Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
aimed at travellers: the half-day Curious Explorer and three-day Serious Explorer. There
are also courses in Tamazight Berber. Lessons are offered in English, French and Spanish.
Tours
There is a series of well-signed self-guided walks through the old city; each walk high-
lights different aspects of traditional Fez:
Blue
Knowledge and learning
Brown
Monuments and souqs
Green
Palaces and Andalucian gardens
Orange
Walls and ramparts
Purple
Fès el-Jdid
Red
Artisanal crafts
The overhead signs are easy to follow, showing the direction of the next major landmark,
and there are excellent English information boards at regular intervals. The
Fes Medina
Thematic Tourist Circuits Guide
accompanies these self-guided walking tours marked
throughout the medina, while the excellent
Fez from Bab to Bab: Walks in the Medina
by
Hammad Berrada further details 11 different walks, allowing readers to discover other-
wise unknown corners and courtyards amid this labyrinth.
It's well worth hiring a guide. As well as pointing out incredible architecture and
clandestine corners, guides can answer cultural questions, will help overcome language
barriers, and - perhaps most importantly - they will ward off other would-be guides. A
full-day tour with an official guide costs from Dh350 - always ask to see their identifica-
tion.
The quality of guides can vary considerably, so communication is very important to en-
sure that you get the best out of the experience. If you're not interested in shopping, say so
firmly at the outset, although be aware that the guide who won't take a tourist to a single
shop probably hasn't been born yet. It may be necessary to pay an extra Dh50 to Dh100 as
a 'no shopping' supplement. If possible, arrange a guide through your hotel or guesthouse.
Artisanal Affairs
( 0645 22 32 03;
http://culturevulturesfez.org
; 1-2 people Dh1350)
We love this in-depth, hands-
on half-day tour that explores the artisanal crafts of the Fez medina. It's a chance to meet
and talk to coppersmiths, tanners, mosaic tile-makers, cobblers, carpet makers and
CRAFT
