A Fes itinerary for finding your way in the medina
Fes el-Bali is one of the largest car-free medinas in the world, with thousands of lanes and few signs. A licensed guide for the first morning helps, and the order of sights matters. This prompt has your todo.is agent plan the madrasas, tanneries and souks, a riad to stay in and a day trip to Volubilis or Chefchaouen.
The prompt
- Plan a [NUMBER OF DAYS]-day Fes itinerary for [WHO IS TRAVELLING] arriving [ARRIVAL]. Find 3 riads in or near the medina at [BUDGET] with links. In Fes el-Bali include Bab Boujloud, Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasas, the Chouara tannery from a terrace, the Nejjarine fountain and museum, and the outside of Al Quaraouiyine. Tell me whether to hire a licensed guide and how to find one. Add Fes el-Jdid, the Royal Palace gates and the Merinid Tombs at sunset. Add a day trip to [DAY TRIP] with travel time. Suggest food (pastilla, harira, tagine) and a cooking class. Include tips on haggling and getting lost. Email me a PDF. Don't book anything.
What to change
- [NUMBER OF DAYS]: E.g. "3". Two days for the medina, three with a day trip.
- [WHO IS TRAVELLING]: E.g. "a couple", "two women travelling together", "family with teens".
- [ARRIVAL]: E.g. "by train from Marrakech on Tuesday afternoon", "flying into Fes-Saiss".
- [BUDGET]: E.g. "mid-range", "a splurge riad with a pool", "budget".
- [DAY TRIP]: E.g. "Volubilis and Meknes", "Chefchaouen", "the Middle Atlas and Ifrane".
Example result
- Fes in 3 days, a couple
- Arriving by train from Marrakech on Tuesday afternoon · mid-range riad
- Day 1: Into the medina
- • Afternoon: petit taxi from the station to Bab Boujloud, the blue gate. Your riad can usually send someone to meet you and carry bags through the lanes.
- • Short walk on Talaa Kebira, the main lane, to get your bearings.
- • Evening: rooftop dinner at the riad. Try pastilla, the sweet and savory pie.
- Day 2: The medina with a guide
- • Morning: a licensed guide for 3 to 4 hours. Ask your riad to arrange one and agree that shop visits are optional.
- • Bou Inania Madrasa: carved cedar, zellige tiles and stucco.
- • Al-Attarine Madrasa, then the outside of Al Quaraouiyine, often called the world's oldest university. Only Muslims may enter the mosque.
- • The Nejjarine fountain and woodwork museum.
- • Chouara tannery from a leather shop terrace; you will be offered mint to hold against the smell.
- • Afternoon: free time to wander the souks. Spices, brass lamps, babouches.
- • Sunset: the Merinid Tombs on the hill over the medina.
- Day 3: Volubilis and Meknes
- • Driver for the day (Volubilis is about 1 hour 15 minutes away).
- • Volubilis: Roman ruins with fine floor mosaics and a triumphal arch. Go early in summer; there is little shade.
- • Moulay Idriss, the holy hill town, for the view.
- • Meknes: Bab Mansour gate, Place el-Hedim, the royal granaries.
- Good to know
- • Getting lost is normal. Ask shopkeepers, not people who approach you, and head uphill or downhill to the main lanes.
- • Haggle with a smile; start well below the first price.
- • Dress modestly: covered shoulders and knees.
- • Check opening hours and ticket rules on official sites before you go.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your days, travellers, arrival, budget and day trip.
- Paste it into todo.is on the Today screen, or send it to your agent on WhatsApp.
- Your agent picks riads, routes the medina and emails a PDF with links and a day trip.
- Ask for changes like "add Chefchaouen overnight" and book your riad and driver yourself.
Tips for a better result
- Book a licensed guide for your first morning. After that, the medina feels far less confusing on your own.
- Pick a riad that offers a pickup at the medina gate. Finding it alone with bags can be hard.
- Visit the tanneries in the morning, when the dye pits are busiest and the light is good for photos.
- Ask your agent to download an offline map of the medina into your PDF. Phone maps struggle in the narrow lanes.
Fes itinerary: FAQ
- How many days do you need in Fes? Two days covers the medina's main madrasas, the tanneries and the souks. Add a day for Volubilis and Meknes.
- Do you need a guide in Fes? Not strictly, but a licensed guide for the first half day helps a lot in the maze of lanes. Book through your riad or the official tourist office.
- Is Chefchaouen a day trip from Fes? It is about 3.5 to 4 hours each way, so a day trip is long. An overnight stay is much more relaxed.
- Can todo.is plan a full Morocco route? Yes. Ask for Marrakech, the Sahara and Fes together and your agent will set the order, trains and drives.
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