Best of Fes

Get lost in the largest old town in the world in the medina of Fes, whose meandering, narrow stone pathways and blue tiles have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. Step within its elaborate gates and into specialized sections known as souks, including wood, ceramic, metal, and leather. At the center of the medina, you’ll find the Qarawiyin Mosque and University, as well as 14th-century schools, a museum of woodcut art, and more. It’s best to follow a guide through the maze to make sure you can learn about all the history surrounding you and cut down on your potential time spent getting lost. The medina here, which is more Arab in origin, sits on a hill and is much more narrow and winding than its Berber cousin in Marrakech.

Pay a visit to the tannery and dye works, where leather and hides are still tanned and dyed using medieval methods, and watch the workers among the giant vats. If you prefer something that comes with a more pleasant fragrance, the food in Fes is considered some of the best in Morocco. Previous kimkim travelers have taken a cooking class with local chefs, shopping for ingredients in the souks and then learning how to combine them into a pastilla or tajine. More of a hands-off person? Enjoy dinner and comradery in the home of a family in the medina.