Made in the Medina

As your plane touches down in Fez, the ancient imperial city beckons. Step through the airport’s arrivals gate where your personal driver awaits, ready to be your first guide to this magical city. Watch as the landscape transforms during your transfer, modern buildings gradually giving way to the honey-colored walls of the medieval medina.

Your riad, a traditional Moroccan house transformed into an elegant haven, welcomes you with the gentle sound of fountains and the scent of orange blossoms. After checking in, take time to admire the intricate mosaics and carved cedar woodwork that make these historic homes so special.

As evening falls, the Fez comes alive with possibility. Wander at your leisure through the town surrounded by the Fassi people as they enjoy the evening. Perhaps follow your nose to a local restaurant, where tagines simmer and mint tea flows freely, or simply lose yourself in the romance of North Africa’s largest medieval city. Return to the peaceful sanctuary of your riad, where a comfortable bed awaits, ready to dream of the adventures tomorrow will bring.

After breakfast, you’ll begin your day of discovery with your dedicated driver and an expert guide, who will unveil the secrets of Fez, a city where every stone tells a story spanning twelve centuries. While touring on foot, you’ll wind through the world’s largest car-free urban area, where 9,000 narrow streets hold the living history of Islamic craft and commerce.

Your guided expedition delves into magnificent madrasas with their intricate zellij tilework, the iconic Quaraouiyine Mosque and University (the world’s oldest), and the famous leather tanneries where ancient methods persist unchanged. The experience comes alive through your taste buds as you sample your way through the medina’s culinary treasures with our Taste of Fez – from steaming bowls of bessara to honey-dripped pastries and street-side delicacies that locals have savored for generations.

In a city renowned for its textiles, step into the role of artisan yourself during an intimate traditional weaving workshop with a master weaver. Learn the rhythmic art of shuttle weaving, your hands discovering the patterns and techniques passed down through generations of Fassi craftspeople.

As twilight descends, you’ll rest at the riad briefly while the medina transforms for your atmospheric ghost tour. Follow your guide through shadowy lanes on a Ghost Tour of Fez, where whispered legends come alive, discovering the supernatural side of Fez through tales of jinns, ancient prophecies, and mysterious happenings within these medieval walls.

Return to the tranquil embrace of your riad, where the day’s adventures settle into memory, and the peaceful courtyard offers a serene conclusion to your immersive journey through time.

Begin your day savoring a traditional Moroccan breakfast in the peaceful courtyard of your riad, where fresh-baked breads, local honey, and mint tea prepare you for a day of artistic discovery.

Today, you’ll delve into two of Fez’s most celebrated crafts, guided by masters who’ve spent lifetimes perfecting their arts. At a sunlit pottery workshop, feel the cool clay take shape beneath your fingers as you learn the centuries-old techniques of Fassi ceramics. Watch in wonder as your instructor demonstrates the intricate art of painting delicate patterns, before trying your hand at creating your own piece that tells your Morocco story.

In the afternoon, the rhythmic tapping of metalworkers’ tools draws you into the world of bronze craftsmanship. Under the guidance of an expert artisan, learn to etch and emboss your own bronze plate, incorporating traditional geometric patterns that have adorned Moroccan homes for generations. The workshop fills with the subtle gleam of metal as you transform a simple plate into a personal masterpiece, connecting you to an artistic lineage stretching back centuries.

As evening settles over the medina, return to your peaceful riad. Perhaps spend time drawing inspiration from your day’s creations, or simply relax in the rooftop garden, watching the sun paint the ancient city in shades of gold.

Your journey through time begins with a peaceful breakfast in your riad before setting out with your private driver across the fertile Saiss Plain. Watch the landscape unfold as you travel to Volubilis, where 2,000 years of history await. Here, amid the most impressive Roman ruins in North Africa, your expert guide will bring the ancient city to life.

Walk along streets once bustling with merchants and nobility, discovering remarkably preserved mosaics that still sparkle in the Moroccan sun. Marvel at the triumphal arch, the grand basilica, and the mansions of wealthy Romans, their floors adorned with intricate scenes of mythology and daily life. Your guide weaves tales of the city’s golden age, when it served as the empire’s most remote outpost and later as an important medieval Muslim settlement.

The imperial splendor continues in Meknes, one of Morocco’s most majestic cities. Here, you’re free to explore at your own pace through the grandiose legacy of Sultan Moulay Ismail. Wander past the massive city walls, discover the monumental Bab Mansour gate – considered Morocco’s most beautiful – and explore the fascinating Heri es-Souani, the sultan’s enormous granaries and stables built to house 12,000 horses.

Return to Fez in the afternoon, where the familiar maze of the medina welcomes you back. Take time to revisit favorite corners discovered earlier, perhaps seek out that perfect souvenir, or simply soak in the atmosphere of this timeless city. As evening approaches, your riad offers a peaceful retreat to reflect on a day spent traversing centuries of Moroccan history.

Begin your day in the tranquil setting of your riad’s courtyard, where a traditional Moroccan breakfast energizes you for a day of rhythmic discovery and artistic creation.

Step into the workshop of a master drum maker, where the ancient art of crafting percussion instruments comes alive. Learn the secrets of selecting and preparing goatskin, watching as it’s stretched and secured to create the perfect tension for resonant sound. Under expert guidance, fashion your own drum – perhaps a bendir or tar – using techniques passed down through generations of Moroccan musicians. As you complete your instrument, experience the satisfaction of drawing out its first resonant beats.

The afternoon brings you to a wood carver’s sanctuary, where the sweet scent of cedar fills the air. Here, traditional geometric patterns come to life beneath skilled hands. Your master artisan demonstrates the intricate art of Islamic design, teaching you to trace and carve the mesmerizing patterns that have adorned Moroccan architecture for centuries. Feel the smooth wood yield to your tools as you create your own carved piece, each groove and line telling part of your Moroccan story.

Return to your riad as evening approaches, your handcrafted treasures in hand – one to fill your home with the sounds of Morocco, the other to catch light and shadow in carved patterns that echo the medieval city’s artistic soul. These aren’t just souvenirs, but personal creations born from ancient traditions, each carrying a piece of Fez’s artistic heritage.

As the morning light filters through your riad’s courtyard one last time, savor a final Moroccan breakfast amid the gentle splashing of fountains. Let the flavors of freshly baked breads, local jams, and mint tea linger – each taste a memory of your time in this medieval city.

Your private driver arrives right on schedule, ready to escort you from the ancient world of the medina back to the modern era. As you wind through the city streets toward the airport, catch glimpses of the minarets and rooftops of Fez, now familiar landmarks that have become part of your story. The honeyed walls of the old city gradually give way to the contemporary landscape, a fitting transition as your Moroccan journey draws to a close.

At the airport, your driver ensures a smooth departure, helping with luggage and bidding you farewell. As you make your way to your flight, carry with you not just handcrafted treasures and photographs but the intangible gifts of Fez – the echoes of calls to prayer, the scent of spice markets, the warmth of Moroccan hospitality, and the timeless wisdom of this imperial city.