Fez, Morocco: The world's oldest living medieval city
Fès-Meknès

Fez

The world's oldest living medieval city

About Fez

Founded in 789 AD, Fez is one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Its medina, Fez el-Bali, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 and remains the largest car-free urban area on the planet. Walking its 9,000 alleys is like traveling back in time.

The city is home to the University of al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859 AD and widely regarded as the world's oldest operating university. The Bou Inania Madrasa, Chouara Tanneries, and the blue-tiled Nejjarine Fountain are just a few of the landmarks that draw travelers from across the globe.

Our guides were born and raised inside these ancient walls. When you explore Fez with Fez Cultural Tours, you're not following a tourist map: you're being welcomed into a living, breathing city by the people who call it home.

What to See & Do

📍 Chouara Tanneries

The oldest leather tannery in the world, still operating exactly as it did in the 11th century.

📍 Bou Inania Madrasa

A 14th-century Islamic school with breathtaking carved stucco, cedar woodwork, and zellige tiles.

📍 Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque

The oldest continuously operating university in the world, founded by a woman in 859 AD.

📍 Nejjarine Square

A beautifully restored caravanserai now housing a woodcraft museum and rooftop café.

📍 Mellah (Jewish Quarter)

The historic Jewish quarter of Fez with its distinctive architecture and remarkable history.

📍 Bab Bou Jeloud

The Blue Gate: the main entrance to the medina and Fez's most photographed landmark.

Best Time to Visit

March to May and September to November offer the most pleasant temperatures. Summer (June–August) is hot but the medina stays cool inside its ancient walls. Winter is crisp and beautiful.

Ready to explore Fez with a local guide? Browse all of our private Morocco tours from Fez: from the Fez medina to multi-day Sahara expeditions.

Start Your Journey

Tours Departing from Fez

2 Day Private Desert Tour from Fez to Merzouga & Back, 2-day private tour from Fez, Morocco2 Days

2 Day Desert: Fez → Merzouga & Back

The Sahara Desert is approximately 7–8 hours from Fez. This private 2-day tour packs in Morocco's best-known natural wonder: a sunset camel trek into the golden Erg Chebbi dunes, a night under the Saharan stars with live Berber music, and a pre-dawn climb to watch sunrise paint the dunes, then gets you back to Fez by the next afternoon. It's the most time-efficient way to reach the desert from Fez without committing to a longer southbound itinerary, and it works well for travelers based in Fez for several days, or anyone with a free weekend who wants to see the Sahara.

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Private 3-Day Luxury Desert Tour: Fes to Marrakech (2026), 3-day private tour from Fez, Morocco3 Days

Private 3-Day Luxury: Fes → Marrakech

This private 3-day tour from Fes to Marrakech covers Morocco's biggest highlights without skimping on comfort: an exclusive Sahara desert camp, expert-led cultural stops, and seamless private 4WD transport through some of the country's most striking landscapes.

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3 Day Private Tour from Fez to Casablanca via Chefchaouen, 3-day private tour from Fez, Morocco3 Days

3 Day Tour: Fez → Casablanca via Chefchaouen

Most Morocco itineraries go south: Fez to the Sahara, Fez to Marrakech. This private 3-day tour goes north instead, and it's one of the most rewarding routes in the country. Starting in ancient Fez, you travel northwest through Roman Volubilis and imperial Meknes into the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen, arguably Morocco's most photogenic city. The final day takes you through Morocco's elegant capital Rabat before finishing at Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. It makes an ideal closing chapter for any Morocco trip, timed well for travelers flying home from Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport.

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