Coach (CTM / Supratours)CTM
Arriving1h(60 min)30 MAD
Schedule: Several daily departures; about 30 MAD (Supratours fares are similar)
CityCoordinates: 34.03° N, 5.00° W
Fès
فاسⴼⴰⵙ
Fès blue pottery, yellow light, green roof tiles
See on the mapAt a glance
- Recommended stay
- 3 days
- Best season
- March to May, late September to November
- Elevation
- 408 m
- Population
- 1,167,842 (2024)
- Best for
- Medieval medina · Crafts · Islamic architecture · Roman ruins
- UNESCO World Heritage
- whc.unesco.org ↗
- Key landmarks
- Fes el-Bali medinaBab Bou Jeloud (the Blue Gate)Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and UniversityBou Inania MadrasaAl-Attarine MadrasaChouara TanneryNejjarine Fountain and MuseumMarinid Tombs viewpoint
The largest car-free medina in the world and the Chouara tannery.
Getting there
Fès-Saïss Airport is 15 km from the city. Trains take about 3.5 hours from Casablanca, 2.75 hours from Rabat and 7 hours from Marrakech.
Walking the Living Medieval Medina
Fès el-Bali is the world’s largest contiguous car-free urban area—a labyrinth of over 9,000 alleyways where mules carry cedarwood, copperware, and leather hides past 14th-century Marinid madrasas and the University of al-Qarawiyyin. Two downhill arteries, Talaa Kebira and Talaa Sghira, funnel walkers from the blue-and-green tiled Bab Bou Jeloud gate down to the riverside dye vats and the Chouara Tannery.
How to Experience Fès Without Feeling Rushed
Plan at least two to three nights so you can pair a guided morning orientation walk with unhurried afternoons at Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasas, the Nejjarine Wood Museum, and the pottery workshops of Ain Nokbi. Visit the tanneries before 10:30 AM when craftsmen work the natural saffron, poppy, and indigo vats, and climb to the Marinid Tombs just before sunset for a panoramic view across the green-tiled rooftops.
Weather and climate
Weather now
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- Feels like
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- Wind
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- Humidity
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- UV index
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- Today's UV peak
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Next 12 hours
Climate by month
Average low and highRainy daysFestivals & cultural events
- Eid al-Fitr 2027(March)
- Fes Festival of World Sacred Music(May, June)
| Month | Average low and high | Rainy days | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4°C – 16°C39°F – 61°F | 8 | — |
| Feb | 4°C – 17°C40°F – 63°F | 9 | — |
| Mar | 7°C – 20°C44°F – 68°F | 9 | Eid al-Fitr 2027 |
| Apr | 8°C – 22°C47°F – 72°F | 9 | — |
| May | 12°C – 26°C53°F – 80°F | 6 | Fes Festival of World Sacred Music |
| Jun | 15°C – 31°C59°F – 88°F | 3 | Fes Festival of World Sacred Music |
| Jul | 18°C – 35°C64°F – 95°F | 2 | — |
| Aug | 18°C – 35°C65°F – 95°F | 2 | — |
| Sep | 16°C – 30°C60°F – 87°F | 4 | — |
| Oct | 13°C – 26°C55°F – 79°F | 7 | — |
| Nov | 8°C – 20°C47°F – 68°F | 8 | — |
| Dec | 5°C – 17°C41°F – 63°F | 9 | — |
Source: Direction de la Météorologie Nationale, 1991-2020 normals, via WMO. Updated August 14, 2023. worldweather.wmo.int
Suggested itinerary
Checked by Morocco Insider Tips on November 6, 2026
Day 1 Down through Fes el-Bali
- Morning
- Enter by Bab Bou Jeloud and visit the Bou Inania Madrasa, one of the few religious buildings open to non-Muslims. Then follow the Talaa Kebira downhill through the souks.
- Afternoon
- See the woodwork museum in the Nejjarine fondouk, then the small, richly carved Al-Attarine Madrasa. Look through the doorways of the Qarawiyyin mosque and listen for the hammering on Seffarine square.
- Evening
- Keep heading downhill to Place R'cif for a taxi out, or stay for sunset and the call to prayer on a rooftop terrace, then have dinner at your riad.
Day 2 Tanneries, museum and Fes el-Jdid
- Morning
- Reach the Chouara tannery early, before the sun heats the vats and the smell builds. The view is from the balconies of the leather shops around it, which will expect you to look at their goods.
- Afternoon
- Visit the Al Batha Museum of Islamic Arts in the Dar Batha palace, reopened after its renovation, and its garden. Then walk through the Jnan Sbil gardens to Fes el-Jdid and the brass doors of the Royal Palace, which is closed to visitors.
- Evening
- Wander through the Mellah of Fes el-Jdid at dusk, then take a petit taxi back to Bab Bou Jeloud for dinner near the gate.
Day 3 Volubilis, Moulay Idriss and Meknes
- Morning
- Take an early train to Meknes, about 50 minutes, then a grand taxi to the Roman ruins of Volubilis. Allow a couple of hours for the mosaics, and bring water and a hat because there is little shade.
- Afternoon
- Go on to the hilltop holy town of Moulay Idriss for lunch and the views, then return to Meknes by shared taxi and walk its calmer medina.
