Fez: Pottery & Mosaic Workshop with Local Artisans

You'll Shape Clay in Fez, Then Paint It Like a Moroccan Master

You'll hand-shape clay into pottery and paint it with traditional Moroccan patterns, then learn to cut and arrange Zellige mosaic tiles under guidance from local artisans. The small-group setting lets you work at your own pace and ask questions as you go. You take home your finished pieces (pottery can be glazed later if you're short on time), plus coffee, tea, and hotel pickup are included in the day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Pottery and mosaic workshop in Fes

• Learn ancient pottery molding techniques
• Shape your unique pottery piece
• Paint vibrant Moroccan patterns
• Explore Zellige mosaic tile crafting
• Arrange colorful mosaic tiles
• Take home your creations

The experience

What happens when you sit down at a pottery wheel for the first time and your hands don't know what they're doing? That's the exact moment the workshop in Fez starts to click. You're handed wet clay, a local artisan stands beside you (not hovering, just there), and suddenly your fingers are learning something your brain hasn't caught up to yet. The pottery workshop in Fez pairs you with craftspeople who've been doing this for years, and they don't rush you through the motions. You shape a tagine or a decorative piece, whatever calls to you, and then comes the part that sticks with you: painting it with patterns that have been drawn the same way for centuries.

After the clay work, you move into Zellige: the intricate mosaic tilework that covers the walls and floors of Fez's oldest riads and hammams. The artisans show you how to cut and arrange the colored tiles, and it's slower than you'd expect, more meditative. You're not just assembling. You're learning why each piece matters to the whole. The workshop runs in a small group, which means you can actually ask questions without feeling like you're holding everyone up, and the artisans answer them: sometimes in broken English, sometimes through gesture, always with patience. Coffee and tea arrive at some point. The air conditioning keeps the workshop comfortable even when concentration gets intense.

Here's the practical part: your pottery needs three days to glaze and fire properly. If you're leaving Fez sooner, you can take the piece unglazed (it's still yours, still handmade), or arrange shipping later for an extra cost. Either way, you walk out with something you made, not something you bought. Hotel pickup is included, so you don't navigate the medina to find the workshop yourself. The whole experience is designed so you're not managing logistics. You're just making things with people who know how.

What’s included

Your day includes free hotel pickup in an air-conditioned vehicle, instruction from local artisans in both pottery shaping and traditional painting techniques, hands-on learning of Zellige mosaic tile work, bottled water, coffee and tea, and a guide throughout the experience. You'll take home the pottery and mosaic pieces you create.

Before you book

Lasts 3h, runs every day, 15 start times, from US$ 45 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish, French and Arabic, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day15 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 16:00

Book up to3h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 17 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Fes Discovery Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to make something with your hands and take it home, guided by people who actually do this work: the small-group format and artisan instruction are what turn a craft class into a real exchange.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Arabic.

Can I take my pottery home if I'm leaving Fez in two days?

Yes. Pottery requires at least three days to glaze and fire. If you're leaving sooner, you can take the unglazed piece with you or arrange shipping for an additional cost.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes, free pickup to the workshop is included.

What if I have no pottery or art experience?

The workshop is suitable for all physical fitness levels and is designed for hands-on learning. The artisans guide you through each step.

Is the workshop wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and transportation options are wheelchair accessible.

What's included in the workshop fee?

Hotel pickup, bottled water, instruction from local artisans, an air-conditioned vehicle, coffee and/or tea, and a guide for the experience.

Can children attend?

Yes. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and the workshop is suitable for all ages.

What is Zellige?

Zellige is traditional Moroccan mosaic tilework made from colored tiles cut and arranged into intricate patterns. You'll learn to craft and arrange tiles during the second part of the workshop.