The medina of Fes, Morocco’s former capital and third largest city, is made up of a far-reaching network of pedestrian roads – straight and winding, cobble-stoned and paved and gravel. Yes, the medina of Fes is the largest car-free area in the world. Donkeys are main ‘mode’ to transport goods and solid wastes in its narrow streets. Like most medinas in Morocco, be prepared to get lost.
My Unexpected Long Stay in Fes
Located in the northern part of the country, originally on my itinerary, Fes was just my temporal base for Meknes, Chefchaouen and then to Merzuga. I was planning to continue my travel from Merzuga to Marrakesh to complete the big circle of Morocco and take a flight to Egypt and rest of the countries in Africa. However, life is full of uncertainties. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic escalated quickly and became a global health threat. Morocco has its first COVID-19 case confirmed on March 2, 2020. I was very depressed upon hearing the news in Chefchaouen. It took me one day in my Fes hostel to struggle on making my decision if I should continue my trip. I had to admit that it was a bad time and situations were getting worse and worse everyday. No matter how heartbroken I was, I made up my mind to cancel my grand African backpacking plan and booked a direct flight back to the State on March 4, 2020. My date of the flight was on March 12 which still allowed me several days to visit the Sahara desert.
I was very depressed at that time. Although I still had time to Marrakesh from Merzuga once I was done with Sahara. I was not in the mood to do so and decided to come back to Fes and spend all my time before the flight hiding in my hostel. It was a terrible time for everyone and especially those who were traveling. Things are not getting any better, at least in the US still in August, 2020…Big sigh, I am not regretting for quitting my job for traveling but I did it at a wrong time….
Anyway, unexpectedly, Fes was the city where I spent my most of the time for this Moroccan travel.
My Unpleasant First Day in Fes
People come to visit Fes mainly for its oldest and largest authentic Medina. Me the same, at least my initial intention was to explore its media.
So I arrived Fes bus terminal from Casablanca and showed the taxi driver my riad address inside its medina. After about 20-minute’s drive, the driver dropped me off at a busy crowdy place and pointed me a gate to enter. I was totally at lost on where to go and what to do. I thought I would arrive right in front of the gate of my hostel. Yes, I did not know that medina of Fes is the world’s largest car-free area at that time. I had to turn on my navigation App (Maps.Me) and try to find the hostel on my own.
Quickly several local people approached me asking if I needed help. I knew their tricks and politely said no. There was one young man kept following me for a while. He said he just wanted to be a friend and would help for free. Then I showed him my riad’s name and he led me to my hostel. He was nice at the beginning but as we got closer to my hostel, he started to ask me for tips. I felt cheated and quite unhappy but with my huge backpack, I decided to just give him some change and got my lesson learnt. So I kindly told him that I would find the riad on my own. But young men was so greedy and kept following me into my riad trying to get money from the riad’s owner and/or me. I got so annoyed and angry of him. So I put my luggage down. I walked to him and raised my voice telling him to return my money back. Not sure if it was due to my serious face or my tall figure, the young man ran away….Round one, WIN!
Fortunately, the host family of my Fes riad was very nice. The only problem was they do not speak English, but only some French and little Spanish. This making it very difficult to communicate with them. They have an English speaking assistant, named Hassan. The wife called him to assist for the check-in. I felt a little comfortable talking to Hassan at first. But again, it turned out that he was just another local guide and tried to sell all his service to me later in the day. The only good thing about him was that he was not as persistent as the men on the street. After telling him I was not interested in any of his service for couple of times, he let me free.
Unwanted Guides and Assists
I have travelled to many places, Fes is the winner of scammers, fake guides, and pushy salesmen. Trust me, they are quite annoying. You may be called, be approached and/or be followed by every corner of the alley in the Medina asking to be your guide or assistant. No matter how many times you said no, they are very persistent and they are everywhere! I had several bad experience with teenagers due to my Asian appearance. Yes, I am a Chinese. But after I turned their ‘friendly’ assistance down, the kids started to call me Corona…Um, not really feeling the hospitality and thank god I did not received their assistance.
In general, Moroccan people are very friendly and honest. However, it was really difficult to tell the difference between true hospitality and a tourist’s scam. So I always rejected helps from people on the street.
My suggestion is only ask for help if you absolutely need it, and if so only ask people inside their shops or traffic and police officers.
