Free self-guided walk · Fez

Fez medina, from the Blue Gate to the tanneries

A free self-guided walk through the Fez medina, from the Blue Gate down Talaa Kebira past the Bou Inania Madrasa to the Al-Attarine Madrasa and the Chouara tannery.

Distance
1.6 km
Walking time
22 min
Allow
About 1.5 hours with stops
Stops
5

Open the route in Google MapsFez city guide

About this walk

This walk follows the medina's main street downhill through Fez el-Bali, one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world.

It passes two of the finest madrasas and ends at the leather tanneries.

  • Terrain: Steep downhill lanes with steps and uneven paving.
  • Best time: Morning, when the souks are busy and the tanneries are working.

Route map

12345
Route and stop positions © OpenStreetMap contributors. North is up.

The stops

  1. Bab Bou Jeloud

    Start at the blue-tiled gate.

  2. Bou Inania Madrasa

    The 14th-century religious school.

  3. Al-Attarine Madrasa

    The richly decorated madrasa by the spice souk.

  4. Al-Qarawiyyin

    Pass the mosque and university founded in 859.

  5. Chouara Tannery

    Finish at the tanneries.

Tips

  • Offline maps help, but the lanes are confusing; a guide makes a first visit easier.
  • Shops around the tannery let you view it from their terraces, usually with a sales pitch.
  • Donkeys and carts carry goods; step aside when you hear 'balak!'.

Prefer a guide?

Advertising disclosure: these link to Viator. If you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See all walking tours in Fez.

Sources and review date

This walk was last reviewed on 2026-10-28. Distance and walking time come from OpenStreetMap's walking router and don't include time at stops. Opening hours and access change; please check before you go.