The ancient city of Fez – the Medina – is a World Heritage Site, protected by the establishment in 1912 of the Ville Nouvelle. Within most of the Medina motor vehicles are forbidden; transport is by mule, donkey and handcart. You can walk for hours untroubled by the sound of an engine. Fez has been an inspiration to generations of writers and travellers.
Plenty of sources will provide you a potted history of Fez, and some books in our library will give you deeper insight. After its foundation at about the beginning of the 9th Century AD, Fez flourished as the capital and religious centre of the region. It went through ups and downs in importance, being several times invaded, often by Berber tribesmen who would then settle to the comforts of city life. But it remains today the grandest of the imperial cities of Morocco.
Fez was established in two halves, on either side of the river (Oued Fez) that runs, largely underground now, through the city. The side known as Qarawayin has at its epicentre the mosque of that name, with its university, founded in 859 and still active today. Some consider it to be the oldest university in the world. And around this centre converge the suqs (markets) and craft guilds that have sustained the city for a thousand years. Dar Bennani lies at the edge of this epicentre of the city.
But Fez is no museum. Set in the foothills of the Middle Atlas (see topography and climate) and easily accessible by air, rail and road, it maintains its centuries-old status as a lively if secluded city. It is easy for a visitor to occupy several days without leaving the Medina. For some it is enough just to walk around and soak it up; you can shop for traditional crafts and antiques; or you can visit our museums and see some of the finest medieval monuments of the Islamic world.
There is a great range of Medina eating places from the basic (but often delicious) to ambitious and reassuringly expensive international restaurants. Right in the Medina we have spas, hamams and even bars.
In the very heart of this busy mediaeval city, behind our ancient and imposing double front door, sits Dar Bennani, your home during your stay with us.
Enjoying the Medina
You will find several good guide books in the house. However, things change all the time, and so some inside and up-to-date knowledge may be helpful. You will find this in the 'Notes for Visitors' that we email to guests before they arrive.
Excursions and walks
There are some walks that you can take from the Medina up into the surrounding hills, and more extensive walking is possible within a couple of hours in the Middle Atlas. The 'Notes for Visitors' supplement the advice of the guide books with our own favourite outings.
