Years of neglect have taken their toll on the medina, however. The authorities have recently
taken note, and much is being done to repair buildings and replaster facades. Scaffolding is
everywhere. Yet for all the romance of medina life to visitors, many residents have been happy
to sell up to foreigners and swap their sometimes medieval living conditions for a modern
apartment in the ville nouvelle.
The trick is to dive straight in. It is initially overwhelming, but once you adjust to the pace of
the city, Fez reveals its charms in most unexpected ways. Seemingly blind alleys lead to
squares with exquisite fountains, filled with the rhythmic hammer- music of copper beaters.
Getting lost in Fez is where the fun really starts.