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The Chouara tannery in the Fes medina from above: rows of white and dye-coloured vats among the old houses

Fes, Morocco

The world's largest car-free medieval city — a direct train ride from your Casablanca gateway.

Plan a Fes trip

Photo: Uwe Brodrecht, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Founded in 789 AD, Fes is the oldest of Morocco's four imperial cities and home to Fes el-Bali — a UNESCO-listed medina of more than 9,000 alleys, with no cars and barely any motorbikes. From Casablanca, where most international visitors land at CMN, Fes is a direct train of around four hours from Casa-Voyageurs, making it the natural first imperial-city stop on a northern route. It's where Morocco's craft traditions are still practiced daily — tanneries, brass-beating, weaving and the bookbinders of the Karaouine — and is best done slowly, with a historian, staying in a restored riad inside the walls.

245 km from Casablanca as the crow flies. Every dot is a place we go.
Best time
April–May and September–October
Recommended
2–3 days
Airport
Fès-Saïs (FEZ)
Region
Imperial city · Northern Morocco

Highlights of Fes.

  1. Fes el-Bali medina

    Walk the Talaa Kebira from Bab Boujloud down through the souks to the Karaouine — the world's oldest continuously operating university (859 AD).

  2. Chouara tanneries

    The famous pigment vats viewed from a leather shop terrace. Best in the morning when the light hits the pits.

  3. Medersa Bou Inania & el-Attarine

    Two 14th-century Marinid madrasas with carved cedar, stucco and zellige at its finest.

  4. Volubilis & Meknes

    A perfect day trip: Roman mosaics at Volubilis, then lunch and the imperial gates of Meknes.

  5. Pottery quarter & blue gates

    Watch the cobalt-and-white Fassi ceramics being thrown, glazed and fired across the river from the medina.

Our Fes tours.

Every itinerary below is privately operated, fully customisable, and includes a deep stop in Fes. Click any tour for the day-by-day plan, the map, dates and pricing.

  1. 3 days · Written quote in 24h

    Fes, slowly

    Three nights inside the medina with a private medieval-history guide, tannery, kissaria textiles, dinner with a Fassi family.

    Enquire

  2. 8 days · Written quote in 24h

    Imperial cities, privately

    From Casablanca, eight nights tracing Rabat, Meknes, Volubilis, Fes and Chefchaouen with private historians.

    Enquire
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Fes — common questions.

Is Fes worth visiting if I've already seen Marrakech?
Yes — they are completely different cities. Marrakech is open, theatrical and modern around the edges. Fes is denser, older, more religious, and still very much a living medieval city.
Do I need a guide for the Fes medina?
Strongly recommended for at least the first day. Without one you will get lost — that's part of its charm but also costs you the context.
How do I get from Casablanca to Fes?
The simplest way is the direct train from Casa-Voyageurs, which reaches Fes in about four hours and runs several times a day. We can also drive you privately with a stop at Meknes or Volubilis en route — a richer way to use the journey from your Casablanca arrival.

Practical notes.

Getting there
Direct train ~4h from Casa-Voyageurs; or fly into FEZ; 2h train from Tangier
Where to stay
Inside the medina in a restored dar or riad
Dress code
Respectful — shoulders and knees covered near religious sites

Pair Fes with.

These destinations are closest to Fes — easily combined on a private itinerary.

All destinations

From the journal.

Stories, guides and practical tips to help you plan your time in Fes and beyond.

Have your Fes trip designed by a local

Tell us your dates, group size and pace. We'll send back a written proposal within 24 hours — private guides, transfers, riads, the lot.

Request a proposal