Fez is the cultural and spiritual centre of Morocco. It was founded in 790 AD by Moulay Idriss II and is the oldest of the three imperial cities. The main attraction in this ancient city is the medieval Medina, the old part of the city, which has been continuously inhabited since the 10th century and still bustles with a bewildering throng of colourfully costumed tribal people, from olive-dealers and veiled women on their way to the baths, to industrious merchants and traditional bell-ringing water-sellers. The Medina of Fez is the most complete medieval city still in existence, it's preservation having been instigated under French occupation, and it forms a working model of the way life was lived when the world was still young. The more modern part of the city is known as Ville Nouvelle, and has a decidedly French influence.

A guided tour is the easiest way to tackle the buzzing hive that is traditional Fez, but the brave can take on the teeming alleyways, too narrow for motor vehicles, risking getting lost and having to haggle with a local to be guided back out. Laden donkeys negotiate the steep cobbled lanes, and the buzz of buying and selling is often interrupted by the urgent cries of mule drivers or deliverymen pushing heavy and ungainly carts that warn shoppers to flatten themselves against the walls or be flattened themselves. A visit to the souks will undoubtedly lead to a stopover at Fez's famous tanneries where one of the oldest arts in Morocco, and the world, is practiced to produce the soft leather that has been sought after for centuries.

The best vantage point over the ancient walled city, which lies at the eastern end of the plain of Saiss, bordered by the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, is from the ruined Merenid tombs on a hilltop. From here it is possible to view the skyline with its profusion of satellite dishes, and to pick out some of the magnificent palaces, green-roofed holy places and the Karaouine Mosque, all hemmed in by workshops and tenements, souks and squares, and a mass of humanity and the ubiquitous donkeys. Fez is secretive and shadowy, but captivating and colourful at the same time.

Getting Around

Fez has a basic public transport system, with trains, buses and taxis. It is easy to get lost in the maze of narrow streets that make up Fez's Medina, the world's largest car-free urban zone. The medina does have colour-coded tourist routes, so it is best to use the accompanying tourist map and ask for directions if lost. In Fez, the petits taxis are small and red and operate between the Medina walls and within the city limits. They tend to be metered and are not too expensive, only carrying three passengers. Grands taxis are bigger and travel fixed routes from the cities to the outlying areas. Both types of taxis are usually shared and drivers often wait until the taxi is full before departing. The train station is situated in the Ville Nouvelle (new city) and operates a route to Tangier and other destinations.