Which is better to visit Marrakech or Fez
Marrakech and Fez are the oldest cities in Morocco. While Fez is in the North, Marrakech lies in the south. They are the first capitals of the country and are the exotic, beautiful highlights of Morocco.
Both Marrakech, Fez are UNESCO world heritage sites and boast of beauty, culture, and history.
You must be thinking since both the places are great so which one should you visit?
Don’t worry! We will provide you with information about both these places so it is easier for you to plan the individual city tour or an exclusive tour from Marrakech to Fez. Carefully understand and evaluate the option based on your preferences.
Marrakech
It is the second oldest city in Morocco and was also the 2nd capital after Fez. Some of the beautiful highlights of the city.
Djemma El-Fna
It is a huge marketplace in Medina, the oldest city. Here you get to explore tons of activities, snake charmers, musicians, and a lot more.
Souk
It is the market in Medina with a sprawling network of streets filled with tons of stores. If you love to shop then this place is for you as you get to explore a lot.
Koutoubia Mosque
It is the highest minaret in Marrakech. For a non-muslim, it is not possible to enter the mosque but you can take a stroll around it. It is a beautiful place.
Saadian Tombs
The tombs of the Saadian dynasty are very old dating back to 1578-1603. It is located within the beautiful mausoleum. It is an impressive site with one of the important highlights.
Kasbah Mosque
It is a very attractive mosque next to Saadian Tombs. Here also you cannot enter but you can easily walk across the complex. You can visit the Kasbah cafe near the mosque for a great time and beautiful views.
El Bahia Palace
It is a sightseeing location and one of the important highlights of Marrakech. It is a beautiful palace with several gardens, awesome architecture, and tilework. It was built in the late 1800s and is a must-visit location of Marrakech.
Majorelle Gardens
It is a botanical garden that was built by the artist Jacques Majorelle. It dates back to the 1920s when it was built and later purchased by the fashion designer Yves Saint who restored it. The garden is a popular tourist destination and an awesome place to spend time.
Ben Youssef Madrasa
One of the important highlights of Marrakech is Ben Youssef Madrasa. It is a religious school of over 400 years and is the largest Islamic College of Morocco.
Marrakech is a gateway to other destinations as well. Some of the natural and popular attractions within its vicinity are the Imlil and Aroumd in the Atlas mountains. They are 2 hours away from this location. Towards it west is the beach town of Essaouria. The only drawback of Marrakech is that it is very crowded, polluted with tiny streets and the drivers are damn aggressive.
You can reach here by landing at the Menara Airport which is 8 km away. You can pay 15 euros for a taxi or use the local transportation available.
Fez
Fez is known as the oldest city of Morocco founded in 789 AD. It was the first capital and is the best-preserved city in the Arab world. It is surrounded by the fortified walls and is surrounded by the huge Medina. The terrain in this region is hilly and there are several forts nearby the hills. Some of the important highlights of the region are-
Medina
It is full of small streets filled with cafes, restaurants, stalls. On every street, there is a mosque, fountain, and bakery.
Bou Inania Madrasa
It is a religious school, one of the few religious buildings a non-Muslim can visit in Fez. If you love architecture then you can visit here. It is beautiful in every respect.
Moulay Idriss II shrine
The tomb of Moulay Idris II is a beautiful building in Fez but as a non-Muslim, you can’t go in. You can come to the door and click some pictures but aren’t allowed inside.
Kairaouine Mosque
This is the second-largest mosque and the holiest in Morocco. You can just sneak a peek from outside but aren’t allowed to step in the Mosque if non-muslim.
El Glaoui Palace
It is a fantastic palace with magnificent tile work, architecture. It is faded yet original and beautiful.
Accommodation in Fez is easily available and as low as 50 USD per night. The city has beautiful settings, great food and at reasonable prices.
So which one should you visit?
You can visit both if you can. However, if you cannot visit two then.
If the two locations are your gateway while entering Morrocco then the highlights of Southern Morocco are more spectacular than the north. If I had to choose then I would have started with Marrakech first.
If the decision is based on simply visiting a city that is less crowded and more peaceful then choose Fez. It has more attractive, interesting, and less stressful places in comparison to Marrakech.
These are some of the observations we have shared for both cities. We hope the information we have provided helps you in finalizing the destination to visit whenever in Morocco. If you are planning to visit Marrakech, then contact our agency to help you with the best Marrakech desert tours.