The French may have moved the political capital to Rabat, but Fez remains a constituency to
be reckoned with.
As one of Morocco’s most traditional cities, Fez is generally regarded with a certain amount
of awe, perhaps tinged with jealousy, by the rest of the country. Indeed, a disproportionate
share of Morocco’s intellectual and economic elite hail from here and it’s a widely held belief
(especially among Fassis) that anyone born in Fez medina is more religious, cultured, artistic
and refined; that the king’s wife, Princess Lalla Salma is from Fez, and the royal family spend
much time here is a source of great pride for the city.
Sights
THE MEDINA (FÈS EL-BALI)
Travelling from the ville nouvelle to Fès el-Bali is like stepping back in time. The essential
footprint of the medina hasn’t changed in nearly a millennium, as the surrounding hills have
constrained expansion – the last big growth of the traditional medina was in the 13th century
with the construction of Fès el-Jdid. Today, around 150,000 Fassis still call this maze of twisting
alleys, blind turns and hidden souqs home, while tourists call it one of the most mind-boggling
places they’ll visit in Morocco.