Where to stay in Fes: the medina or the new city?

The first question most visitors ask is whether to sleep inside the medina or outside it. Both work. They give you very different trips, so here is an honest comparison.

The medina: Fes el-Bali

Fes el-Bali is the old walled city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981, and it is often described as the largest car-free urban area in the world. It has thousands of alleys, the Chouara tannery, historic madrasas and the Blue Gate, Bab Boujloud, the main entrance for most visitors.

• For: you step out of the door into the atmosphere, and the main sights are on foot.
• Against: no cars can enter, so you carry or wheel your luggage over uneven, sloping alleys, and it is easy to get lost the first day. Parking is outside the walls.

The new city: a short drive from the medina

Most of the modern neighborhoods sit outside the old walls. They have wider streets, supermarkets, cafés, parking and taxis at the door, and they are quiet at night. Our apartments are in this part of Fes, around 10 to 15 minutes by car from the Old Medina.

• For: easy arrival with luggage, free parking, a full kitchen to cook in, air conditioning and room for groups. It is a calm place to come back to after a busy day in the medina.
• Against: you take a short taxi or drive to reach the medina, so you will not wake up inside it.

Which one fits you?

• Families and groups of friends: the new city. You get space, a kitchen and parking. The Chic & Cozy Apartment sleeps 7 and the Spacious Family Apartment sleeps 6.
• Couples and small groups: the Boho Condo is a calm, quiet base, and the Elegant Cozy Apartment has Moroccan-modern interiors in Bab Andalous.
• Road trippers and early flights: the new city again, ideally near the airport.
• You want to wake up inside the old city: a riad in the medina is the right choice, and we are happy to say so.

A simple way to do both

Many guests stay in the new city and spend a full day in the medina. Take a taxi to Bab Boujloud, walk down through the souks toward the tannery, and take a taxi back when you are tired. Walking downhill is easier than climbing back up, and a licensed guide saves a lot of time on your first visit. Politely decline anyone who offers to guide you uninvited.

Tell us your dates and group size and we will suggest the right apartment.

Call or text us any time on +212 611 681 608, by WhatsApp or SMS.