Fez is a city full of romantic spots for a couple to spend a few days with your partner, with sightseeing walks, meals with views and sunsets in the desert, or feeling the lively pulse of streets that never sleep. Moreover, one of the things that catches the interest of couples visiting this Moroccan city is the area devoted to brides, and the shops where you can buy all kinds of things — even a decorated throne for the couple’s use on their wedding day. A most enjoyable experience.
A selection of ideas
A visit to the Medina
An ancient city can be the most romantic place in the world, particularly if we seek out unique spots such as streets so narrow that you have to walk in single file or doorways that break the monotony with their decorative tiles, fountains that for centuries have relieved the thirst of locals and travellers alike, and squares where the buzz never abates, not even at night. To tour the city’s almost 300 neighbourhoods and thousands of streets, the best plan is to hire a local guide but, if you prefer, you can wander from Talaa Kebira along streets and thoroughfares that will lead you from one souk to another, marking the hours on a clock that seems to have stopped centuries ago.
The wedding souk, or Kissariat El Kitafah
This is a very interesting place in Fez, particularly for couples who are planning to marry in the near future. This market selling exclusively wedding attire is near Rue Laa Tarine, and around it are a plethora of shops selling kaftans for brides, hand-embroidered in different colours. These are very expensive, especially when one bears in mind that during a traditional ceremony, the bride can change her clothes up to 7 times.
Also fascinating are the gilded and jewelled thrones which are normally hired for wedding ceremonies, and giant cones where the bride and groom keep the gifts brought by guests.
Nejjarine Museum
Fez’s craftsmen are experts in woodwork, carving and decorating everything from tiny jewel boxes to furniture, doors and chairs. This museum — the building itself is a treasure dating from the eighteenth century — brings together the tools traditionally used by cabinetmakers, as well as old craft items and even the odd traditional door from a mosque.
Moreover, around Nejjarine lies the woodworkers’ souk, where you can get a close look at the craftsmen as they work, and also buy wooden items that might take your fancy.
The Chouara Tannery
Seeing leather being worked in Fez’s biggest tannery is a spectacle not to be missed. To visit the yard where the tanners work, you need to ask permission from the shopkeepers around, so that they will allow you access to their terrace. They will give you a few bunches of mint, which are essential if you want to see the skins being processed and be able to withstand the smell. You need to look carefully at the white vats, where the animal skins are cleaned with pigeon excrement, and at the brown vats, where natural dyes and fig oil are applied to give the leather the colour and softness that we can then see in the slippers, bags and pouffés for sale in the shops.
The Royal Palace and the Jewish quarter
The Royal Palace is not open to the public, but its exquisitely beautiful seven doorways are some of the most photographed sights in Fez. The seven doorways symbolise the seven stages of the monarchy as well as the days of the week. From here, the best plan is to visit the Jewish quarter. The biggest difference you will notice between this quarter and the Muslim area is the outward-facing balconies and the Ibn Danan synagogue, one of the oldest and least well known in northern Africa.
Sunset at the Marinid ruins
This is a necropolis built by the Marinid dynasty in the fourteenth century, along with a palace and a mosque, which now lie in ruins. This hill is a site of great beauty and romance with its doorways and crumbling archways, but best of all, it affords one of the finest views over the city of Fez at sunset, becoming a magical place as the sun fades.
Sleep in the desert
One of the most romantic ideas for things to do in Fez is an excursion to the Merzouga desert, where you can spend the night under the stars among the Erg Chebbi dunes. The trip also includes a camel ride and accommodation in a camp where you can have tea, stroll peacefully and enjoy a drumming show.
Where to stay in Fez
One of the best options for relaxation is the Barceló Fès Medina, a modern hotel located very close to the medina, which provides a haven of peace without losing its connection with the old city.
Moreover, it is only 20 minutes from the airport, and 5 minutes from the railway station, in case you wish to travel on to other Moroccan cities.
Its 134 guest rooms are decorated in a contemporary style, and offer every comfort and convenience imaginable.
The Barceló Fès Medina also has a modern international restaurant with a menu that includes typical Moroccan dishes and a Jazz Bar where you can relax at the end of the day with a drink or a delicious cocktail.
At this hotel, you can make use of the spa, the hammam and the treatments available there, or the outdoor pool for a refreshing swim.
