Fez Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
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.
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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.
Get in
By plane
Flights operate regularly from Casablanca and Paris-Orly to Fes-Saiss airport.
By train
There is regular train service, along the line that runs from Rabat to Oujda. It is about 3.5 hours direct from Rabat to Fez.
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 and is relatively little used- the toll in spring 2005 was about 5 dirhams (approx 0.5 euros).
Travelling by grand taxi (inter-city taxi), though more expensive than trains, is viable for tourists- a ride from Fez to Casablanca in spring 2005 cost 1200 dirhams (approx 120 euros), 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 (spring 2005). However, the medina of Fes el-Bali is only accessible from a few points by car. Place R'cif is a taxi and bus dropoff in the heart of the medina; there are a couple of parking areas such as Ain Zleten on the edges of the medina.
By bus
The main bus terminal ("gare routiere") is just outside the old city on the north side, near the Ain Zleten entrance. Grands taxis (inter-city taxis) can also be obtained here.
Get around
Ignore the travel guides that tell you that you'll get lost in the medina and that you must hire a guide. Most guides will simply take you from shop to shop where you will be pressured to buy. There are some basic landmarks that you can use to get around, and there is an increasing amount of signage. The main drag is the Talaa Kbira, which runs from the Bab Boujloud area to the Karaouiyne mosque in the heart of the medina. Once you get into the narrow, windy heart of the medina, you can find your way out again by constantly heading downhill. That way you will eventually come out onto the Place R'cif, a dropoff for buses and taxis, where you can get a petit taxi out of the medina.
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. However, be discreet taking out your map or you will have many offers from false guides! Escorted Fez can Be Found at:[alumnitour@aim.com]
See
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.
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.
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.
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 langauge. The Institute can also arrange accommodation with a Moroccan host family for their students if required.
Work
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: 10 Dh - 20 Dh for a full size tagine dish, plus an extra Dh 10 if it's been varnished and / or decorated.
Eat
Budget
The markets near Bab (?) near to Hotel Cascades are full of yummy food. It is worth just wandering through them, buying random bits of food.
- Le Kasbah (near Bab Boujloud). Pretty average food but very inexpensive with a nice high terrace overlooking the Gate.
- Café Medina (near Bab Boujloud). Inexpensive, tasty and cosy café-style restaurant.
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.
Splurge
- The Dar Saada Restaurant [2] Located in the centre of the medina,Dar Saada is one of fez restaurants,which offers amazing food and excellent hospitality. *The Riad Arabesque is one of fez riads,which offers the best moroccan cooking, the famous hospitality,and good animation.
Drink
Sleep
Budget
- 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 Ganoush - main gate) in the Medina. The rooms are clean and simple. There is a shared bathroom on the first floor. A double costs 100 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.
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.
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 favoured or overpriced services, so it is worth doing your research before going.
- The Riad Arabesque [3]is one of fes riads,which offers a luxury stay.it's distinguish itself by the panoramic views over the Fez old city and Zalagh mountains.
Contact
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.
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".
Get out
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