About Fes

As soon as you enter through the main gate of Boujloud into Fes medina it seems that you instantly go back in time. No surprise because Fes is the oldest Moroccan city and its medina Fes al Bali is the largest living medieval city in the Islamic world.




Nobody can prepare you for the first time visit to Fes medina. While travelling through the maze of narrow alleys crammed with shops, covered bazaars, fountains, medersas (theological colleges), mosques you experience all the intensity of the place. It is literally a feast for all the senses. You hear moudzin's call for prayer "Alah Akbar" (God is Great); "Balak Balak" (Attention) a donkey rider asks you to give the way so that he can pass with the boxes of coca cola bottles. The sounds of arabic music melodies from shops, "Labas, Kulshi Beher" greetings, sales promotion calls, gnawa musicians, craftmen working, kids' joyful chants. The world of scents is also extremely rich here. The smell of rose petals, fresh mint and oranges, coriander, spices is mixed with a strong smell of meat, tanneries, donkeys' dung. And how many different flavours...dried fruit, Moroccan sweets, fresh goat cheese, diverse types of breads, doghnuts, olives, pickles, meat broshettes, etc. ...Medina's life is real life's movie, which captures all your attention. While sitting in a medina's outside caffe, you can watch local men dressed in djelabas drinking tea or coffee, women rushing for shopping with their covered faces, negotiating tourists, sellers with their stock...If not the shops of mobile operators and sattelite antenas you may be forgiven for wondering which century you live in. And this is the charm of Fes, so different, so back in time, and so enchanting...