Something Old, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Tour of Fez, Chefchaoen, Meknes, and Volubilis

Fez Medina is about the craziest medina I have ever been around the Mediterranean. Large area, very narrow streets that twist and turns ten folds each, and the medina boats very high traffic. I can’t remember how many times I got lost in it. All of your sensory are constantly engaged with all the sounds, colors, and smells. I highly recommend you try the sweet treats here. These sweets may look overwhelming in their golden-colored coat, were amazingly delicious without being too sweet. Fez medina is also a good place to shop for all kinds of local spices and food. Compare to the more inflated price in Marrakech or Casablanca, the goods in Fez medina are at a more Moroccan cost-of-living level. Just remember, you are shopping where the locals also shop, so don’t forget to haggle a bit!

The “journey” from the medina to the rooftop vantage points of the tannery is even madder than the medina. Usually, I would say I highly recommend you go with a local in some areas. In Fez, I would say you must go with a local, so you know where to go and stay away from possible unwanted encounters. Though that is not to say the residents were not kind-hearted. After thoroughly getting lost (and slightly scared) in the less commercial part of the medina, some kind local young folks guided me to the square close to my hostel. Truly thankful for these kind young spirits.

From Fez, you can easily tour around several historic and gorgeous sites within 4 hours drive. The furthest I ventured was Chefchaoen, the famous city of blue. Many stories were told about the blue coloring of the city. Some say it keeps the mosquitos away; others said it was because of the Jews who moved here during WWII. The result is a beautiful city that welcomes visitors in its own unique laid-back ways. This is a small city so you wouldn’t need to spend too much time here. For the limited time here, you will find that this is probably the most “Laissez-faire” city for the tourists. Other than weed sellers, nobody will hassle you around. Visitors are allowed to go anywhere at their own pace. Coupled with the delightfully colorful streets, Chefchaoen lets you hit that paused button and enjoy life at a slow pace, even just for a few hours.

After a night of getting lost in the Fez medina(again), I got on the bus the next day to go to the Meknes area to visit the old capital and its Roman influence in the nearby area. Volubilis was first built by the Mauritanian king, who was educated in Rome and preferred Roman architecture. When the Roman Empire annexed the city, a triumphant arch was even built. You can see the size of it compare to my little figure. For a side trip, there are even sections of the Roman aqueduct left near Volubilis that is worth a quick stopover.

Compare to Roman architecture, the imperial city of Meknes shows off the pride of the Spanish-Moorish designs that combine the best of both worlds, or sometimes, even the world far eastern than Morocco. Walking through the neighborhoods of the medina lets you see the different styles of architecture used by the shrines/memorials built for the holy.

While the architectural styles have changed, however, the skills of some of the traditional merchants maintained. You can visit the silversmith, the bakers, and the tangia cooks(lamb or beef cooked using the side heat of a hammam).

Speaking about hammam, I do highly recommend you try it. Some of the Marrakech locals do it every week. The Word is that it is good for your complexions.