Ancient Medina of Fes Morocco - Walking & Driving Tour - Full Day - Private

Your excursion will start with a driving tour around the outside of the city walls, to two ancient towers that offer panoramic views of the Fez medina. The Southern Borj (tower) was built by a sultan using a Portugese architectural style.

As part of the driving tour of the outer city walls, you will visit the North Tower (Borj Nord). The tower itself has been transformed into a arms and weapons museum. Nearby, there are the remarkable ruins of the Merinides cemetery, which date from the 14th century. From there, you can enjoy magnificent views of the entire city.

After your driving tour outside the city walls, your driver will bring you to the ancient Jewish quarter of the medina, known as the Mellah. It will give you great insight into the once vibrant history of Judaism in Fes. Home to the gold market and some of the city's best antique furniture shops, the Jewish quarter is tucked away near the gates of the Royal Palace. This atmospheric part of the city also includes a Jewish cemetery and a beautiful synagogue with a collection of objects portraying Moroccan Jewish life.

The next stop on your walking tour is at the largest tannery in Africa, located in the heart of the ancient medina. Follow your guide along the labyrinth that is Fes, seeing the streets filled with shops selling clothing and fabrics. The tannery will show you just where all of this comes from – as it also gives you a strong smell and intriguing, colorful views. The tannery will tell you a story of the creation of everything from purses to dresses, and even luggage. Afterwards, you will have an opportunity to shop for a variety of products created from this very tannery and its wonderful resources.

Once you have seen the tanneries, you will continue the walking tour with a visit to the Al-Attarine Madrassah (school). There are many old and historic madrassahs in Fes; this one is located next to the Qaraween mosque. Another example of exquisite Merenid architecture, Al-Attarine Madrassah has been in operation since 1325 and boasts a beautiful courtyard displaying the intricate decoration of this period. Another school further up the winding street of Talaa Kebira ("big street") is Bou Inania Madrassah, the finest of Fez’s theological colleges. Built between 1350 and 1357, this madrassah recently underwent renovation. Unique to this school is its mosque, complete with a green tiled minaret, which is yet another stunning piece of architecture you will see in this part of the tour.

The next stop on the tour is the spectacular al-Qarawiyyin Mosque is located at the bottom of a steep street down from Bab Boujloud. For over 1200 years, Al-Qarawiyyin has been a leading spiritual and educational center in the Muslim world. Built in 867AD, the Al-Qarawiyyin mosque was one of the medieval period’s most distinguished universities. UNESCO has designated it as the oldest university in the world, so it is definitely worth a peak inside.

After visiting the schools and mosque, your next stop on the walking tour of the old medina is Funduq al-Najjariyyin. Funduq means "hotel" in Arabic, and this particular hotel is situated in the heart of the medina, at Al-Najjariyyin square, where you can also see the historic Nejjarine Fountain, an attached saqayya or traditional fountain for camel caravans passing through Fes in the middle ages.

Carpet weaving demonstration: As part of the tour, your guide will take you to a workshop where women are weaving colorful, intricate carpets by hand on traditional looms. While at the workshop, you will learn the difference between the weaving styles of the Berbers, with their bright colors and clever designs, and Arabic carpets with their darker colors and more classic patterns.

Traditional Berber pharmacy featuring argan oil: Another stop on the tour is an herbal apothecary, otherwise known as a Berber pharmacy, where you can view and sample a huge variety of herbs, roots, leaves, minerals and other types of natural medicine developed through centuries of Berber local wisdom. A highlight of the pharmacy is a woman who is grinding out argan oil from locally-grown argan seeds by hand using an antique seed grinder.