Last week, we jetted off to Fez in Morocco for a whistle-stop tour and a traditional wedding ceremony. We stayed in a Moroccan riyad (for full details see bottom of post) right in the centre of the maze that is the Medina in the old town– all the rooms looked onto the stunning central courtyard and there was a sunny terrace for breakfast looking over the city. A lovely Moroccan couple looked after us, giving us tips on where to visit and made us delicious crepes and freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast.
Although we only stayed for a couple of nights we managed to pack a lot in: a visit to the tanneries to see the vats of dye and the hundreds of skins laid out to dry on the rooftops, an unusual and brilliant sight; we got lost in the souks and picked up some glasses (after much bargaining!); ate tagines as well as the local delicacy pastilla, a pastry filled with meat and quite bizarrely topped with icing sugar; and also visited a traditional hammam. Our real reason for going though, was for the wedding of our friends, one French Moroccan and one British. It was a fantastic and joyful occasion, and one I had not experienced before – the bride looked like a princess, with no less than five outfit changes, and we enjoyed endless dishes of tasty Moroccan food and some great local music to dance to.
But, if you go to Fez, I recommend staying in the Medina, right in the centre of all the hustle and bustle, to take in the vibrant colours, smells and scenery– take time, get lost, and then you’ll find the real Morocco.
Below: our riyad in the Medina
Below: Riyad Al Atik for dinner
We stayed: Dar Babel riad in the Medina, found on Airbnb here. Prices start at £122 a night, and the place fits up to 7 people.
We ate at: Riyad Al Atik in the Medina- a fairly reasonably priced set menu with soup and a main course of pastilla. The woman is a pastry chef and they have homemade ice creams.
We went to: Nausikaa hammam and spa– authentic but not touristy, a body scrub and mud mask costs 180 dirhams.
![[Ad] A cosy stay at a Cornish eco cabin – Koto at The Point](https://i0.wp.com/catesthill.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/catesthill-koto-at-the-point-10.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
