - Dh 400 depending on quality
• Drums: Dh 30 - Dh 150 depending on size and quality
• Tagine dish (see picture): 10 Dh - 20 Dh for a full size tagine dish, plus an extra Dh 10 if it's been varnished and / or decorated.

If you're interested in the cobalt-blue ceramic, you might go to the potteries where they make it. It's really cool to see how they model the clay into a tagine in 45 seconds. From Bab el-Ftouh, it's a 5 dirham taxi. Ask the driver to take you to "Les potteries de Fez". There're 2 big "factories", both show you the whole process if you want or you could just see the exhibition (and buy). Bargain -really- hard, prices seem to be fixed, but they are not at all!

[edit] Eat

[edit] Budget

The markets near the 'main' gate of Bab Boujeloud (near to Hotel Cascades) are full of yummy food. It is worth just wandering through them, buying random bits of food. Street food is very cheap and is often safe. Restaurants, even cheap ones, will often be up to twice the cost of street food, and the quality can be the same.

• Le Kasbah (near Bab Boujloud). Friendly service, a solid selection of inexpensive Moroccan staples (excellent vegetarian tagine) and a couple of lovely high terraces overlooking the Gate on one side and the medina on the other, makes it a comfortable atmospheric place to chat to other travellers and its a welcome haven from the bustle of the crowded streets of the medina.
• Café Medina (near Bab Boujloud). Tasty and cosy café-style restaurant, maybe too touristy. Food is fine, specially the "boricuas" (deep fried thin dough layers wrapping meat-chicken-rice fillings). Mains starting in 60dh.
• Restaurant Bouinania (near Bab Boujloud). Enjoy lunch on the terrace or a leisurely dinner on the carpet-adorned second floor. The service is very friendly and more than willing to fire up the grill to make you the first brochettes of the day. Tagine, couscous, and other staples are well-done and offered for around 40 dh, but prices are negotiable down to 25 dh.
• Le Kasbah (Bab Boujloud) has 2 nice terraces, a set menu or a la carte dishes. If you're tired of potatoes everywhere, try the grilled lamb chops and ask the waiter to change the french fries and rice for salad. Great for lunch!

[edit] Ville Nouvelle

• Casa Nostra for tasteless pasta and ok pizza, you can try this italian "thematic restaurant", 1 block from Hasan II and Mohammed V

[edit] Mid-range

• Palais des Merinides (Talaa Kbira). Table d'hote menus with basic Moroccan specialties in a very grand setting. Decent quality, but fabulous surroundings.

San Remo. Fed up with Couscous and Tajine, then you could try this Morocco owned Italian restaurant in the new part of town. Just opposite the police station, it offers a lovely Italian deli and numerous pasta and pizza dishes for a decent price.

[edit] Splurge

• Dar Saada Restaurant [2] Located in the centre of the medina.

[edit] Drink

[edit] Sleep

[edit] Budget

• Camping Diamant Vert, Rue Ain Chkef. Decent amount of shade, french toilets and (sometimes warm) showers. 25 Dh a person, 15 Dh per tent. Free access to the swimming pool.
• HI youth hostel, 18 Rue Abdeslam Serghini. Clean, bright, friendly and well placed in the ville nouvelle. Unfortunately there is a debilitating 10 pm curfew and a five hour lockout. Dorms / twins with shared bath from Dh 45 / Dh 55, plus Dh 5 surcharge for non HI members.
• Hotel Cascades (near Bab Boud Jeloud - main gate) in the Medina. The rooms are clean and simple. There is a shared bathroom on the first floor. A double costs 150 dh / night, this makes it cheaper than the youth hostel with a better location and no lockout. Sleeping on the terrace, recommended by some, is not advisable due to midday heat, lack of space during the day, and lack of security for luggage.
• Pension Batha, (100-150 Dhs) 8 Sidi Lkhayat Batha, Fax: 05-574-1150, just across from Hotel Batha, around the corner from Bab Boud Ganoush. It has limited rooms, and fills up quickly, but they are clean and include private bathroom. It comes with breakfast on a nice (but small) terrace on the top floor.

[edit] Mid-range

• Dar Bennis: traditional 18th century house (riad) in the Medina for vacation or holiday rental for up to five people, starting at 80 euros for entire house, www.houseinfez.com. This website also has lots of information about Fez museums, architecture, restaurants, real estate & monuments.

[edit] Splurge

There are a growing number of beautiful, comfortable guest-houses ("riads") in the medina of Fes el-Bali. They are expensive by Moroccan standards but offer luxury for about the price of a North American chain hotel. Some European proprietors prey on Westerners' culture-shock to direct business toward favored or overpriced services, so it is worth doing your research before going.

• Riad Arabesque' [3]. Traditional hotel.

[edit] Contact

[edit] Stay safe

Fez is safe, but crowded. Take standard precautions regarding wallet, purse, etc. If you hear "Belek! Belek!" behind you, stand aside because a heavily-laden donkey is bearing down on you! Appear to know where you are going, even if you don't, or you will get offers from false guides. False guides are not dangerous but they can be exasperatingly tenacious. Getting caught with a faux guide will cost you, but it will cost the faux guide more: they can receive up to 2 days imprisonment if they get caught. Cops are often in plain clothes, so be wary!

[edit] Cope

For a North American traveller, Fez requires a real change of outlook or it will be a very high-stress trip! Shopkeepers and guides are very assertive and you will have to get used to saying "no" a lot. On the other hand, they can be genuinely warm and friendly even while trying to sell you something, an idea that is pretty alien to North Americans where it is assumed that a business relationship is the opposite of sincerity!

A lot of guide books talk about bargaining, and while a certain amount certainly still goes on, it seems to be in decline. More and more shops with a tourist clientele have posted prices and the proprietor is not willing to negotiate. As well, some prices on popular handicrafts are being regulated to protect both tourists and sellers. This seems to be a rapidly changing situation, as Morocco is making an active effort to professionalize its tourist industry.

Non-Muslims are not allowed to visit mosques, although they can visit the medersas (religious schools). In the busiest part of the medina, there is a lane that is blocked by a wooden beam at eye-level. It is a very busy intersection but the beam indicates the precinct of a revered shrine, and non-Muslims are not supposed to pass it. It is likely you will be tut-tutted if you do!

Bargaining "seems to be in decline"? No, Sir. This is a way of life that has survived for centuries, and shows no sign of changing. Moroccans even bargain among each other for everything except perhaps their utilities. Don't believe anyone (and you will hear it all the time) who tells you prices are being "regulated". Every other souk claims to be a "Government Regulated Co-op".

There is a single, genuine government-regulated fixed price shop in the Ville Nouvelle where all prices are posted, the goods are of decent (if not amazing) quality, and the single bored cashier will just stare increduously at you if you attempt to bargain with him. Ask any hotel manager where the "fixed price shop" is, and they will point you in the right direction.

[edit] Day trips

A visit to the ancient Roman site of Volubilis is a must. This crumbling yet spectacular city has stunning mosaics on offer, and you can easily spend a couple of hours ambling through the ruins. There are organised coach tours running from Fes, however the more intrepid budget traveller can make this journey on their own by catching the train from Fes to Meknes and then a couple of 'collective' taxis to the picturesque historic town of Moulay Idriss then on from there to Volubilis. This is approx a 1/4 of the price of the organised tours and provides far more opportunity for adventure.

Alternatively, Meknes itself is worth a visit, if only due to its calmer and less crowded medina, which has ample shopping opportunities.

[edit] Get out

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!

WikiPedia:Fes

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