§01 The experience
Fez still makes things. Not for display — for sale, to Moroccans, in workshops that have been in the same lane for generations. This walk takes you into four or five of them and lets you watch people who are extremely good at something do it at normal speed.
You stand over a zellige cutter chipping glazed tile into eight-pointed stars with a hammer and a practised wrist: no measuring, no template. You hear the brass quarter before you see it. You watch a weaver throw a shuttle across a wooden loom and a thread-maker twist agave silk on a wheel in an alley. And you look down on the Chouara tanneries from a terrace while someone explains a process that has barely changed since the eleventh century, and hands you a sprig of mint for the smell.
What makes this different from the standard tour is what does not happen. We take no commission from any workshop, so nobody is steered into a showroom and left there. If you want to buy, your guide will tell you what a fair price is and translate the negotiation. If you do not, nobody minds.
§02 Highlights
- 01A zellige workshop — tile cut into mosaic by hand and by eye
- 02Place Seffarine, the coppersmiths' square, at full volume
- 03A working loom: cactus silk, wool and the weaver's rhythm
- 04The Chouara tanneries from a leather terrace
- 05Nejjarine and the cedar carvers' quarter
- 06Honest prices, real translation, zero commission
§03 Day by day
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0:00
Riad pickup
Meet your guide and set the order of the workshops around the day's working hours.
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0:30
Zellige and ceramics
Throwing, glazing, and the hammer-and-chisel cutting that makes Moroccan mosaic.
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1:15
Seffarine: the brass beaters
The loudest square in Fez, and one of the oldest trades still practised in it.
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2:00
Weaving and thread
Looms, agave silk, and how to tell the real thing from the rayon version.
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2:45
The Chouara tanneries
A terrace view over the dye pits, and the full explanation of the process.
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3:30
Finish
Drop-off at your riad, or wherever you would like to carry on.
§04 What the price covers
- Included
- +Licensed guide — English, French or Arabic
- +Four to five workshop visits, arranged in advance
- +Access to a tannery viewing terrace
- +Private: your group only
- +Riad pickup and drop-off
- +Price guidance and translation if you want to buy
- Not included
- −Anything you choose to buy
- −Lunch
- −Gratuities
§05 Questions
Do you take commission from the workshops?
No, and that is the whole point of this walk. Our guides are paid by us, not by the shops, so there is no pressure to buy.
How bad is the tannery smell?
Strong but survivable, and you are given mint to hold. Ten minutes on the terrace is usually plenty.
Will the workshops actually be working?
We plan the route around their hours. Fridays and religious holidays are quieter, so we adjust the stops.
Can I buy directly from the artisans?
Yes, and it is the best way to do it. Your guide will tell you the fair range and translate for you.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. The hammering and the looms hold attention well, and the tannery terrace has railings.
Do I pay now?
No. Reserve now and pay on the day.
