Fes

March–May and September–November: mild and ideal for long walks through the lanes. Fes summer (June–August) is hot and dry, often topping 35–40°C, draining any midday touring. Winter is cold and rainy, and the medina turns eerily empty after shops close early — if you visit in winter, keep evening wandering to lit areas with open restaurants.

• Fes el-Bali (the old medina): the world's largest car-free historic pedestrian zone — a maze worth getting lost in for a full day
• Chouara Tannery: watch traditional leather dyers from a neighboring shop's rooftop — officially free, though some shops push hard to sell
• Bou Inania and Al Attarine madrasas: 14th-century plaster carving, woodwork and zellige tilework, among the finest surviving Marinid architecture
• The Qarawiyyin mosque and university: the world's oldest continuously operating university, whose restored historic library has welcomed visitors since 2016
• Bab Boujloud: the famous Blue Gate, the medina's iconic entrance and a good starting point for wandering
• The potters' quarter and zellige workshops: watch traditional pottery and hand-cut tilework being made
• A day trip to Meknes and the Roman ruins of Volubilis: the Bahia Palace and a well-preserved Roman city about an hour away

For families: a riad inside the old medina near Bab Boujloud gives the authentic experience, and staff will carry your luggage in from the gate, so don't worry about hauling bags through the lanes; if you prefer wider streets and easier movement with a stroller or elderly relatives, Ville Nouvelle (the new city) is calmer and closer to the train station. For couples: a boutique riad deep in the medina. On a budget: hostel beds inside economical heritage riads in the medina — much cheaper than the luxury ones but with the same traditional character.

Unofficial "fake guides" approach visitors in the lanes, and some deliberately get you lost so they can charge a fee to guide you back — if you hire a guide, agree the price and duration upfront, or use an officially badged guide through the tourism office or your riad. At the Chouara Tannery, the "free view" from neighboring rooftop shops is genuinely free, but some shops pressure visitors hard to buy leather at inflated prices — it's fine to decline politely and leave. The Fes medina is more tangled and less clearly bounded than Marrakech's, so it's easy to get disoriented after just a few turns — download offline maps beforehand and pin your riad's location. Haggle for everything in the souks. Avoid wandering alone after shops close in winter, when the lanes empty out and feel eerie.

2-3 days

Suggested plan:

1. Day 1: Bab Boujloud, Bou Inania madrasa, wandering toward Al Attarine madrasa and the Qarawiyyin area, then the Chouara Tannery in the afternoon
2. Day 2: the potters' quarter and zellige workshops, more craftsmen's souks, and a visit to Fes el-Jdid (the old Jewish Mellah) and the Royal Palace gates
3. Day 3 (optional): a day trip to Meknes and the Roman ruins of Volubilis