| Fez فاس Fās | ||
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| State | Morocco | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Middle Atlas | |
| Altitude | 217 m a.s.l. | |
| Surface | 320 km² | |
| Inhabitants | 1.412.072 (2017 estimate), 1.112.072 (2014 census) | |
| Prefix tel | 212 55 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 30000 | |
Position
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| Institutional website | ||
Fez (also called Fes or Fez) is a city in the region of Middle Atlas.
To know
Fez is one of the imperial cities of Morocco. It is famous for being the home of the oldest university in the world, Qarawiyyin University (founded in 859 but turned into a university in 1963). It has an ancient walled city, which many compare to the walled city of Jerusalem.
Fez was the medieval capital of Morocco founded by Idris I in 789, and a city of great Islamic culture. Fez has the best preserved historical center in the Arab world, the sprawling and labyrinthine medina of Fes el-Bali, which is also the largest car-free urban area in the world. Inside the medina the transport of goods is carried out by donkeys, mules and hand carts.
When to go
Fez has a Mediterranean climate with strong continental characteristics and lots of rainfall, averaging around 700mm. Fez records the coldest winters among Moroccan cities, averaging 4 ° C in January and an average of 15 ° C in January. Frosts are not uncommon from mid-December to late February, and Fez is the only major city in Morocco that experiences light snowfall every year. However, large snowfalls occur every 4-5 years. The all-time low is -8 ° C. Summers are hot with temperatures usually ranging from around 34-35 ° C. at just under 20 ° C. When the city is hit by heat waves, mercury can skyrocket above 40 ° C. The record height is 46.7 ° C.
How to orient yourself
Fès - The new city (Ville Nouvelle): full screen map.The course of the Sebou river and the railway track divide the fortified city (Medina) from the new city (Ville Nouvelle) built in colonial times.
The Medina includes an ancient area (Fes el Bali) which formed the original nucleus of the city and Fes el Jadid ("Fes the New"), a district added in the thirteenth century where the palace and the mellah, the ancient Jewish quarter, are located.
The immense square of the Pasha el-Baghdadi acts as a hinge between the old and new area of the Medina. The square was the subject of a careful restoration in the early 21st century and is as famous as the Jamaâ-El-Fna of Marrakech.
On its eastern side opens the monumental door "Bab Boujeloud", through which you enter Fes el Bali. The liveliest street in the old area is Tala-el-Kbira (The Great Ascent) where, from the early hours of the morning, a fruit and vegetable market is set up.
Tala Sghira (Literally The "Little Climb") runs parallel to the previous one. It is less lively but still full of shops selling souvenirs and junk.
While the Medina is made up of a tangle of alleys that can only be traveled on foot and where it is easy to lose one's bearings, the colonial city presents no problems thanks to its wide boulevards. Its main arteries are the avenues Hassan II is Mohammed V, both surrounded by hotels and restaurants.
How to get
By plane
- 1 Fès airport. Fès airport is located south of the center, approximately 15 km. Its rather small size is subjected to intense traffic and in 2008 there were 410,000 passengers. Ryanair flies from Orio al Serio airport (Bergamo) and from that Treviso. The airport has basic services such as car rental and a couple of exchange offices usually open until 8pm.
By car
Those coming from another city can rent a car. From Casablanca for example it takes about 3 hours.
On the train
- 2 Train station (Gare de Fès-Ville). There are regular trains from Casablanca, Tangier, Rabat is Marrakech.
How to get around
Ignore the tour guides who tell you that you will get lost in medina and that you need to hire a guide. One of the easiest ways to get around is to use the red taxis to take you to the nearest gate (bab) and then walk from there to find your way around. The gates are scattered all over the city and taxis are cheap. Even a simple map of where the tourist attractions are located will help. If you are particularly concerned, contact your hotel or tourism office who will provide you with a licensed guide who can tell you the story accurately and make fewer stops for shopping. The "faux-guide"(fake guides), in particular, will simply take you from shop to shop where you will be forced to buy goods, which will cost you extra because the seller will be forced to pay the guide a hidden commission; they seem to wait near bab boujloud for tourists arriving in the late afternoon, just don't answer them.
There are some basic landmarks you can use to get around, and there is a network of trails marked by signs on the walls, though these can be difficult to spot at times. These signs have an 8-point star shape that will guide you between the main places in the medina. If you are lost you just have to find one of these signs and follow it until you get to a map or a known place. It can also be helpful to carry a compass with you, as narrow, built-up streets can block the view of landmarks and be disorienting. Alternatively, just keep going down and eventually you will come to one of the entrances.
The main road is the Talaa Kbira, which runs from Bab Boujloud (باب بوجلود) to the mosque of al-Qarawiyyin (or Kairouine) (مسجد القرويين in) the heart of the medina. The Talaa Sghira also starts in Bab Boujeloud and eventually merges back into the Talaa Kbira. Once you enter the narrow and winding heart of the medina, you can also find your way out again by constantly going downhill, to the Place where there are buses and taxis, where you can take a petit taxi outside the medina.
For more detailed tours and directions, look for the book Fez from Bab to Bab (Hammad Berrada). It has a comprehensive map of the medina and several well-described walking tours. It is found in most bookstores, both on Talaa Sghira and in the large bookshop on Hassan II avenue in the ville nouvelle. However, be discreet in taking the map or you will get lots of offers from fake guides!