Getting Lost in Medina of Fes
Well, put my unpleasant experience aside. It was time to explore the medina.
Hassan told me that there are 365 mosques inside the medina?! Yes, call of the muezzin five times a day. No escape if you stay inside medina. For the first several days, my quality of sleep was really bad…
Narrow and Windy Alleys
Then the narrow, windy and cobble-stoned alleys inside the medina.
Now you probably understand why this is a car-free area. The alleys are so narrow and goes up and down making it impossible to drive any type of motor vehicles.
So donkeys are the main mode of transportation here.
Another interesting thing I found in Morocco is that there are many many street cats in the country (for South America, they have street dogs and also many of them).
And the cute mom and baby cats in front of my riad. By the way, who could tell it is a riad? Honestly, it was very difficult to find it even with Maps.Me’s navigation.
Colorful and Chaotic Market
The market inside the medina seems to be rough and raw. The streets are narrow and full of shops and street vendors. The crowds and size of the medina can be overwhelming and chaotic. Unless you are a local, you will ultimately get lost at some point. Talking about myself, I only know how to get back to my riad from a fixed starting point after staying there for more than a week…My suggestion is just to give up and flow with the crowd to explore it.
Copper products, leather slippers, bags, robes….
Beautiful Moroccan china plates and tajine pots!
The butcher’s store with a real hanging camel head…
I don’t know what the ladies were making seems to be some kind of pancake…
I really don’t know what kind of flowers they are and how they are used. But the store was in the grocery section, probably for eating. They smelled really good, like jasmine.
Tourist Spots in Fes
Al Attarine Madrasa
The al-Attarine Madrasa, whose name means “the madrasa (Arabic word for any educational institution ) of the perfumers,” takes its name from its location at the entrance to a historic spice and perfume market in Fez. Built during the 14th century, it holds a tiny yet impressive courtyard of the finest examples of Marinid craftsmanship. The walls are decorated with carved stucco ornamentation, mosaic tiles forming colorfl geometric patterns.
One can climbed some stairs and reached rooms which used to host the students studying at the madrasa. From the top, through a window, you will find a nice view over the old town.
Entrance Ticket: 20 dhs (~ 2 USD)
Time Required: 30 minutes at most
The Oldest University in The World - The University of al-Qarawiyyin
In the year 859, Fatima al-Fihri used her inheritance to fund the construction of a mosque for her community with an associated school (madrasa). The University of al-Qarawiyyin, also written Al-Karaouine or Al Quaraouiyine, is considered to be the oldest university in the world.
Unfortunately, the university also functions as a mosque and non-Muslim visitors are NOT allowed inside the grounds. You can only have a look of its partial interior from one of its entrances.
Alleys outside this university.
Chouara Tannery
Well, visiting a tannery is probably listed a must-do activity when traveling in Fes. The medina is home to three ancient leather tanneries, the largest and oldest being the Chouara Tannery, which is almost a thousand years old.
No matter which one you visit, the most notable feature of these tannery is the numerous stone vessels filled with different colored dyes and while liquids. Even nowadays, they still use the ancient craft of tanning and dyeing techniques (cow urine and pigeon poop are still key components in the process). The dyes used in the tannery pits are natural: Blue comes from indigo; red, from poppy or paprika; yellow, from saffron, pomegranate, or even a mix of turmeric and mimosa flowers. As a result, the tannery is very STINKY! Bring a scarf or use fresh mint leaves to save your breathe!
The best way to get a panoramic view of the tannery is from one of the roof terraces. Well, remember the unwanted guides? You will meet lots of them insisting taking you to the best view point or bring you inside the tannery. Yes, it is difficult to find the place in this maze. But you need to know what you want to see. For a panoramic view from the roof terraces, you can just find a leather shop and pay some tips to their rooftops. Follow the signs like (Chouara Tannery) and you should be able to find one without too much trouble on your own! And once you are in the area, you will find people offering their rooftop terraces. I randomly picked one leather store and led by a salesman to its rooftop. He also provided me some fresh mint leaves. At the end of my visit, I was offered to have a tour of the leather shop. I didn’t purchase anything so I gave the men 10 dhs as a tip for the rooftop tour.
It is also possible to have a tour inside the tannery. Back in the street, you can find the tannery’s main gate and the workers there offered me a tour for 30 dhs. I almost did that. However, as I walked 2 minutes into the tannery, I surrendered to the pungency of cow urine and pigeon poop. It was so overwhelming and I could hardly breathe even with the mint leave.
