The Fes Medina

The medina of Fes, Fes el-Bali, is the best-preserved medieval city in the Arab world and one of the largest car-free urban areas on earth, a UNESCO labyrinth of thousands of twisting lanes. Home to the world's oldest continually operating university, exquisite madrasas, bustling souks and the famous, pungent leather tanneries where hides are dyed in stone vats, it is the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco.

What's there

• The tanneries - the famous stone dye-vats seen from the leather shops above.
• The madrasas - the exquisitely tiled Bou Inania and Al-Attarine schools.
• The Al-Qarawiyyin - the world's oldest university and its mosque.
• The labyrinthine souks - the thousands of lanes of crafts and trades.

When to go

Spring and autumn for pleasant weather; summer is very hot. The medina is a maze where getting lost is guaranteed, so allow time, and a local guide for at least the first day helps enormously.

Things to know

The medina is a genuine maze where you will get lost, and faux guides and touts can be persistent; a licensed guide for the first day is worth it. The tanneries are pungent, so shops offer mint sprigs. It is less polished and more overwhelming than Marrakech, and all the more authentic for it.

Nearby

The imperial city of Meknes and the Roman ruins of Volubilis are nearby; the Middle Atlas lies beyond.

Key facts