Fez Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Fez tours, the labyrinthine medieval medina and its tanneries, madrasas and souks, a Moroccan cooking class, the blue city of Chefchaouen, the Roman ruins of Volubilis and Meknes, and unforgettable Sahara Desert tours to Merzouga. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Fez itinerary.
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Explore Fez by interest
Whatever brings you to Fez — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Medina & souks
The medieval maze and tanneries.
ExploreSahara Desert
Merzouga dunes and camps.
ExploreChefchaouen
The enchanting Blue City.
ExploreVolubilis & Meknes
Roman and imperial Morocco.
ExploreCooking & food
Tagine, couscous and souks.
ExploreMiddle Atlas
Cedar forests and apes.
ExploreCrafts & culture
Pottery, leather and weaving.
ExploreDay trips
Chefchaouen, Volubilis and more.
ExploreTop attractions in Fez
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Chouara Tannery
Colourful dye pits.
The Medina
The world’s largest car-free maze.
Sahara Desert
Merzouga dunes and camps.
Chefchaouen
The Blue City.
Volubilis
Roman ruins and mosaics.
Bou Inania Madrasa
Exquisite Marinid art.
Royal Palace Gates
Golden bronze doors.
Meknes
Imperial city and Bab Mansour.
Fez in 1 day
- 1Medina & tanneries
- 2Bou Inania Madrasa
- 3Souks & crafts
- 4Royal Palace gates
Fez in 2 days
- 1Day 1: Medina & crafts
- 2Day 2: Volubilis & Meknes
- 3Roman & imperial
- 4Riad evenings
Fez in 3 days
- 1Day 1: Medina & crafts
- 2Day 2: Chefchaouen
- 3Day 3: Volubilis & Meknes
- 4Maze, blue & ruins
Fez with kids
- 1Tannery terraces
- 2Pottery workshop
- 3Middle Atlas apes
- 4Cooking class
3.5 hrs awayChefchaouen
The enchanting Blue City.
1 hr awayVolubilis & Meknes
Roman and imperial Morocco.
2–3 days awayMerzouga Sahara
Dunes and desert camps.
1 hr awayMiddle Atlas & Ifrane
Cedar forests and apes.
3 days awayFez to Marrakech
Via the desert to Marrakech.
1 hr awayMoulay Idriss
The sacred hilltop town.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Fez visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
Spring (Mar–May) and autumn (Sep–Nov) bring warm, comfortable days ideal for the medina and desert tours — the prime time to visit.
Spring (Mar–May)
Warm and pleasant with green countryside, perfect for the medina, Volubilis and the Sahara.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Very hot, especially in the medina and desert; sightsee early and rest at midday.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Warm, settled days make autumn excellent for the medina, day trips and desert tours.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Mild days but cold nights, with chilly desert evenings and possible snow in the Atlas; quieter and good value.
Desert timing
Spring and autumn are ideal for the Sahara; avoid peak summer heat and pack warm layers for desert nights.
One day
Enough for a guided tour of the medina and its crafts.
Two days
Add Volubilis and Meknes.
Three days
The sweet spot: the medina, Chefchaouen, and Volubilis and Meknes.
Four to five days
Add a 3-day Sahara Desert tour to Merzouga or on to Marrakech.
A week or more
Use Fez as a base for northern Morocco and the desert.
Travelling with kids
Mix crafts, the Atlas apes and a cooking class, with a guide for the medina.
On foot
The medina is entirely car-free; you explore on foot, ideally with a guide to navigate the maze.
Petits taxis
Small red petit taxis are cheap for getting around the new city and to medina gates.
Day-trip transport
Tours bundle transport for Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Meknes, the Atlas and the Sahara with pickup.
Stay in a riad
Staying in a medina riad puts you in the heart of Fez; porters help with luggage through the lanes.
Trains
Fez is on Morocco’s rail network, with trains to Meknes, Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech.
From the airport
Fez-Saïss Airport is about 20–30 minutes from the medina by taxi.
Book a medina guide
The medina is a vast maze; a licensed guide saves stress, finds the highlights and explains the crafts.
Moroccan dirham
Morocco uses the dirham; carry cash for the medina, as many small shops and stalls are cash-only.
Haggle politely
Bargaining is expected in the souks; do it with good humour, and feel free to walk away.
Try the cuisine
Sample tagine, couscous, pastilla and mint tea, perhaps with a cooking class in a riad.
Dress modestly
Dress modestly out of respect, especially near religious sites; non-Muslims can’t enter mosques.
Plan desert layers
For Sahara tours bring warm layers, as desert nights are cold even after hot days.
Sahara tours
Multi-day Merzouga desert tours sell out — book well ahead.
Chefchaouen trips
Blue City day trips are popular — reserve early.
Medina guides
Good private medina guides get booked up — arrange ahead.
Volubilis & Meknes
Roman and imperial day tours fill up in season — pre-book.
Cooking classes
Small-group cooking classes have limited places — book ahead.
Spring & autumn
Peak spring and autumn are busy — plan ahead.
Sahara tours
Around €120–250 for a 2–3 day Merzouga desert tour.
Chefchaouen trips
About €30–50 for a Chefchaouen day trip.
Volubilis & Meknes
Roughly €30–55 for a Volubilis, Meknes and Moulay Idriss tour.
Medina tours
About €15–40 for a guided medina walking tour.
Cooking classes
Around €30–60 for a cooking class with market visit.
How to save
Fez is excellent value; share group desert tours, haggle in the souks, and eat at local eateries.
Fez through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- The medina and desert tours.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Warm and green; a top time to visit.
- Best for
- Early sightseeing and value.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Very hot; sightsee early, rest midday.
- Best for
- The medina and the Sahara.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Warm and settled; ideal for tours.
- Best for
- Quiet medina and good value.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Mild days, cold nights; pack layers.