Travel tips
A Guide to the Fes Food Markets
Fes el-Bali, the great walled medina of Fes, is a living medieval city, and its food markets are some of the most atmospheric in the country — produce carried by mule, fish glinting on ice, spice pyramids and the smell of the communal bread ovens. Shopping here is an experience as much as an errand. This guide maps the food markets of Fes and how to make sense of them.
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- 7 min
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- Travel tips
- Updated
- 20 July 2026
At a glance
- Fes el-Bali is a medieval medina where food is still carried by mule.
- The Achabine and R'cif areas concentrate food stalls and produce.
- Spice, dried-fruit, fish and meat souks each have their own quarter.
- It is atmospheric but disorienting — go with a plan or a guide.
The food quarters of the medina
Fes el-Bali is organised, medieval-style, by trade, so food clusters in particular areas. Around the Achabine and along the main artery Talaa Kebira you find grocers, spice stalls, olive sellers and prepared-food counters; the R'cif area, near its mosque and square, has produce and everyday market shopping; and the fish and meat souks occupy their own dense lanes. It is a working market for residents, not a tourist attraction, which is exactly its appeal.
What to look for
The Fes markets reward slow browsing. Look out for the specialities of the region and the season alongside the national staples.
- Spices and herbs: the stalls for ras el hanout and the city's signature blends.
- Olives and preserved lemons: barrels of every cure.
- Dried fruit and nuts: dates, figs, walnuts, almonds for cooking and sweets.
- Fresh produce and fish: carried in daily, sold by weight.
- Pastries and sellou: Fes is famous for its refined sweets.
The living medieval market
Part of what makes Fes special is that the medina is almost entirely car-free, so goods move by handcart and mule, and the markets function much as they have for centuries. You will see bread being carried to and from the communal ovens (the ferran), animals slaughtered fresh, and trades handed down through families. It is intense and, for newcomers, easy to get lost in — but unforgettable.
How to shop it
Because Fes el-Bali is famously labyrinthine, either accept that you will get lost (and enjoy it) or hire a local guide, at least for a first visit — a food-focused market walk is the easiest way in. Go in the morning for the freshest produce, taste before buying at olive and dried-fruit stalls, and buy pastries and sellou to take away. For the wider food scene, see our where to eat in Fes and Fez culinary traditions guides.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the food markets in Fes?
Inside Fes el-Bali, the old walled medina. Food clusters around the Achabine and along Talaa Kebira for spices, olives and groceries, in the R'cif area for produce, and in dedicated fish and meat souks. It is a working market for residents rather than a tourist attraction.
What can I buy at the Fes markets?
Spices and the city's signature blends, olives and preserved lemons from the barrel, dried fruit and nuts, fresh produce and fish carried in daily, and Fes's famous refined pastries and sellou. It is one of the best places in Morocco to shop for cooking ingredients and sweets.
Is it easy to navigate the Fes medina markets?
No — Fes el-Bali is famously labyrinthine and car-free, with goods moved by mule and handcart. It is atmospheric but disorienting, so either accept getting lost and enjoy it or hire a local guide, especially for a first visit or a food-focused market walk.
When should I go to the Fes markets?
In the morning, for the freshest produce and fish and before the lanes get most crowded. Taste before buying at olive and dried-fruit stalls, and pick up pastries and sellou to take away. Mornings also show the medina's mule-and-handcart trade at its busiest.