Fes

Fes is a northeastern Moroccan city often referred to as the country’s cultural capital. It’s primarily known for its Fes El Bali walled medina, with medieval Marinid architecture, vibrant souks and old-world atmosphere. The medina is home to religious schools such as the 14th-century Bou Inania and Al Attarine, both decorated with elaborate cedar carvings and ornate tile work.

Donkeys and pedestrians are the main traffic in the car-free medina, which is filled with craft workshops, spice markets and bathhouses. It’s also the site of the huge 9th-century al-Karaouine Islamic mosque and university, as well as the 11th-century Chouara leather tannery, where animal hides are processed and dyed by hand in a pungent, open-air complex of stone pits. The Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts and Crafts is located nearby in a restored inn with a panoramic rooftop cafe. To the south is the 15th-century Jewish quarter and a large Jewish cemetery.