Apr 6
Sunday was a travel day from Rabat to Fez, passing through rural farm land with sheep everywhere. We saw farmers tilling their fields with mules and horses. Families everywhere were picnicking in the olive groves, in parks and along the roads under shade trees. We drove through the Atlas Mountains to get to Fez. Everything was very lush and green in early April.
Along the way we stopped at two places. The first was the town of Meknes for lunch but the best stop was the Volubilis archeological site. These Roman ruins sit on a hill overlooking lush green hills and limestone cliffs. This urban site was occupied and developed by several different civiliations over the centuries. It hasn’t been occupied for over 1000 years. Morocco was part of the Roman Empire between 40AD and 300AD. The site was pillage for statues and stones and later further destroyed by the Lisbon earthquake of 1755. However the site has much to see and explore. It was easy to wander around as there were not guards or gates or scaffolding. The houses still had intact mosaics on the floors depicting stories from Homer and Greek and Roman mythology. The site was excavated by the French in the early 1900s.
The name of the site, Volulibis, comes from the name of a flower.
We arrived into Fez and families were out and about enjoying a Sunday afternoon. We stayed at an upscale Marriott in the new city. Our initial impression of Fez was very positive – it seemed well laid out with wide avenues, stately buildings and was very green and clean.
After checking in we went looking for a rooftop bar to watch the hazy sunset. We found one nearby but they did not sell alcohol.
Apr 7 – Exploring Fez
Fez (also spelled Fes) is an old city located northwest of the Atlas Mountains. The city has both a modern and old neighborhoods and is considered the spiritual and cultural capital of Morocco. We had a full day planned in Fez. We decided to skip the optional city offered by Gate 1 for a private tour I found on TripAdvisor. The trip was called “Private Guided Walking Tour in Fez” by Yasmine. The tour was supposed to last for 4 hours but ended up being 7 hours. A driver picked us up at the hotel who had Yasmine’s father as our substitute guide. They took us to the Royal Palace for photos in front of the gilded bronze doors – another example of fine Moroccan craftmanship. Fez is considered one of 4 imperical cities in Morocco where the king keeps a palace. The four are Fez, Marrakech, Rabat and Meknes.
We headed to another viewpoint high above the city at the South Fortress (Borj Sud). Built in 1582, this fortress overlooks the old city. We ran into our fellow travelers at both the palace and the fortress.
Our driver then insisted on taking us on a “shopping” stop – a tour of a ceramics factory. It was interesting but probably not necessary. Neither Pat nor I are big shoppers when we travel and the prices in their shop were high. I also don’t believe that the workshops we visited on this trip are where all the goods are actually produced. They are too time intensive. Morocco does have beautiful tile mosaics and pottery with vibrant colors and intricate designs. And of course we each did buy a piece of pottery.
We were dropped off by the driver at the entrance to the Old City (the medina) and the famous Bab Boujloud (Blue Gate). The Fez Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a fully functional medieval city with about 150,000 residents. The city is surrounded by walls and is a 13th century labryinth with workshops, markets, retail, schools, mosques and many residential buildings. Many of the vendors were selling junk made in china but we enjoyed seeing the traditional crafts – leather, metal, jewelry etc. Notable was the architectur- with intricate tile, wood and metal work on buildings. The lanes are narrow and no cars are allowed. Goods are moved with handcars or pack animals, though you occasionally see a motor bike.
We followed our guide as he showed us notable sites within the medina. We peeked inside the doors of the Al-Qarawiyyin University and Mosque. We were able to go inside Al-Attarine Madrasa, one of two former religious schools built in 1325. Walls, floors and even the ceilings were covered with intricate woodwork and tile mosaics.
We saw the Tijani Mosque from the outside. It was the one with the green minaret.
Fondouk el-Nejjarine is an old caravanserai (travelers tavern) that has been converted into a museum to showcase the wooden crafts of Fez. It is a beautiful building.
A fun stop on the tour was the Chouwara Tannery. The leather factory has been in operation for over 1000 years. Visitors are taken to the third floor for great views of the tannery’s operations. You look over hundres of stone vessels filled with dye or white liquids for softening the hides. Afterwards you are guided to several floors of merchandise for sale. Pat bought a beautiful black leather jacket.
We walked by and through many souks (markets). Each product type has its own souk – spices, leather, shoes, jewelry, rugs etc. He took us to several stops – one for rugs and another for spices. The rug dealer gives you the big spiel and was aghast that we weren’t interested in even asking the prices. A highlight was a stop at his son’s riad which is run as an inn. We climbed up narrow steps to the rooftop with views over the old city. They dropped us off for lunch at a restaurant that is obviously the go to spot for every tourist group. It was fixed price meal of traditional Moroccan food but they sure rushed us out at the end.
This tour covered a lot of ground. I was sorry that we missed a few sights including the jewish cemetery and synagogue and Merenid tombs. The ceramic stop could have been skipped.
Pat and I went to Zagora restaurant, about a 15 minute walk from hotel in the modern city of Fez. The good was okay but not great for a fine dining establishment. We went because they offered live music but the band played american cover songs and only one Moroccan while we were there. On our way out I talked to the band and said they should play their local music.
The Gate 1 hotel in Fez was the Fes Marriott Hotel Jnan Palace, located in the “new city”.
