Fes Travel Forum

Hi

We're vsisiting Fes in February as part of a package trip. We have the whole day to ourselves to explore.

I've experienced a Hamman in Instanbul - nice pampering, a spa in Budapest - medicinal rather than pampering and would like to experience a local Hamman in Fes - any ideas as to where, opening hours and costs - and advice please

We only have a day in Fes - can anyone please recommend the best sights to see and any restaurants - we need to have lunch and an evening meal. Husband is a diabetic supported with insulin - what type of food is available please. Is it safe in the medinas when it is dark - does it come to life with fire eaters etc.

All advice greatly appreciated. Thanks Ladymarian

Hammams in Fes....for something upmarket and "spa-like" you may need to go to the Riad Maison Bleu or the Palais Jamaii, where they have hammams and a range of treatments with Northern European prices.

Everyone else goes to the local hammam (the one on Talaa Kbira opposite the Ain Azleten parking lot is my favorite). The hammam is for men from 6 a.m. to 12, then again from about 8 to midnight. Women go in the afternoon. There is nothing exotic or spa-like about it, its how most of the people in the medina bathe due to widespread lack of (hot) running water at home. I enjoy it thoroughly but you are usually bathing along with at least a dozen or so people (and in the case of the women, with screaing toddlers) and everyone's bathwater is everywhere so don't go if you are sensitive about hygiene, again, it's the real thing here but it may lack sanitation for some people's taste. A hammam with a massage and "gommage" (exfoliating scrub) with "sabon beldi" (olive oil soap) will set you back a whole 40 dirhams, tip included. Hammams in the two luxury places I mentioned above start at around 500 dirhams....

Find a good guide book for what to see in Fes, or better yet, go to a local kiosk here and get a copy of "Fes-From Gate to Gate", an excellent explanation of the architecture and history of Fez with a very good map.

Food...a word of warning, Morocco has a very high rate of diabetes, one of the highest in the world, largely due to the mass consumption of honey soaked pastries and sickenly sweetened mint tea. I imagine your husband has his list of eating dos and donts. The Moroccan diet is also full of vegetables and pulses, staples are cous cous, meat tagines (possibly to be avoided since sugar and fruit are added), brochettes, soups, fried fish, and cooked salads. The Medina Cafe or Casbah are both located around Bab Boujeloud and offer good Moroccan standards. I particularly like the Casbah for the views of the medina.

For the evening, you could splurge and dine at the Maison Bleu (a different one, the one in Batha, not the one with the spa), or the Moroccan restaurant in the Palais Jamaii. For Moroccan/French cuisine Restaurant Zagora in the new town is good and they have a liquor license (not to be taken for granted in Fez). One of my personal favorites is Dar Touria off the Zkak Roumane, it is Moroccan home cooking in a tasteful setting buried deep within the medina, a phone call to them (35636989) and they will come and get you and bring you there and back as its difficult to find.

The medina is fairly safe but becomes a bit more intimidating after dark, and most activity along the streets dries up around 9...I would not walk around by myself much later than 10 p.m. unless I were with a bigger group. There is sometimes street life around Place Boujeloud, the large area outside the medina walls, but for the most part the Fes medina is very quiet at night.

I'm going to assume you are joking about fire eaters.

Thanks for the info. Will have a think on the hammans and definitely eat in the restaraunts Ladymarian

Tell your husband to be wary of massage offers at the hammam, unless his body is super-elastic and can take the strain!