Cities · Full day
Fes Medina Guided Day Tour
A licensed guide through Fes el-Bali: medersas, tanneries and craft quarters
Any date, private. We confirm by email within 24 hours. No deposit to get a quote.
Duration
Full day
Group size
2–8 travellers
Difficulty
Easy
Languages
English, French, Spanish, Arabic
Departs
Any date, private
Overview
A full-day private tour of Fes with a licensed guide: the Royal Palace gates and the Mellah, a panoramic view from the Merinid Tombs, then a walk through Fes el-Bali to the Bou Inania Medersa, Al-Qarawiyyin and the Chouara tannery.
Fes el-Bali, UNESCO-listed since 1981, is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world, and its lanes are hard to read without someone local. Your licensed guide starts with the city overview: the brass doors of the Royal Palace (Dar el-Makhzen), the old Jewish quarter of the Mellah, and the view across the medina from the Merinid Tombs hill. A driver takes you between the high points so your walking is spent inside the walls.
From Bab Bou Jeloud you walk down through the medina to the 14th-century Bou Inania Medersa, one of the few religious buildings in Fes open to non-Muslims, the Nejjarine fountain, the Al-Attarine Medersa and the outer doors of Al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859. The afternoon covers the craft quarters — coppersmiths of Seffarine Square, weavers, and the Chouara tannery seen from a leather shop terrace. You can stop for lunch in a riad or a local café.
Trip highlights
- Licensed Fes guide for the full day, plus a driver for the viewpoints
- Royal Palace gates and the Mellah in Fes el-Jdid
- Panorama over the medina from the Merinid Tombs
- Bou Inania and Al-Attarine medersas
- Al-Qarawiyyin doorway and Seffarine coppersmiths' square
- Chouara tannery from a terrace above the dye pits
Private · any date
Price on requestYour fixed price, in writing.
We confirm by email within 24 hours. No deposit to get a quote.
- Duration
- Full day
- Group
- 2–8 travellers
- Level
- Easy
- Guide
- English, French, Spanish, Arabic
How quoting works
Send your date and group size
This trip is filled in for you. Add the day you'd like and where you're staying.
Get a fixed price in writing
We send a written itinerary and a fixed price. We confirm by email within 24 hours.
A 30% deposit confirms
Cancellation and refunds follow Serenity Morocco Tours' booking terms.
- Riad or hotel pickup included
- WhatsApp support during your trip
- Private trips, operated by Serenity Morocco Tours
Photo gallery
Inside the trip.
Day-by-day itinerary
Fes → Fes
- 1
09:00 · Riad pickup & Royal Palace
Fes el-JdidMeet your guide and driver. First stop: the seven brass doors of Dar el-Makhzen, then a walk through the Mellah.
- 2
10:00 · Merinid Tombs viewpoint
North hillThe whole of Fes el-Bali from above, with the guide pointing out the quarters you will walk through.
- 3
10:45 · Bab Bou Jeloud & Bou Inania
Talaa KebiraEnter through the blue gate and visit the Bou Inania Medersa — carved cedar, stucco and zellige tile.
- 4
12:00 · Nejjarine, Attarine & Qarawiyyin
Medina centreThe Nejjarine fountain, the Al-Attarine Medersa and a look through the doors of Al-Qarawiyyin mosque and university.
- 5
13:00 · Lunch
MedinaLunch in a riad restaurant or a local café of your choice.
L (own cost) - 6
14:30 · Craft quarters & tannery
Seffarine · ChouaraCoppersmiths, weavers and the Chouara tannery from a shop terrace. Back at your riad around 17:00.
Cities & regions on this trip
You'll experience 1 destination.
Each stop has its own deep-dive guide — geography, history, best season, things to see, and other tours that visit it. Tap any card to open its dedicated page.
The route
Map of Fes Medina Guided Day Tour
7 stops across Cities. Distances and timings are flexible — every itinerary is reshaped to your pace.
- 1
Royal Palace (Dar el-Makhzen)
Start
- 2
Mellah
Jewish quarter
- 3
Merinid Tombs
Viewpoint
- 4
Bab Bou Jeloud
Blue gate
- 5
Bou Inania Medersa
Medersa
- 6
Al-Qarawiyyin
Mosque & university
- 7
Chouara Tannery
Tannery
What's included
- Licensed, English-speaking Fes city guide for the day
- Private driver and vehicle for the out-of-medina stops
- Riad or hotel pickup and drop-off
- Bottled water
Not included
- Monument entry fees (Bou Inania and Al-Attarine about MAD 20–60 each)
- Lunch
- Tips for the guide and driver
What to bring
Pack light, pack smart.
- Comfortable shoes with grip — the medina lanes are steep and uneven
- Shoulders and knees covered for the medersas
- Small bills in dirhams for entry fees
- Hand sanitiser and, if you're sensitive to smells, a mint sprig (the tannery shops offer one)
Frequently asked
Questions about this tour.
Do I need a guide in the Fes medina?
It is strongly recommended. Fes el-Bali has thousands of lanes and few signs, and a licensed guide also keeps unofficial guides away. You can still ask for free time on your own in the afternoon.
Can non-Muslims enter Al-Qarawiyyin?
Not the prayer hall. Non-Muslims can look into the courtyard from the doorways. The Bou Inania and Al-Attarine medersas are open to everyone.
Will I be pressured to buy at the tannery or craft shops?
The tannery is viewed from leather-shop terraces, so the shop will show you its goods. There is no obligation to buy — tell your guide at the start if you don't want any shop visits beyond the viewpoint.
Is one day enough for Fes?
One guided day covers the main sights. Two days lets you add Volubilis and Meknes, or a slower second day in the souks.
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