Description
A tour to discover Fez, the heir and custodian of
Arabo-Andalusian culture and traditions, cradle of art and knowledge.
What we will see
Bab Bou Jeloud Gate
Medersa Bouanania
Mnebhi Palace:
lunch with a view
Souks and Seffarine Square
Moulay Idriss Mausoleum
Kairouyine Mosque
North Borj Fortress
Mellah Quarter
Royal Palace
What we will do
We cross the rolling landscape of the Moroccan countryside by
coach to reach the city of Fez. If we had to choose one city to visit in
the whole of Morocco, our choice would certainly fall on Fez for its
architectural treasures, its charming medina, its magnificent monuments and
its fascinating history, all of which make it the cultural capital of the
country. A religious, intellectual and artistic metropolis and cradle of a
millenarian monarchy, Fez was the political capital of the empire for a long
time.
Once inside the medieval city having passed through the monumental
Bab Bou Jeloud Gate, with its glazed tiles reflecting the sun, we are
immersed in a world where the pace of life is far removed from that of the
modern world: artisans at work using original tools, women baking bread in
public ovens, weavers at the loom using methods consolidated by tradition
over the centuries, and the donkeys, which are the only means of transport
allowed inside the medina, carrying all sorts of goods.
We visit the Bou
Inania Madrasa, the largest and most elaborate in Fez, built at the behest
of Sultan Abou Inan, with its magnificent marble and onyx courtyard.
Inside
the Mnebhi Palace, one of the most refined palaces of the medina whose terrace
commands a fine panorama of the surrounding area, we are served a typical
Moroccan lunch.
We proceed on our visit by venturing into the maze of
alleys of the medina, with its thousand and one curiosities and sensations,
where each Souk is specialized for a different trade or for specific
products: the Attarine Souk is dedicated to spices, the Nejarine Souk is for
carpenters, Seffarine Square is full of blacksmiths and the Dyers Souk is
full of colourful skeins of dyed silk, hung to dry in the sun. Accompanied by
our guide we explore the most fascinating souk in Fez, the Hunters Souk,
which is announced by a strong pungent smell of animal skins. We can observe
the extraordinary traditional dyeing of skins in large vats from a panoramic
terrace.
Our excursion proceeds with the Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss,
the founder of the millenarian city of Fez, a holy city for Muslims. Through
the main doorway which is decorated with brightly coloured wood, we can see
the prayer hall with its numerous chandeliers and a surprising collection of
clocks including two splendid pendulum clocks donated by the Sun King Louis
IV.
We walk around the Kairouyine Mosque, founded around the middle of
the 9th century, and also the seat of a University that is believed to be the
oldest in the world. The building is strictly off-limits for non-Muslims,
however it is possible to catch a glimpse of the several precious treasured
inside through the numerous doorways.
We leave the medieval city passing by
the Saadian North Borj Fortress, where there are a number of vista points
in the vicinity for taking photos of the mysterious medina.
Before setting
off in the direction of Casablanca, we cut across the Jewish quarter of
Mellah, stopping in front of the Royal Palace.
What you need to know
The duration of the excursion will be approx. 13 hours of which 8 hours approx. will be on the coach.
There will be lots of walking therefore we suggest comfortable shoes.
The limited areas inside Souk can have short queues of tourists especially on the leather-tanning terrace.
Space is limited, so please book early.
This excursion is not recommended for people with walking difficulties.