Cheap city break Fez

When is the best time for a city break?

Fez is at its best in spring (April and May) and autumn (October): pleasant walking weather around 20 to 25 degrees and relatively calm in the medina. Summer is hot, often above 35 degrees, which makes wandering the narrow alleys hard work. Winter is mild but cooler with occasional rain, and that is exactly when the finest riads are cheap and available without booking months ahead.

The best areas to stay

• Fes el-Bali The old medina from the 9th century, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest car-free city centre in the world, a maze of souks. Sleep in a traditional riad.
• Fes el-Jdid The new Fez from the 13th century, with the royal palace, the golden gates and the Mellah.
• Mellah The former Jewish quarter with street-facing balconies, a different streetscape from the rest of the medina.
• Ville Nouvelle The French colonial new town with wide boulevards, cafes and modern hotels, quieter and more spacious.
• Batha A calm transition zone by the blue medina gate Bab Bou Jeloud, a handy and central starting point.

Top 5 things to do in Fez

• Chouara tannery Look out from a balcony over the colourful dye pits where leather is tanned the centuries-old way. Entry is free, the surrounding leather shops provide the view.
• Medersa Bou Inania A 14th-century Quranic school with fine wood carving and zellige mosaic, one of the few religious buildings non-Muslims may enter (entry 20 dirham, about 2 euros).
• Al-Qarawiyyin According to UNESCO the oldest still-operating university in the world, founded in 858; the courtyard is visible from the gates.
• Bab Bou Jeloud The iconic blue-green gate, the finest entrance to the medina and a reliable orientation point.
• Marinid Tombs A hill on the edge of town with a panoramic view over the whole medina, at its best at sunset.

Flights + transport + day trips from the Netherlands

From Eindhoven you fly direct to Fez (FEZ) in about 3 hours 10 with Ryanair, three times a week. From Amsterdam you can fly with a connection. Inside the medina you walk everywhere, as cars cannot enter. For day trips a rental car pays off: Meknes is 60 km away, the Roman ruins of Volubilis just beyond, and the blue mountain town of Chefchaouen about 3.5 hours by road. You can compare car rental in Fez from around 18 euros a day, or take a grand taxi for a fixed price per trip.

What does a city break to Fez cost?

A riad starts around 30 euros a night, comfortable with a roof terrace 60 to 100 euros. The medina is free to wander, the Medersa Bou Inania costs about 2 euros, a traditional hammam visit 10 to 20 euros and a tajine in a local restaurant 5 to 8 euros. For a long weekend, reckon on from about 220 euros per person including a direct flight. Insider tip: hire an official guide on the first morning (around 15 to 25 euros) to learn to read the maze of the medina; after that you can happily get lost on your own, and end the day on a rooftop terrace as the call to prayer drifts over the city.