Four Days in Fez - Day Trips and Excursions around Fez

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival to Fez

Stop At: Fez Mellah, Fes Morocco
Upon your arrival at Fes airport, you will meet your guide to begin your journey in Fez. you can start visiting the city of Fez or take your day at leisure.

Undeniably fascinating, Fez stimulates the senses with its haunting yet beautiful sounds, visual splendor, and evocative smells. The most ancient of the imperial capitals and the complete medieval city of the Islamic world, Fez is reminiscent of a city suspended in time, unfazed by the constantly evolving world outsides of its walls. Fez owes nothing to the Western world, save electricity.

Time spent in Fez will reveal much about the sophistication of the Moroccan artisan, providing an unparalleled learning experience to those who cross its path. Your morning will be spent visiting the Medina. Our specialized guide will take you on a historic discovery of the city of Fez starting at the King s Palace and its Meshwar with ramparts and majestic gates.

Next, you will explore the Jewish quarter, a 15th-century citadel with all its Moorish maze architecture and medieval glory. Visits to Sephardic synagogues and mausoleums of holy Rabbis will be the highlights of this part of town. Then, we will drive to the Merinides hill to visit their necropolis. Here you will enjoy the best panoramic view of the old walled Medina, brimful with its countless minarets to call for the prayers in a city that has responded to these calls for 12 centuries. Drive down the hills to the gate of Bab Guissa to leave your vehicle and enter an ancient world. Fez has preserved its Medina as it was centuries ago. Not even a bicycle is able to be used as a tool of transportation. Only donkeys, mules and horses are able to help to move all that the city produces and needs as supplies.

The first guilds you will immediately encounter are the cobblers, the saddlers, and blacksmiths interlaced by some caravansaries for tribesmen who come from the surrounding areas to trade and supply their needs. Down the hill to Juteya you will encounter all sorts of crafts but noticeably carpenters and leather workers as one of the traditional tanneries is not far. This walk will lead you to El Ashabine square with its variety of activities. From there, you will find your way to the Sgha square which will lead you to Attarine then Souk el Henna and the Mausoleum of Moulay Idris, the founder of Fez. Next, to it, you will visit the Nejjarine square with its famous fountain, its guild of carpentry and the museum of folk arts at the Fondouk.

You will walk to the tannery and on to visit the great Mosque university of Al Quarrawiyyine, passing by Shemmaine, the market of dried fruits. After that, you will visit the Medersa Attarine and walk to Sbetryyine, a guild of bookbinders, which will lead you to the Seffarine Square, where the tapping of metalworkers is still deafening passerby as it was the case for centuries. You will break for lunch then continue exploring the marvels of Fez Medina. These will highlight the Dyers souk, Foundouk Tetouani and the shrine of Sidi Ahmed Tijani. You will end your walk at foundouk Lihoudi where a local Fez family will host you for traditional mint tea in their home. Finally, you will return to your hotel for dinner and other accommodations.This short trip to Morocco offers a great introduction to Morocco history and culture.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Hotel L'Escale or similar

Day 2: Day trip to Meknes, Volubilis and Moulay Idriss Zerhoune

Stop At: Meknes Medina, Meknes Morocco
If you like ancient history and breathtaking landscapes, this Morocco day excursion is made for you. Today is the day of time travel! This journey will take you from imperial Rome to the ninth century A.D. Unlike the movies, this temporal voyage will take almost the entire day. (Of course, there will be stops along the way.)

The first stop will be the ancient Roman city of Volubilis. Volubilis was a critical city in the imperial Roman department of Mauritania (modern-day Morocco, and Western Sahara) during the reign of Caracalla. Volubilis is impressively well preserved and the genius of Roman urbanism is still intact. The two central integral streets in every Roman castrum, the Cardo, and Decumanus, are prominent. The cardo is the boulevard which runs north-south and the Decumanus, east-west. The intersection of the two is the heart of every Roman city. There you will find the ruins of the ancient forum.

Jumping forward in time and just a few minutes away is the venerated citadel of Moulay Idris, founded in the 8th century by Moulay Idris Al Akbar, grandson of the Prophet Mohamed (s.a.w.s). This citadel is considered to be both the cradle of Sufism to Moroccan society as well as the first Islamic capital for the premier Arab dynasty. The city was created primarily for the indigenous population that migrated with Moulay Idris from the Middle East.

You will drive around 15 miles to the next stop, the imperial city of Meknes. Meknes is a 17th Century city built by Moulay Ismail to rival Fez. It is also considered to be the Versailles of Morocco.

Finally, you have reached your destination, the ninth century city of Fez. In the evening, you will get a taste of the greatest of the Imperial Cities. You will visit the sights on the outside of the ancient walled city, including the ramparts, the gates, and the Borjs (Moorish Forts). After this introductory aperitif to Fez, you will dine in your hotel and prepare for day three Excursion.

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hotel L'Escale or similar 4 star

Day 3: Day Trip Excursion to B'Halil and Sefrou - Cooking Class in Fez Riad or Hammam Spa in the Medina

Stop At: Sefrou Falls, Sefrou, Morocco
You can take this excursion or have a cooking class with a renowned Chef in a riad. Take a traditional Hammam spa in the Medina. all the choices are yours
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hotel L'Escale or similar 4 star

Day 4: Transfer to the Airport according to your departure time

Stop At: Medina of Fez, Fes 30000 Morocco
Transfer to the Airport to catch you flight back home.
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.