Fès

When to Go

Transport

General Health and Safety

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.

Health & Safety

Accommodation

Entertainment

General Shopping

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: 10 Dh - 20 Dh for a full size tagine dish, plus an extra Dh 10 if it's been varnished and / or decorated.

General Sights

Just walking around, you will see a great deal! Bou Inania medersa: 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.

General Activities

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. 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. The view is particularly spectacular 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.

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