Fes

Fes, Fès-Meknès, Morocco

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Fes, often called Fez, stands as Morocco's spiritual and cultural capital in the Fès-Meknès Region, founded in 789 CE by Idris I as two adjacent settlements later unified by Almoravids in the 11th century into Fes el-Bali, the world's oldest continuously inhabited medieval medina and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1981.

This labyrinthine UNESCO gem, home to nearly a million residents across ancient quarters like Fes el-Jdid, pulses with the iconic Chouara Tannery's colorful leather pits, the 9th-century Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University—the oldest operating university globally—and ornate Marinid madrasas such as Bou Inania showcasing intricate zellij tilework and cedar carvings from its 13th-14th century golden age.

Blending Arab, Berber, Andalusian, and Jewish influences through dynastic shifts, it thrives on bustling souks for spices, carpets, and metalwork, historic gates like Bab Boujeloud, and resilient craftsmanship amid modern challenges, drawing visitors to its sensory chaos and intellectual legacy.