I guess this insider’s tour is only for those strong and tough people…
A Day in Meknes
Meknes, is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco, located in northern central Morocco and the sixth largest city by population in the kingdom. “Laid-back with less hassle; a city has plenty to offer curious visitors; etc” are some of the descriptions I found from the internet. Since it is only one-hour away either by train or by bus, I decided to visit it.
Two main things people can do in Meknes is its medina or to Volubilis– the ruins of a Roman city dating back to the third century BC, locating about 40 minutes’ drive from Meknes.
I only visit the medina of Meknes. Personally, I found it was a little bit disappointing and will not recommend anybody to go. I think Fes already has everything and Meknes is not adding more new elements to my travel.
So for medina, everything is near Lahdim Square.
Lunch of lamb tajine at Lahdim Square facing Bab Mansour Gate.
Gates and high walls of the medina.
Communities inside the medina. Alleys are much wider than medina of Fes. I saw car driving around for some parts of the medina.
Market around Lahdim Square is much smaller and more modern than Fes. My favorite alley in Meknes market.
Oh, yes, I had my first inner cap of Hijab (head scarf) from this store. I guess only women and kids are allowed to enter the store…
Drum roll please! This was me with my hijab for the first time! Well, based on my understanding, what I had was just an inner layer, I probably need to have another real scarf outside it. I did not see any women wearing something like me directly…But friends, later I found this piece of thing is a GREAT product for traveling and outdoor. Think about it, it can be used as a scarf for coldness, use it for sun/wind/dust protection not only for your head, but neck and shoulder also if you pull it up, you can cover half of your face. I actually purchased 2 more in Fes for my future traveling needs.
The very last thing of my visit to Meknes was the Moroccan’s train system. Not bad, but there was no AC inside the train. Maybe I was just having bad luck…
Food and Drink in Fes and Meknes
Moroccan Arabic Coffee
Wow, how I love the Moroccan Arabic Coffee!!! You will find many outdoor coffees where people (mostly men) sitting, chatting and sipping their coffee. This Arabic coffee has a very concentrated flavor and is similar to espresso in strengths. As a black-coffee only person, I found it a little bit difficult to have it without sugar…yes, very very strong but I love it!
A must-try in Morocco! Avoid tourist cafes and find local cafes on the streets. A shoot of coffee is only 6 dhs (~ 0.6 USD) normally comes with a glass or a bottle of water!
Mint Tea
Mint tea is the national Moroccan drink. This drink is provided by my riad in Fes on a daily basis. Oh my, it is my second favorite drink in Morocco! The ingredients are fresh mint, sugar, water and Chinese green tea. Believe it or not, Morocco’s tea imports represent 25% of China’s worldwide tea exports.
Again, being a non-sweet tea drinker for most of my life, mint tea still tasted much better with sugar! See how much sugar intake increase I had in Morocco. Sweetened coffee in the morning and sweetened mint tea in the afternoon or early night…
Orange Juice
This was for my daily Vitamin C intake. But I have to say Moroccan oranges are very very tasty. Better than the ones I had in South America and most of samples in the U.S.
A glass of freshly juiced orange juice is only 5 dhs (~ 0.5 USD).
Tajine
The famous Moroccan tajine dishes are slow-cooked savory stews, typically made with sliced meat, poultry or fish together with vegetables, spices, nuts and dried fruits. Its name came from its earthenware pot made of clay or ceramic. The bottom is a wide, shallow circular dish used for both cooking and serving, while the top of the tajine is distinctively shaped into a rounded dome or cone so that all condensation returns to the bottom.
I think any types of meat can be tajined!
Tajine One
Beef Tajine Set Meal with Moroccan Side Dishes, Desserts. Costed: 150 dhs (~ 16 USD). The best tajine I had in Morocco.
Note, this food presented on the table is for me and ONLY one-person. Yes, I have a big stomach!
The dried prune and apricots added nature sweet taste into the beef stew, which perfectly fits my taste. Born and raised in Shanghai, we, Shanghainese, love to add sugar to almost every dish. I wonder if a people from northern or western part of China would like the sweet taste in a meat dish…
Tajine Two
Chicken tajine set with soup at my Fes Riad. Costed: 60 dhs (~ 6.5 USD)
Tajine Three
Lamb tajine at Lahdim Square in Meknes. Costed: 45 dhs (~ 6 USD). This was a tourist restaurant, the taste was just OK.
