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Dar Glaoui
Probably the most impressive residence in Fez, this 150-year-old palace comprises some 17 houses, stables, a mausoleum and cemetery, Quranic school, hammam , garages and two large gardens. It's privately owned by the El-Glaoui family of Marrakesh, but you can make an appointment to view it with Abdou (phone after midday).
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Dar Pacha Tazi
Set in a large garden with trellis-covered walkways, this 20th-century palace has housed various government figures. It's now the headquarters of the Fès Saïss Association that organises the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music .
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Demnati Fountain & Dar Dmana
This street opens out into a square with an ancient mulberry tree. There's an exceptionally tall traditional house, Dar Dmana, with a massive studded door, and the Demnati fountain. Wait a while, and you might see magnificent stallions being washed, their manes and tails stained red with henna. Also here is an antique shop worth a browse, Brocante Bab Touta .
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Derb Fez El-Jdid
Once the centre of the city's socioeconomic activities, this bustling thoroughfare dates to the start of the 14th century and was home to souks, funduqs (caravanseries), hammams, farranes (communal ovens) , fountains and the rahba zraâ (wheat market). These days it's home to kissariat (covered markets) selling everything from jellabas to jewellery. The 14th-century mosque with the attractive green-tiled minaret is known as the Jamaa al-Hamra (Red Mosque). Go figure.
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Diwane Mosque
It's worth taking a look at this mosque (even though you can't go inside unless you're a Muslim). The door and its canopy are beautiful examples of carved, painted wood, and there's carved plaster too.
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El-Makoudi Mosque
This mosque is in the formerly Jewish area of Lihoudi , and is one of the few that doesn't have a minaret. The mosque's fountain is at the top of the street, and is particularly beautiful with carved medluk (fine sand-and-lime coating) and intricate zellij .
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Fès Art Gallery
The management can be somewhat snooty, but the furniture and objets d'art are worth a look. There are exquisite inlaid chairs, tables and cupboards from Syria, some reasonable paintings and ceramics, and good jewellery. From the roof terrace the view over the Kairaouine is excellent.
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Fondouk Americain
This animal hospital was established in 1927 at the instigation of Amy Bend Bishop, an American traveller who was appalled at the poor condition of the many working animals in the medina. A team headed by Canadian veterinarian Denis Frappier treats the city's animals free of charge, courtesy of funding from The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
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Funduq Kaat Smen
Shops here are devoted to the sale of smen (rancid butter), olive oil, khlia (preserved meat) and honey. Chez Nafis Chergui has wild rosemary, orange flower or eucalyptus honey, argan oil (produced from the fruit of the argan tree) and olive oil. There are a couple of carpet shops at the entrance to the funduq .
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Funduq Tastawniyine
This funduq housed merchants coming from Tetouan to do business in Fez. It still has some intricate mashrabiya on the upper balconies but, like all the funduqs, it's in bad repair. Today you'll find a carpet shop and a carpenter in residence.
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Funduq Tazi
Opposite Funduq Kaat Smen (), Funduq Tazi has a leather shop, Maison D'Artisanat , and some drum-makers who use the skins for their ceramic tam-tams (drums). It's a simple building with no decorative elements.
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Henna Souk
One of the oldest market places this souk, off Talaa Kebira, has graceful plane trees shading the stalls selling ceramics and traditional cosmetics, including henna. The mohtassib (price-controller), now defunct, had his office here and you can still see his large scales. On one side is the restored Maristane Sidi Frej, a former psychiatric hospital built by the Merinids in the 13th century. Leo Africanus worked here as a young man. It's now a small kissaria (covered market).
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Ibn Danan Synagogue
An enthusiastic caretaker will shepherd you through this unassuming but pretty synagogue, which is one of the oldest and most important in North Africa. Built and owned by a prominent Moroccan Jewish family in the mid-17th century, it was renovated to its present form at the end of the 19th century.
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Jardin Public
If the locals aren't to be found promenading down Ave Hassan II or colonising the terraces at Assouan or Blue Babel, they'll probably be in this manicured public garden close to the Central Market. There's a café, small waterfall, shady trees and plenty of seating.
