Car Hire Fez Airport

Fez Airport Mini Guide

Saiss or Fes-Saiss Airport
This small airport handles almost half a million passenger per year with flights to mainly European countries such as  UK, France, Italy and the Netherlands.  The main airline using the airport is the low cost carrier Ryanair.  The airport is situated less than 10 miles from the city of Fez (also called Fes), now due to the Ryanair flights, a popular holiday destination.

The City Of Fes
The city of Fes is Morocco's oldest imperial city and the old part of it is a now designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  This is a walled city concealing over 9000 narrow streets and alleys – be careful you don't get lost!!  The newer part of the city was constructed by the French and has wide boulevards – if you want western comfort this is where you'll find it.  As with the rest of Morocco the summer months are extremely hot and dry so the best time to visit is between September and November and between April and June when the climate is more temperate.

Fes el Bali
A definite must see in Fes is the old medina – the Fes el Bali. For your first visit you may feel happier hiring a guide from your hotel, after all 9000 narrow streets and alleys is a bit daunting! But after a while you will begin to get your bearings and be able to explore fully on your own.

Need new shoes?
Or fancy a leather bag or coat? Fes is famous for it's tanneries and leather products, the tanneries are to be found behind the leather shops in the old medina so don't be surprised if when admiring the coats you find yourself being ushered through to the back of the shop – don't panic, you're just going to see the tannery at work.  You may find you are given a sprig of mint during your visit, this is to rub over your hands if you touch the leather and to smell – raw hides are not the most fragrant of materials!

Getting out and about from Fes
Renting a car is easy at Fes Airport and don't worry if you're staying in the car free medina area – your hotel will tell you the best place to park, usually a car park near to the gates in the walls.  This will enable you to get out and about – perhaps to the Roman ruins at Volubilis, unlike many other Roman cities this settlement wasn't abandoned when the Romans left in the 3rd century, so is better preserved than most.

Fes has so many great things to see it’s difficult to know where to start. Key to seeing as much as you can is a hire car. Begin with a visit to Bou Inarnia Madersa. This 14th century religious college is now open to non-Muslims and the craftwork on display is staggering in its complexity and beauty.

Carved wooden walls that took years to complete together with beautiful Arab calligraphy celebrating the names of Allah await the visitor. The minaret there is also worth the climb to the top. Finally, visit the unusual Berber pharmacy with its strange remedies.