What see
Just by walking you will see a lot of things!
In the middle of the labyrinthine medina are the colorful pits for dyeing the skin. Many young people will offer to accompany you to visit them. The tour is free (although it is advisable to offer 1-5 dirhams to your "guide") There is no chance to see the tanneries on your own. However, just 10 meters from the entrance there is a leather shop that offers a view of the tannery for free and you can see everything from the balcony. Expect to be pushed to purchase merchandise from the store in exchange.
You can enter the tannery itself, stay near the entrance until someone offers to accommodate you for 10 dirhams. He will take you through the entrance and then you can wander among the workers. A tip ... wear closed shoes and maybe bring a mint leaf to smell if you have a weak stomach.
The view from the hills surrounding the old city is spectacular - there are two fortresses overlooking the old city, the North Borj which contains an armaments museum, and the South Borj, which is developing for tourism.
- 1 Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University. Al-Qarawiyyin University is also a mosque. According to tradition, the original building was founded in the year 859. Access is not allowed to non-Muslims and you will have to be content with an external stroll.
- 2 Medressa Bou Inania (المدرسة البوعنانية). A religious college built in the second half of the fourteenth century by the will of the homonymous sultan, the Koranic school is arranged around a vast courtyard decorated with finely worked marble and wood according to the dictates of the Hispano-Moorish style. The best example of Islamic architecture a non-Muslim can see in Fez, with intricately carved wooden walls with geometric patterns and Arabic calligraphy, and a beautiful minaret. In the courtyard there is a portico with a still functioning mosque, separated from the rest of the courtyard by a small moat.
- 3 Zawiya of Idris II.
- 4 Museum of Arts and Traditions of Fès. Housed in Dar el-Batha, the ancient royal palace of Fès, the museum illustrates the history of the minor arts, from those of ceramics and wood to the arts of weaving and wood. The museum also houses a collection of carved doors
- Nejjarine Museum, Place En-Nejjarine. Dedicated to craftsmanship and the art of woodworking, the Nejjarine Museum is housed in a magnificent caravanserai which was the subject of a thorough restoration in 1998
- 5 Mezquita de los Andaluces. The original construction of the mosque dates back to the 9th century but was enlarged in later times. The enameled minaret is a copy of the other one that adorns the al-Qarawiyyin mosque
- Merenid tombs. Next to the Merenid Hotel, they offer excellent panoramic views of the medina and the city in general, as well as the hills of olive trees that surround the city, and a refuge from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the city.
Events and parties
What to do
Shopping
Some consider Fez to be the capital of Moroccan craftsmanship, but in reality the quality and value of its products may not always be high. Leather, copper and brass are the bargains to be made, although good prices can also be found on drums and other musical instruments.
How to have fun
Where to eat
Where stay
Guest houses "riads" are usually above Moroccan standards, closer to modern western hotels.
Moderate prices
- Chez Mamounia, Avenue Saint Louis.
- Dalila, 26 Bab Oued Zhoun (Medina), ☎ 212 35 740 657.
- Cascades hotels, 26 rue Serrajine (Medina Bab Bou Jeloud), ☎ 212 35 638 442.
Average prices
- Dar Mernissi, ☎ 212 35 637 779, 212 35 10 167 405.
- Dar el Hana, 22 ferrane couicha (Medina), ☎ 212 35 635 854, 212 35 76 286 58.
- Riad Number 9, 9 Derb Lamside (In the heart of the medina), ☎ 212 535 634045.
€100-200. - Riad Tizwa, 15 Derb Gurebba, Batha, ☎ 212 66190872, 44 7973238444 (London).
€100-200.High prices
- Sahrai hotels, Bab Lghoul, Dhar El Mehraz 30 000 Fez, @[email protected].
- Riad Fes (2001), 5 Derb Ben Slimane Zerbtana, ☎ 212 35 94 76 10. Check in: 2.00PM, check-out: 12.00PM.
Safety
Avoid exhibiting valuables and, unless you have a great sense of direction accompanied by a detailed map, do not go into the medina unless accompanied by a reliable guide.
Beware of numerous bands of children who sometimes follow the tourist to rob him. Stray dogs can also be a potential risk.
How to keep in touch
Around
- Taza (120 km) - East of Fès, along the road to Ojuda, Taza is the base for excursions to the Tazekka National Park.
- Meknes (60 km) - Another imperial city that reached its apogee at the time of Moulay Ismaïl (1672 - 1727), the most distinguished representative of the Alawites dynasty.
Itineraries
- Fez-Marrakech - The first place you come across when you leave Fès is Imouzzer du Kandar (36.5 km), reputed for its freshness and mineral water springs. In fact, in the summer, the inhabitants of Fez flock there in search of refreshment. Going through the mountains of the Middle Atlas you meet Ifrane (64.6 km), colonial-era health resort at 1753 m above sea level and then Azrou (147 km) and Khénifra (228 km), localities close to cedar woods that cover the slopes of the Middle Atlas. The road continues up to Beni Mellal (286 km), city at the foot of Mount Tassemit (2247m) on the southern slope of the Middle Atlas and then flows into the plain ending at Marrakech after 481 km.
