The Verdict: Go to Marrakech for the vacation. Go to Fes for the culture.

If you have ever seen those intricate blue-and-white mosaics (Zellige) or the hand-painted sinks in a luxury Riad, they almost certainly came from Fes.

Fes is the only place in the world with the specific grey clay needed to create "Fes Blue" pottery. The artisans here have been using the same kilns (fired with olive pits) for 800 years.

What to Buy:

• Hand-Painted Basins: The ultimate bathroom upgrade.

• Serving Bowls: Deep blue geometric patterns that make any salad look expensive.

Can't Fit a Sink in Your Suitcase? We work directly with the master potters of Fes to ship these fragile masterpieces safely to your door.

• Shop Authentic Fes Ceramic Sinks

• Shop Hand-Painted Serving Ware

You will smell it before you see it. The Chouara Tannery is the oldest leather tannery in the world. Since the 11th century, men have stood waist-deep in stone vats filled with natural dyes (poppy for red, saffron for yellow, indigo for blue), treating animal hides by foot.

It is a visceral, intense experience. But it is also where the world’s finest leather comes from. This is the birthplace of the Moroccan Pouf and the Babouche Slipper.

The Scam Warning: "Guides" will demand money to take you to a viewing balcony.

• The Fix: Just walk into any leather shop surrounding the tannery. The shopkeepers will let you go up to the terrace for free (hoping you buy a jacket on the way out).

Bring the Smell of Leather Home (The Good Kind): Love the history but hate the haggling? Our leather collection is sourced from these very vats, cured naturally for that rich, cognac finish.

• Shop The Fes Leather Collection

Fes el Bali (The Old City) is the largest car-free urban zone on earth. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site that feels frozen in time.

1. Get Lost in the Medina

Put away Google Maps; it won't work here. The streets are too narrow and the walls too high. Just walk. You will pass donkeys carrying gas canisters, copper beaters making pots, and the smell of fresh bread.

2. Al Quaraouiyine University

Founded in 859 AD by a woman (Fatima al-Fihri), this is the oldest existing university in the world.

• Note: Non-Muslims cannot enter, but you can get a stunning view of the courtyard from the main gates.

3. The Rainbow Street (Rue Talaa Kebira)

The main artery of the Medina. It is lined with food stalls selling Maakouda (potato fritters) and sweet mint tea.

Fes Riads are different from Marrakech Riads. They are older, grander, and often feature more intricate wood carving.

• Luxury: Riad Fes (Relais & Châteaux).

• Boutique: Riad Anata (Modern cool).

• Budget: Dar Roumana (Incredible views).

Direct from the kiln to your kitchen.

• The Cobalt Blue Fes Sink - The icon of Moroccan design.

• The Cognac Leather Ottoman - Tanned in the Chouara vats.

• The Zellige Serving Platter - Hand-painted geometric art.

Explore the Artisan Collection