Top Free Things To Do In Fez

Fez is a city with plenty of different activities and attractions to visit. It collects quite a lot of tourists from all over the world and some activities are free to enjoy! Here are our top picks.

Learn about Medersa Bou Inania

This amazing school was built in the 14th century to teach young men about Islam. It has the classic green-and-white tiled minaret, like many other Medersas do. Anyone can enjoy its mesmerizing architecture and learn about its history since this is one of the few religious buildings in Fez open to non-Muslims.

Decorative details inside the Medersa Bou Inania

Have a picnic at the Merenid Tombs

Stroll through a park

The Bou Jeloud Garden, also known as Jardin Jnan Sbil, was initially an imperial garden, and is the perfect location for a relaxed walk. Away from the hectic medina, it’s surrounded by beautiful flowers, fruit trees and a peaceful lake.

Walk through the medina

This is one of the best things to do, if you’re not afraid of crowds! It can get quite overwhelming at times, but if you go at strategic hours you might enjoy a half-full medina. With numerous shops selling artifacts, rare jewelry, traditional clothing, leather straight out of the tanneries, slippers and much more, head here to get a taste of local life.

Colorful rugs hanging from the walls in the medina of Marrakesh

Discover the Jewish Quarter

The Jewish Quarter in Fez is called Mellah and it’s an incredible and multicultural neighborhood to this day. You can even visit the last and only synagogue in Fez, Ibn Danan Synagogue, built in the 17th century, and admire the simple architecture with zellij tilework that mixes different architectural traditions.

Visit the Chouara Tannery

The tanneries are one of the main attractions in Fez, being the oldest tanneries in the world and offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience. They are absolutely free to visit, but beware of people offering mint leaves “for free” (to rub under your nose) as they will try to charge you crazy amount for them. Best be prepared with a scarf or handkerchief to cover your nose from the foul tannery smell.

Enjoy a view from Mount Zalagh

This mount has one of the best views over Fez. You can climb up to the top at sunset and enjoy the picturesque landscape sprawling out in front of you. This is also another great location for a picnic, however, do not stay too late after it gets dark, as it might get dangerous.

Take pictures at the Royal Palace

All the royal palaces in Morocco are closed to the public, however, you can grasp an extent of their royalty just from the gates. The majestic Dar-el-Makhzen is a great place to take pictures and admire colorful and detailed tilework. Make sure to get an epic selfie in front of the golden doors!

Grand gateway into the Royal Palace of Fez

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.