Full-day Fez medina tour with local guide and palace visit

Walk the labyrinth of Fez's oldest medina with a guide who knows every turn

A full-day guided tour of Fez combining car and walking through the UNESCO-listed medina, the Royal Palace, and historic madrasas, with a local English or French-speaking guide, hotel pickup, and lunch at a panoramic terrace overlooking the old city. Entrance fees and lunch cost extra. The guide helps you navigate the souks and find quality ceramics and rugs.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Royal Palace of Fez20m
2. Bab Bou Jeloud15m
3. Bou Inania Madrasa30m
4. Al-Attarine Madrasa20m
5. Kairaouine Mosque15m
6. Medina of Fez1h 30m

Full day Fez city exploration

• Visit the Royal Palace of Fez
• See Bab Boujloud (Blue Gate)
• Explore Bou Inania Madrasa
• Explore Al-Attarine Madrasa
• Visit University of al-Qarawiyyin
• Tour Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts
• View Chouara Tannery
• Lunch on panoramic terrace
• Shop in Medina markets and craft workshops

The experience

Six to seven hours lets you move through Fez without rushing. You start at the Royal Palace with its ornate gates and gardens, then head to Bab Bou Jeloud, the Blue Gate, which marks the entrance to the medina proper. From there the walking begins: narrow streets lined with stalls selling spices, textiles, and leather goods, with your guide steering you toward the Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasas, both built in the 14th century and decorated with carved cedarwood and tile mosaics.

The route includes the Kairaouine Mosque and University, one of the oldest centers of Islamic learning, and a stop at the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts, housed in an 18th-century caravanserai. The Chouara Tannery, over a thousand years old, shows the traditional leather-dyeing process: stone vats filled with color create the sight most visitors come to photograph. Lunch happens on a terrace overlooking Fes el-Bali, where you eat traditional tagine while taking in the sprawl of the old city below.

Your guide walks you through the pottery district and craft workshops afterward, offering advice on quality and price if you want to buy ceramics, rugs or smaller souvenirs. A driver handles the car portions (the palace approach, the panoramic views from Borj Sud), so your legs stay fresh for the medina's maze. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included. Mineral water comes along for the day.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private transportation by car or minibus.
• a local guide speaking English or French.
• a professional driver.
• mineral water throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to1h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Fes Morocco Travel

Is this one for you?The tour is six to seven hours of mixed walking and driving, so you'll spend roughly half the day on foot through narrow medina streets. Choose this if you want a guide who knows the shortcuts and the stories, and if you're comfortable with the pace of a full-day outing that covers both the palace grounds and the maze of the old city.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

What is the Bab Bou Jeloud gate and why does the tour start there?

Bab Bou Jeloud, also called the Blue Gate, is the main entrance to Fez's historic medina. Its distinctive blue color and intricate geometric carvings make it the symbolic threshold into the old city, and the tour uses it as the starting point for the walking portion through the medina's streets and souks.

Do I walk the entire medina or does the car take me through parts of it?

You use the car for the palace visit, the panoramic overlook at Borj Sud, and transfers between major zones. The medina itself (the souks, the madrasas, the tannery, the museum) is explored on foot with your guide, so wear comfortable shoes.

What are the madrasas and what will I see inside them?

Madrasas are Islamic schools and centers of learning built in the 14th century. The Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasas showcase intricate stucco work, carved cedarwood, and colorful tile mosaics that represent the finest craftsmanship of Islamic architecture.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Lunch is not included in the tour cost. You pay separately for the meal. It takes place on a panoramic terrace overlooking the old city where you can order traditional Fessi dishes like tagine.

Do I need to pay entrance fees to visit the sites, or are they covered?

Entrance fees to the attractions are separate from the tour price. Your guide will help you understand which sites require tickets and can advise on the best order to visit them.

Can I buy souvenirs and ceramics during the tour, and will the guide help?

Yes. After lunch, the tour includes time in the pottery district and craft workshops. Your guide offers expert advice on quality and fair pricing if you want to purchase ceramics, rugs, or other handmade items.