Founded in the 9th century and home to the oldest university in the world, Fez is the oldest of the three Moroccan imperial cities. It is the cultural and spiritual centre of Morocco and is home to some of the finest monuments in the country. Fez can be neatly divided into there distinct parts: Fes el-Bali, Fes el-Jdid and the Ville Nouvelle. The first two form the medina, whilst the last is the administrative area, constructed by the French in 1916.

At the heart of all Moroccan towns are the souks which are the commercial backbone of the city. The souks group together traders and craftsmen: cobblers and jewellers, apothecaries and leather makers, carpet and fabric sellers, potters and weavers. Although each town has its market, some souks like the ones in Marrakech, Fez and Meknès have become legendary and an essential place to visit. A visit to the souks will undoubtedly lead to a stopover at Fez's famous tanneries where one of the oldest arts in Morocco, and the world, is practiced to produce the soft leather that has been sought after for centuries.

Morocco has a rich and varied tradition of handicraft production. Pottery and ceramics, textiles and carpets, jewellery and leather goods: the wealth of Moroccan arts and crafts is rooted in a living tradition. Traditional skills, to make beautiful and practical objects, are handed down the generations.
Fez is famous for many crafts including embroidery decorated household linen, various leather objects such as poufs, babouches and bags. Fez is also a major pottery production centre and is reputed for its brass and copper objects.
The major characteristic of these craft objects are that they are made by hand, with traditional machines and tools, which makes each object unique.

Another essential feature of Islamic towns and societies is the hammam or public bath. Although serving a mundane function, the hammam can be a surprisingly impressive architectural structure. Traditionally, the hammam consists of a spacious reception used as well as a disrobing room. The first room in the bathing sequence is the cold room, so named because of its position furthest from the heating room. The warm room is next, it’s larger and more elaborately constructed and decorated than the cold room. The hot or steam room is the last stop and is the simplest room with a low, domed ceiling and a basin in one of the corners of the room filled with very hot water. A final stop is made in the warm room where the bather can be cleansed and massaged, soaped and shampooed, and rinsed by bath attendants. Later, after returning to the disrobing room, the bather can recline and rest on couches before being served tea, coffee, soda or orange juice.

Moroccan cuisine very much reflects the country’s rich cultural heritage: its flavours and colours. It is known worldwide for its sweet and sour combinations and its use of spices: saffron, cumin and coriander. The Berber influence remains strong – many standard Moroccan dishes, such as couscous, harira (soup) and tajines (meat and vegetable stew) are Berber in origin. Tajines is served with vegetables, fruit or olives and is cooked in a traditional covered terracotta pot, after which the dish is named. Eating in Morocco is an exiting and rich experience. Enjoy pastries such as pancakes with honey and sesame seeds or cakes made with almonds or sultanas accompanied by mint tea.

Please be careful of the water and especially the ice. You should avoid ice in your drinks even in the hotels and only drink bottled water. If you are buying this yourself, please ensure the seal is still intact.
Avoid fruit juices etc from street vendors.
Fruit and vegetables should be washed with purified water or peeled.

Although it’s a Muslim country, for business purposes Morocco adheres to the Western Monday to Friday working week. Friday is the main prayer day so many businesses have an extended lunch break on Friday afternoon. Shops tend to be open between 09:00-13:00 and from 15:00-19:00. The shops in the medina may have different opening times which change according to the season, often closing for a couple of hours in the middle of the day.

Moroccan Dirham (MAD)

The importation or exportation of Moroccan currency is prohibited, but any amount of foreign currency – cash or cheques- may be brought into the country. Exchange receipts must be retained as proof of legal currency exchange, as well as in order to re-exchange money when departing.
Major credit cards are accepted in the larger shops, hotels and restaurants. Travellers cheques can be used in tourist areas, but are not prevalent; they are best taken in Euros or Pounds Stirling.
Most of the banks with ATMs in Fez are in the Ville Nouvelle around Blvd Mohammed V. Banks tend to be open from 8.30 to 11.30 am and 2.30 to 4.30 pm weekdays, with Friday lunch lasting from 11.15 am to 3 pm to accommodate the main Friday prayers. Major branches of the main banks open on Saturday morning.
Please note you will not be able to obtain currency at the airport, only once you've arrived in Morocco itself.

There is a cash point in the hotel.

Goods and services may be charged to your room but it is recommended that you also have some cash on you.

We may come across cash points while out and about but this cannot be guarenteed so it is advisible to withdraw cash at the hotel if you wish to buy any food or drinks while out.

Fez has a continental climate and is best to visit during spring and autumn when the weather is warm and dry.

Average daily temperatures in October are 20-25 ˚C.

Morocco is on GMT/UTC during winter and GMT/UTC +1 in the summer.

Arabic is the official language, but eight other languages are also spoken including Berber, French and Spanish. English is generally understood in the tourist areas, but French is the foreign language most widely spoken.

Morocco is a Muslim country and, as a rule, a high degree of modesty is demanded of both sexes.

The international code for Morocco is +212.
To call from abroad dial 00212 then the city code (05 for Fez), then the number.

Fez Saiss Airport, Morocco
Distance to Fez: 13km (8miles)