Couscous
Couscous is known as ‘the North Africa national dish’. It is made of small (about 3mm diameter) steamed balls of crushed durum wheat semolina. It is the “starch” staple of the region. In Morocco (as well as Tunisia, Algeria, Mauritania and Libya), couscous is generally served with vegetables (carrots, potatoes, turnips, etc.) cooked in a spicy or mild broth or stew, and some meat (generally, chicken, lamb or mutton).
It was interesting to try. But as a loyal rice fan, it is not my type of staple food.
This couscous plate costed 40 dhs (~ 4 USD) in medina of Fes.
Moroccan Roasted Chicken
It seems that you can find roasted chicken as a popular dish worldwide. There are quite a lot restaurants specialized in roasted chicken in Morocco.
I have to say, the winner of roasted chicken is still Peru!!!
Costed: 25 dhs (~ 3 USD)
Traditional Moroccan Halal Breakfast
“The word halal in Arabic means permitted or lawful. It is used to reference any behavior or object that is permitted under Islamic law. Therefore, halal foods are foods that are allowed to be consumed under Islamic dietary guidelines.”
I am not sure what is permitted and what is forbidden foods under Islamic law. But the breakfast at my Fes Riad was very delicious and more than enough for even a person with big stomach like me… Yes, I could not finish everything on the table.
So for a traditional Moroccan breakfast, breads, pancakes and cakes are commonly provided, accompanied with olives, honey, cheese and butter. As for beverages, freshly squeezed orange juice and of course the famous Moroccan mint tea. Personally, I also asked for a cup of coffee. And lastly, two fried eggs. Oh, how I love eggs.
This breakfast costed 20 dhs (~ 2 USD) at my Fes riad. If I don’t have an early morning bus or train to catch, I always had my breakfast at my riad! Love it.
Moroccan Soups
I found a tiny soup bar in side medina of Fes. How tiny it was? The bar can only accommodate 3-4 customers at one time…
I don’t know what I was ordering. Anyway, it only had two options.
Day 1: I tried soup Fassi. It had some diced vegetables, lentils, and chickpeas. Not exactly sure what were inside but very tasty and only costed 3 dhs (~ 0.35 USD).
Day 2, I went to the same place and had soup de feves. Again very confused about what I had…Seemed like a soup made of beans. This soup was not as good as Fassi in my opinion. Costed 3.5 dhs (~ 0.4 USD).
Paella
I might be crazy to order a paella in Fes, which is surrounded by mountains. But I had enough tajine with bread and couscous was just not my type of staple food. I was craving for rice.
Anyway, Morocco is just an hour ferry away from Spain.
See food and paella station at the restaurant.
My rice…Honestly, taste was not that good. But for the sake of rice, I gave it a C grade. Costed: 55 dhs (~ 6 USD).
Restaurant near Fes Train Station
I was near Fes train station and ready for my bus to Merzuga that night. I came across this restaurant. I knew it would be very good, but price was reasonable. I actually had two entrees, a quarter of roasted chicken, a beef tajine and a freshly squeezed orange juice. Total costed only 55 dhs (~ 6 USD)
Snack Debbagh
This was one of my favorite restaurant in Fes. It’s about 3-minute walking distance from Fes CTM bus terminal. I liked it so much that I went there twice during my stay in Fes. Note, it is not anywhere near Fes medina.
It offer Moroccan barbeque. You will need to buy your meat by the weight at one side of the restaurant and then bring it to the grill station on the other side. Very good taste and service.
Meal 1: grilled sausage sandwich, with Moroccan Eggplant Salad (Zaalouk). Costed roughly 40-50 dhs (~ 4.5 to 5.5 USD)
Meal 2: Grilled lamb with lamb stew (tajine). The lamb stew was very tasty. Costed 60 dhs (~ 6.5 USD)
Log
Fes stay from February 27 to March 11, 2020.
Next Stop 1: Chefchaouen, Morocco (Bus to Chefchaouen at 7:00, Mar 2, 2020).
Next Stop 2: Merzuga, Morocco (Bus to Merzuga at 20:30, March 6, 2020)
Final Stop: Casablanca, Morocco (Bus to Casablanca at 13:00, Mar 11, 2020 )
This post was published at Phoenix on August 19, 2020.