Half-Day Guided Walking Tour in Fes: Medina, Tannery & Blue Gate

Navigate the Medina's narrow streets and watch leather being dyed in centuries-old vats.

A half-day guided walking tour through Fes's old Medina, led by a professional guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese, covering the Chouara Tannery, Bou Inania Madrasa, Nejjarine Square and Bab Bou Jeloud. The tour includes a lunch break at a local restaurant where you taste Moroccan dishes; entry to some sites and the museum at Nejjarine Square are optional.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Fes Medina and Historic Sites

• Discover old Medina and narrow streets
• Visit Al Quaraouin University doors
• Explore Bou Inania Madrasa courtyard
• Admire Nejjarine fountain and wood market
• View leather production at Chouara Tannery
• Lunch at local Moroccan restaurant
• See Bab Boujloud blue gate inside and outside

The Experience

The tour starts in the Medina of Fez, where narrow streets open onto ancient architecture and shops selling fruits, spices, traditional candies, handmade carpets, leather bags, copper lamps, wood furniture and ceramic pieces. Your guide leads you toward Al Quaraouin, one of Africa's oldest universities, founded in 859—you can see the entrance from the two main doors and photograph the exterior. Next is Bou Inania Madrasa, a Marinid structure where you walk through the main courtyard and a small left-side room to see the tilework and architectural detail; the mosque and upper rooms are off-limits.

At Nejjarine Square, you pause to see the fountain and visit the wood market to experience the craft and aroma of the wood. The museum here is optional and has three stories, though photography of the exhibits is not allowed. The afternoon centers on the Chouara Tannery, where you view the leather-cleaning and dyeing process from a neighboring terrace—a vantage point that lets you see the vats and feel the scale of the work without descending into the tannery itself. You break for lunch at a local restaurant serving Moroccan dishes. The tour closes at Bab Bou Jeloud, the blue gate, where blue tiles face the city and green tiles face inward, marking the symbolic entrance to the Medina.

A professional guide accompanies the entire walk and speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese. The tour runs three hours and suits all fitness levels; infants can ride in a pram or stroller, and service animals are welcome.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• lunch at a local restaurant with Moroccan dishes.
• access to the Medina, Bou Inania Madrasa courtyard, Nejjarine Square and the Chouara Tannery viewpoint.
• exterior views of Al Quaraouin university.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Salim Khettabi Filali

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you are walking with a small group or family and want a structured introduction to the Medina without arranging transport or deciding where to eat—the guide handles the pace and the route, and lunch is built in so the day flows without gaps.

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Top questions

What is Al Quaraouin and why does the guide stop there?

Al Quaraouin is one of Africa's oldest universities, founded in 859. You cannot enter the mosque itself if you are not Muslim, but the guide shows you the two main doors and you can photograph the exterior and take in the historical significance of the site.

Can I go inside Bou Inania Madrasa?

Bou Inania Madrasa is partially accessible. You can walk through the main courtyard and a small left-side room to see the Marinid tilework and architecture, but the mosque and upper rooms are closed to visitors.

What happens at the Chouara Tannery?

At the Chouara Tannery, you view the leather-cleaning and dyeing process from a neighboring terrace. This vantage point lets you see the vats and the craft without entering the tannery itself, and you get a sense of how leather is produced for the craftsmen who sell it in the Medina.

Is lunch included, and what kind of food will I eat?

Lunch is included at a local restaurant where you taste Moroccan dishes. The break happens during the afternoon portion of the tour, after the Chouara Tannery visit.

What is special about Bab Bou Jeloud?

Bab Bou Jeloud, the blue gate, is decorated with blue and green traditional tiles. The blue tiles face outward toward the city, while the green tiles face inward and represent the color of Islam, marking the symbolic entrance to the Medina.

How long does the tour take and what should I wear?

The tour runs three hours and involves walking through narrow Medina streets. It suits all fitness levels, so wear comfortable shoes and clothes appropriate for walking on uneven ground in a historic city.