Fez, or the art of getting lost
A 3-day stay in Fez Medina… where to stay, what to do, where to eat, and an honest take on getting lost.
I didn’t fall in love with Fez the way I did with Marrakech, and that’s not a bad thing.
Some places open themselves to you immediately. Others keep their distance, no matter how much time you give them. Fez, for me, was the second kind.
Where Marrakech felt almost familiar, Fez stayed elusive. A city of labyrinths, missed turns, moments of beauty, and moments of discomfort.
It’s a few days of wrong turns, small discoveries, and learning to be okay with not fully understanding a place.
At this point, I guess this is turning into a sort of Morocco thing (I refuse to call it a “series”… that word has been absolutely ruined by Instagram).
Marrakech came with two long posts. Fez gets one. Not because it deserves less love, but because I don’t think I stayed long enough to really feel it the way I did with Marrakech.
When I left Marrakech, I had this strange sensation of knowing the Medina. Its rhythms, its shortcuts, its logic… almost like I’d lived there. Fez, instead, remained mostly a mystery.
Sleeping in the heart of Fez Medina (where to stay in Fez)
Fez, the oldest of Morocco’s imperial cities, isn’t really one city but three: Fes El Bali, Fes El Jadid, and the Ville Nouvelle.
Founded in 789 AD and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, Fez Medina is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world. Thousands of narrow streets fold into each other like a maze designed to test your patience…
And trust me when I say labyrinthine, I mean it. I genuinely think Fez is easier to get lost in than Marrakech. Google Maps won’t save you, I tried. You’ll need an old school printed map from your riad… and a bit of humility.
A small tip that saved us more than once: street signs actually help. A hexagon marks a dead end, while a square means the street continues.
We chose to stay inside Fes El Bali, the medieval Fez Medina, right in the middle of everything. Choosing a riad inside Fes El Bali completely changes the experience. You’re not visiting the medina. You’re living inside it.
Simply arriving at our riad was an adventure. Lots of phone calls. A bit of confusion. Some improvising. But we made it.
Both of our riads were near Bab Bou Jeloud, also known as the Blue Gate, one of the main entrances to Fez Medina. That turned out to be the best decision for coming and going, because once you step inside, it’s all on foot through narrow.
Our stay was unexpectedly extended after a cancelled flight… of course. That meant we experienced two different riads in Fez.
If I had to recommend one, it would be Riad Dar Omar. Being there feels a little like being in Omar’s home, because it is. He runs it on behalf of the family who owns it, and the terrace… we spent more time there than we planned.
What to do in Fez (a “gentle” 3 day plan)
We only had three days in Fez, so the plan was simple.
One guided tour.
A few hours in a hammam.
A day trip to Chefchaouen aka The Blue City.
Good Moroccan food.
And our usual 20k steps wandering through the medina.
The weather was perfect. Not too cold, not too warm. That sweet in between.
We booked a private full-day tour with an incredible woman-owned company. Our guide, Mr Idrissi, a true Fez native, walked us through the layered history of the city, both inside and outside the walls.
We visited the breathtaking El Attarine Medersa, explored the oldest parts of Fez Medina, stopped at the famous tanneries of Fez with their colorful stone vats used to dye leather, yes, the smell is real, passed by the Royal Palace gates and the Mellah, the historic Jewish quarter, and paused at panoramic viewpoints overlooking the entire city.
But the most memorable part wasn’t the monuments. It was sharing local delicacies in a place I wouldn’t be able to find again even if I tried. Sitting there, eating something delicious, surrounded by curious locals wondering what on earth we were doing there… that’s the kind of moment that stays.
If you do just one thing in Fez, make it this tour.
And yes, Fez is famous for its ceramics and tiles. I brought home two small blue tea cups from Art Naji, and I already know I’ll treasure them forever.
A hammam with a view
We spent an afternoon at the hammam inside Riad Laaroussa. Private. Traditional bath and scrub. A deeply relaxing massage. After that, we were offered a cup of mint tea on this spectacular terrace overlooking the city.
Every time I leave Morocco, I think the same thing. Massages should be medically prescribed. In Italy they cost a fortune… and yet they might be one of the most effective remedies we have for stress, overload, and the general state of the world.
Chefchaouen
Day trip from Fez (The Blue City)
Yes, we went.
Chefchaouen is exactly as touristy as you imagine, and exactly as photogenic. Why is it blue? There are theories. Religious symbolism. Aesthetic choice. No one really agrees.
Is it visually striking? Absolutely.
Will someone try to sell you something at every corner? Also yes.
It wasn’t fully our vibe, if I’m being honest. But the highlight… lunch. Always lunch.
We ate at Sofia, a small female owned restaurant tucked into a quiet alley. Simple food, generous portions, please try the couscous, deeply satisfying. Go early. A mix of locals and curious travelers fills it quickly.
Where to eat in Fez (restaurants I loved)
Now, the part many of you are waiting for.
Two places really stood out.
Cafe Clock is popular with digital nomads, tourists, and students quietly working on assignments. It’s where I tried camel burger for the first time in my life. The vibe was right. The prices slightly higher. They also have a location in Marrakech.
Quick disclaimer. I’m a very curious eater when I travel. There’s almost nothing I won’t try. I’d rather say “I didn’t like it” than regret not tasting it.
But where Fez truly shined was Ishq Restaurant.
Sophisticated Moroccan cuisine. Gasp-worthy design and architecture. A terrace overlooking the city.
If you go early, you can catch the sunset… which already tells you everything you need to know.
The vibe was immaculate. The food is genuinely outstanding. Perfect for a date night. The owner walks around greeting guests, stopping for a brief word here and there. It feels refined and familiar at the same time, which is rare.
When getting lost isn’t romantic
A while ago, I watched two of my favorite travel youtubers talk about how Morocco, especially Marrakech and Fez, wasn’t for them.
The constant haggling.
The feeling of being followed.
The persistent sensation of being lost.
And honestly… I get it.
In Fez, we skipped a restaurant because Google Maps failed us, and the smaller alleys weren’t visible on our paper map. We ended up lost in a maze. A group of young men called out, offering help. When we politely declined, the situation escalated and became aggressive. It wasn’t easy to handle.
Did this ruin our time in Fez? No. We were prepared.
Before every trip, I try to understand which scams are common. Not to travel in fear, but to travel aware. I understand, at least in part, where some of this behavior comes from. Real people trying to survive.
Not every destination is for everyone. And preparation helps you show up informed, not afraid.
Travel is like life. Things happen.
I didn’t want to end this Fez story on a bittersweet note, but maybe it’s the Milan weather talking. As I write this, we’re in the Giorni della Merla, the coldest days of the year in Italian folklore. Grey, foggy, bone cold days that make everything feel slightly heavier.
And maybe that’s okay too.
Thanks for being here.
I’ll see you next Monday, wherever we end up, always halfway packed.