Fes Off The Beaten Path

Fes-el-Jdid receives far fewer visitors than Fes el-Bali though it is worth a visit if you have the time. What struck me most about Fes El-Jdid was how laid back it was compared to the medina. You can actually visit shops, and walk around in peace without constant hassle from vendors.

The Dar el-Makhzen (Royal Palace) is the most interesting building in Fes El Jdid. However, all you will see is the exterior as the inside is closed to the public. Also of interest is the mellah, the old Jewish quarter, and the Bou Jeloud Gardens.

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The Chouaras Tanneries are what most visitors to Fes see, but there is a smaller tannery near Place an Nejjerine. From this square, take the path to the left near the museum, and at the end of the narrow street, you'll come upon some shops selling leather. If you climb the stairs in one of these shops you can look out over the tannery. There is probably another way to see the tannery but without a guide it will be difficult to find.

Sefrou is a town only a few kilometers away from Fes. It is worth a daytrip to see the beautiful cascades, parks, and peacocks.
It's also the OLDEST city in Morocco.
It has a distinctive pace and charm. While you can get anything you see in its medina at the medina in Fes, it is smaller and less intimidating.
There is also a cherry festival held here in June.

You can take a grand taxi here, it takes maybe 20-30 minutes. Don't forget that there are several grand taxi stations in Fes. When going there, ask to be taken to the "Sefrou grand taxi station."

The first real sight we saw on our tour around Fes el-Bali was the Andalus Mosque, in the heart of the Andalus Quarter, one of the oldest parts of the medina. I was still struggling to get to grips with how our guide pronounced English (he spoke extremely fast!) so I didn't take in too much of what he told us about the mosque. Unfortunately we could only admire it from outside, as, like all the mosques in Fes, it was closed to non-muslims.

When we entered the medina through the southern gates, one of the first things we saw was the chicken sellers square. It had been many years since I'd seen a live chicken, and I normally prefer to shop for the "finished product" rather than the live one. Little more than a tiny square, there seemed to be more sellers than chickens.

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The ville nouvelle is lovely to me. It doesn't have any of the feel of ancient mystery or magic but it has great examples of creativity in commercial architecture in Fes and an island of country, which brings us to this tip. If you are staying at or near the Grand Hotel near the garden a short walk will take you to this stretch of country. It is where I run every morning...

Just one of the many mosques in teh medina, Ash Sherabliyin Mosque sticks in my mind as we passed it during the call to prayer. Though we weren't allowed enter, it was interesting to see the men hurying to the mosque as the call went out and we did get to look inside the doors. The mosque takes its name from the slipper makers who work in this area.

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Catch a grand taxi outside of Fes (about 130 Dh for the whole cab unless others are going out that way) and experience the intensity of Moulay Bouchta. This is not a bright little tourist town with everyone jumping to greet you. This town has the feel of a Riffian stronghold; proud, independent, and brave. Timing your visit to the Moussem of Moulay Bouchta (before Ramadan) would be ideal but anytime of the year would be good hiking and exploring for this small town.

Moulay Bouchta is, of course, a village of itself - and indeed, not connected to Fes. Because of it's proximity to Fes, I listed it here for those die hard hikers who are ready for more after Zalagh.