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Jewish Cemetery & Em Habanim Synagogue
Generations of Fassi Jews are buried in this impeccably maintained cemetery, off Bab Lamar. Regimented lines of humble whitewashed tombs bearing the venerable names of Cohen, Danan, Hassarfati and Gabay parade down the hill toward the main road. In the centre, recognisable by its green urns, is the tomb of the 19th-century martyr Solica, a 17-year-old girl who refused to convert to Islam or accept the advances of the Governor of Tangier and had her throat slit as a result.
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Kairaouine Library
This has always been a reference library, and valuable books such as those by Averroes and Ibn Khaldun have survived. The reading room was built in 1940 and the building is well restored.
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Kairaouine Mosque & University
The largest mosque in Africa, the Kairaouine claims to be the oldest university in the world. A wide variety of subjects was taught here, which is why Fez became such a centre of learning, culture and religious tolerance. Currently undergoing restoration, the mosque should have re-opened (to Muslims only) early in 2008.
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L'kbir Mosque
Fez el-Djid's 'Grand Mosque' was built in the 13th century by the Merenid sultan Moulay Abou Youseef Yacoub and was subsequently used as a mausoleum for the sultans Abou Said and Abou Inan. Its architect was clearly influenced by the Kairaouine - peek into the courtyard to admire the lovely green tiles and delicate decorative plasterwork.
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L'marqtane
Follow a dark passage into this enclosed square north of Sagha and imagine being sold: this used to be an old slave market. Now it's a second-hand clothing market in the mornings (hugely crowded at weekends). A good search can turn up superb antique velvet caftans rich with silver embroidery, or a silk takshita (garment worn over a caftan) for weddings.
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Lihoudi
This neighbourhood is bordered by Derb Funduq Lihoudi, Derb Makoudi, Achebine and Haffarine. It once had a large Jewish population, most of them jewellers. Run down today, it was once a wealthy area. On Derb Funduq Lihoudi, etched into a wall over the street, is a Star of David inside an eight-pointed star demarcating the Jewish area.
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Merenid Tombs
These 14th-century tombs are in ruins now, but command a good view over the city and the ramparts, as well as to the Borj Sud in the south and the rolling hills to the north. Take a taxi to the tombs (from Batha around DH7 ) and avoid the quasi guides. Walk back down the goat paths to the main road (look out for the caves where people still live). Once across the road, turn left for Bab Guissa or right for Ain Azleten - the walk back to the medina takes around 10 minutes.
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Mokri Palace
For a modest tip, Azzedine will show you around the large rectangular courtyard with salons at each end. Upstairs are gracious rooms, the venue for concerts , looking over the medina. The palace is up for sale, and is likely to be turned into a luxury hotel.
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Mosque
One of the two great mosques of Fez, this started life as a relatively modest structure in the 9th century, but became the congregational mosque of the quarter in the 10th century. Its minaret, a gift from the caliph of Córdoba, dates from 956 and is very similar to that of its sister mosque, the Kairaouine. The mosque was totally rebuilt by the Almohads between 1203 and 1207 and the magnificent monumental door on the northern façade dates from this time.
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Moulay Abdallah Mausoleum
This 17th-century mosque and medersa (theological college) was converted into a mausoleum in the 18th century and is the resting place of four sultans of the reigning Alawite dynasty: Moulay Abdallah, Moulay Youssef, Moulay Hafid and Moulay Abdelaziz. Non-Muslims cannot enter.
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Moulay Hassan Square
Created towards the end of 19th century by order of the Alawite sultan Moulay al-Hassan I, this impressive square is surrounded by high pisé walls. The northern gate of the royal palace, known as Bab Makhzen, is here, as is the monumental Bab Sbaâ (the Lion Gate, aka Bab Dkaken), which features three solid arches flanked by two towers. Walk through Bab Sbaâ to see Bab al-Makina, the mechouar (assembly place) that is the main venue for the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music.