- Evening
- Check the last train on the ONCF timetable before you leave Meknes, and be back in Fès for a late dinner.
Tips
- Book a licensed guide through your riad or the tourist office for your first morning. Unofficial guides tend to go from shop to shop, and their commission ends up in your price.
- Touts around the tanneries may say the road ahead is closed and offer to lead you. Ignore it and ask a shopkeeper behind a counter instead.
- The Marinid Tombs hill is the classic sunset viewpoint, but it was reported closed for reconstruction in 2026. Ask your riad, and use a rooftop terrace if it is still shut.
- Check that the Al Batha Museum is open before you go: some listings still show it as closed, and it is reported to close on Tuesdays.
- Stand aside when you hear 'Belek!': a loaded donkey or handcart is coming through.
Getting around
- Airport: a taxi to the medina gates takes about 30 minutes. Reported fares run from about 150 to 200 MAD, more at night, so confirm the price before leaving. Bus 16 is very cheap but goes to the train station, not the medina.
- Inside Fes el-Bali you walk. Taxis stop at the gates: Bab Bou Jeloud and Place Batha at the top, Place R'cif at the bottom.
- Petit taxis rarely cost more than 15 to 20 MAD within the city. From the train station to Bab Bou Jeloud, ask for the meter.
- If you are lost in the medina, go downhill: you will eventually reach Place R'cif and a taxi.
Etiquette
- Non-Muslims cannot enter the Qarawiyyin or other working mosques. Look in from the doorways without stepping inside, and do not block them.
- Madrasas are open to visitors, but Bou Inania still has a working prayer hall. Stay on the courtyard side of the canal.
- Dress modestly, especially in Moulay Idriss, one of Morocco's holiest towns, and ask before photographing people, including tannery workers.
- During Ramadan, next starting in February 2027, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public by day, and check opening hours.
Getting here by train and bus
Direct rail, high-speed train, and coach routes connecting Fès.
- Coach (CTM / Supratours)CTMDeparting1h(60 min)30 MADSchedule: Several daily departures; about 30 MAD (Supratours fares are similar)
- Train (ONCF)ONCF Al AtlasArriving3h(180 min)115–175 MADSchedule: 15+ daily departures; 2nd class 115–130 MAD, 1st class 145–175 MAD2nd class is fine for the 3-hour ride, and both classes on Al Atlas get a reserved seat. If 1st class is only 30–45 MAD more, it is worth it for the extra space on full trains.
- Train (ONCF)ONCF Al AtlasDeparting3h(180 min)115–175 MADSchedule: 15+ daily departures; 2nd class 115–130 MAD, 1st class 145–175 MAD
- Coach (CTM / Supratours)CTMArriving4h 30m(270 min)140 MADSchedule: A few departures a day from the central bus station (no separate CTM station; luggage is tagged at the CTM desk)
- Coach (CTM / Supratours)CTMDeparting4h 30m(270 min)140 MADSchedule: A few departures a day; about 140 MAD to Chefchaouen's central bus station below the medinaCTM and Supratours departures on popular routes often sell out the day before, especially on weekends and Moroccan holidays. Book early if your dates are fixed.
- Coach (CTM / Supratours)SupratoursDeparting9h 45m(585 min)190–270 MADSchedule: Once daily, overnight via Midelt and Erfoud
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Festivals and events here
Annual cultural festivals, gatherings, and seasonal events in Fès.
- MarchAbout 9 to 10 March 2027 (estimate, set by Morocco's moon sighting)Lunar
Eid al-Fitr 2027
Lunar calendar: dates move about 11 days earlier each year
The end of Ramadan is a national holiday celebrated everywhere; listed under Fes, where families crowd the medina in new clothes and pastry shops overflow. Many shops close for one to two days.
TipsTrains and coaches fill up as families travel home for Eid; book ONCF and CTM seats several days ahead. - May · JuneLate May or early June (2026 edition: 4 to 7 June)
Fes Festival of World Sacred Music
Sufi chant, gospel, Andalusian and world sacred music in palace courtyards and at Bab Al Makina. The 29th edition (2026) had Germany as guest of honour, with 160 artists across 18 shows.
Recommended trip plans featuring Fès
Curated multi-day itineraries connecting Fès with other Moroccan destinations.
Photo: bachmont CC BY 2.0 Original file 7 daysMar · Apr · May7-Day Classic Route: Marrakech, High Atlas, Merzouga Dunes & Fès
The premier overland journey across Morocco connecting Marrakech over the 2,260m Tizi n'Tichka pass to the earthen ksar of Aït Benhaddou, Todra Gorge, sunset camel trek in Erg Chebbi, and the medieval medina of Fès.
Photo: Fbrandao.1963 CC BY-SA 4.0 Original file 10 daysApr · May · Sep10-Day Grand Morocco: Imperial Cities, Blue Rif, Sahara & Atlantic Coast
The ultimate 10-day route covering Morocco's highlights: Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, imperial Rabat, the blue medina of Chefchaouen, ancient Fès, the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi, Todra Gorge, Aït Benhaddou, Marrakech souks, and breezy Essaouira.
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