We weren’t initially planning to visit Fez during our trip to Morocco, but I’m so happy we did. We were absolutely captivated by the hustle and bustle of Fez’s medina, I think even more so than Marrakech.
One of the best things about Fez’s medina is that there aren’t the crazy mopeds tearing through the winding streets like we found in Marrakech. Just a lot of donkeys.
The hassle we received as tourists was also slightly less aggressive than in Marrakech. People were so friendly!
Fez is known for its hand-painted pottery. If you know me, you know I don’t need an excuse to pick up new dishware, so of course we brought some home!
I fell madly in lust with the famous Fez blue and white scheme, so we loaded up my new leather bag from the Fez tanneries with a bunch of pieces wrapped up carefully. I’m so thankful they all made it home in one piece!
One piece of advice for buying pottery in Fez – be mindful of things that you should try in advance! We bought a pretty little teapot and sadly, upon trying it at home the spout only pours a little dribble and it seems to go everywhere but in the cup! Alas, this will only be a decorative piece for us now.
The oranges are absolutely amazing in Morocco! Sweet and juicy with hardly any seeds if you luck out and buy the right ones. There wasn’t a lot of fruit available in most restaurants, so we got our fix by shopping at street vendors.
We learned a little about how the famous Moroccan argan oil is made. Each argan nut is hand cracked and then the fruit of the nut is placed in a large grinder where the argan oil comes out looking a little like peanut butter. It is then further refined into oil. There are two types, a lot quality version for cooking and a higher purity version for beauty.
If you find yourself in Morocco, I highly recommend making a stop in Fez. It’s 8 hours by train from Marrakech and truly captured our hearts.
Our progress so far:
Other stories from our Moroccan adventure:
A Day by the Sea in Asilah, Morocco
Magical Blue-Hued Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen – Our Favorites
Northern Morocco Road Trip
Visiting the Fez Tanneries
Moulay Yacoub Spa in Fez
Getting Close to says
March 11, 2015 at 4:22 amWhat beautiful photos! I am really looking forward to my trip to Fez now. I have been once before, but only for a day so there wasn’t time to take it all in properly. I was really taken aback by tannery though, unlike anything I had ever seen.
Kelly @A Side of Sweet says
March 11, 2015 at 8:40 amThank you! I agree, the tanneries were quite something! I definitely didn’t enjoy the smell! I hope you have a great trip!