Orientation and Arrival
Even if you'd felt you were getting accustomed to Moroccan cities, Fes is likely to prove bewildering. The basic layout is simple enough, with a Moroccan Medina and French-built Ville Nouvelle , but here the Medina comprises two separate cities: Fes El Bali (Old Fes), down in the pear-shaped bowl of the Sebou valley, and Fes El Djedid (New Fes), established on the edge of the valley during the thirteenth century. Fes El Djedid , dominated by a vast enclosure of royal palaces and gardens, is relatively straightforward. Fes El Bali , however, where you'll want to spend most of your time, is an incredibly intricate web of lanes, blind alleys and souks. It takes two or three days before you even start to feel confident in where you're going, and on an initial visit you may well want to pay for a guide to show you the main sights and  © 2003 by Rough Guides Ltd. as trustee for its Authors. Published by Rough Guides. All rights reserved. Rough Guides name is a trademark of Rough Guides Ltd. Buy the book here!
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layout. The learning process is not helped, either, by the fact that most of the streetsigns are in Arabic only. Fes's tourist office , the ONMT's Delegation de Tourisme , is in Immeuble Bennani at the corner of Avenue Moulay Youssef at Place de la Resistance aka La Fiat (tel 05/562 3460; Mon-Fri 8.30am-noon & 2.30-6.30pm). There is also a Syndicat d'Initiative on the east side of Place Mohammed V, which is open the same hours plus Saturday mornings 9am-noon.
Your Tips For Fes (Fez)
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