Fes Festival of World Sacred Music 2027: things to do nearby between sets

28 May to 5 June 2027 · ExpectedFez, Morocco

At Fes Festival of World Sacred Music the music runs from the afternoon, so mornings and the day after are free. This guide covers the town around the site: boat trips, a real meal, a shower and a day out from Fez.

Tours in Fez Hotels for these dates

Airport to Bab Al Makina and venues in the Medina

Fès-Saïss (FEZ) is 15 km south of the city, 20 to 25 minutes by taxi for a fixed fare of about 150 to 200 dirhams. Bus 16 runs to the train station. Trains from Casablanca and Rabat take 2.5 to 4 hours.

Taxis to Bab Boujloud and the Medina gates.

Public transport directions to Bab Al Makina and venues in the Medina

Where to stay by budget

Budget	Where	Why
Budget	Fez el-Bali riads near Bab Boujloud	Guesthouses inside the main gate, walkable to everything in the old town.
Mid-range	Ville Nouvelle	Modern hotels with parking and taxis to the stadium; 10 minutes to the Medina.
Splurge	Medina palace riads	Restored palaces with pools and terraces overlooking the old town.

Three hotels we would book

Budget: Dar Bensouda
Mid-range: Fes Marriott Hotel Jnan Palace
Splurge: Riad Fes

Links search the nights from 27 May to 6 June. Event weekends sell out early and prices rise as the date gets closer: book a cancellable room as soon as you know you are going.

Day plans for the free hours

Built around the usual festival weekend schedule for 28 May to 5 June 2027. Session times change: check the official timetable and move the blocks around.

Before the gates open

Friday 28 May

Music runs from the afternoon. Mornings are free: get out on the water or into town.

Easy outingPottery and zellige workshop Half day · Indoor · Family
See mosaic tiles cut by hand and try it yourself.
FreeViewpoint over the tanneries from the leather shops above Chouara.

A day off-site

Saturday 29 May

Skip the early acts and take a day trip. Be back for the headliners.

Half-dayHammam ritual Half day · Indoor · Low walking
Steam and scrub in a traditional hammam.
EatDar Hatim Home-cooked set menu in a family house; book

Campers: shower, food and a break

Day passes for pools and spas, and a real meal in town.

Rain or heat backupFez cooking class Half day · Food · Indoor
Pastilla and tagine with a family.
EatBab Boujloud snack stalls Brochettes and harira by the blue gate

Recovery day

Sunday 6 June

Slow outings only.

Easy outingStreet food tour Evening · Food · Nightlife
Camel burgers, bissara soup and sweets.
EatNur Modern Moroccan tasting menu

Family-friendly picks

Half day · Indoor · Family

Pottery and zellige workshop

See mosaic tiles cut by hand and try it yourself.

See times and prices

Half day · Family

Fez Medina guided tour

Al-Qarawiyyin, Bou Inania madrasa and the Chouara tannery with a licensed guide.

See times and prices

Full day · Family

Meknes, Volubilis and Moulay Idriss

Roman ruins and an imperial city in one day.

See times and prices

Full day · Family

Middle Atlas, Ifrane and cedar forest

Swiss-style mountain town and Barbary macaques.

See times and prices

Jnan Sbil gardens with a lake and shade.
Pottery workshops where kids can paint a tile.
Ifrane and its macaque forest an hour away.

Evening and day-trip tours

Evening · Food · Nightlife

Street food tour

Camel burgers, bissara soup and sweets.

See times and prices

Full day

Merzouga desert 3-day trip

For a longer gap between matches: Sahara dunes and a night in a camp.

See times and prices

Full day

Day trip to Chefchaouen

Three to four hours each way to the blue town.

See times and prices

Full day · Family

Meknes, Volubilis and Moulay Idriss

Roman ruins and an imperial city in one day.

See times and prices

After dark

Café Clock concerts and storytelling nights.
Roof terraces over the Medina at sunset.

9 tours worth booking for Fes Festival of World Sacred Music

Tour	Length	Good for
Pottery and zellige workshop	Half day	Bad weather, Families
Hammam ritual	Half day	Bad weather, Tired legs
Merzouga desert 3-day trip	Full day	Everyone
Fez Medina guided tour	Half day	Families
Day trip to Chefchaouen	Full day	Everyone
Meknes, Volubilis and Moulay Idriss	Full day	Families
Middle Atlas, Ifrane and cedar forest	Full day	Families
Fez cooking class	Half day	Food lovers, Bad weather
Street food tour	Evening	Food lovers, Night owls

Event weeks sell out. Book tours with free cancellation as soon as the session times are published.

Where to eat

Café Clock Camel burger, cultural evenings and a roof terrace
The Ruined Garden Garden restaurant in a former riad
Dar Hatim Home-cooked set menu in a family house; book
Bab Boujloud snack stalls Brochettes and harira by the blue gate
Nur Modern Moroccan tasting menu
Fez el-Bali pastry stalls Chebakia and honey cakes

Reserve dinner for the nights around the event: restaurants near the venue fill up days ahead.

Rainy-day backups

Half day · Indoor · Family

Pottery and zellige workshop

See mosaic tiles cut by hand and try it yourself.

See times and prices

Half day · Indoor · Low walking

Hammam ritual

Steam and scrub in a traditional hammam.

See times and prices

Half day · Food · Indoor

Fez cooking class

Pastilla and tagine with a family.

See times and prices

Nejjarine Museum of wooden arts and crafts.
Dar Batha museum (Moroccan arts).
Al-Attarine and Bou Inania madrasas.

Getting around on event days

The Medina is car-free: taxis stop at Bab Boujloud, Bab Guissa and R'cif.
Petit taxis run inside each city on the meter: ask the driver to switch it on, or agree the fare before you get in. Grand taxis are shared and run fixed routes between towns.
Careem and inDrive work in Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, Tangier and Agadir. Expect to pay in cash in dirhams in most places.
Al Boraq high-speed trains link Tangier, Kenitra, Rabat and Casablanca. Classic ONCF trains continue to Marrakech and Fez. Book on the ONCF app; first class is cheap and worth it on busy days.
Fridays around midday prayers and the evenings during Ramadan change opening hours and traffic.

Day trips from Fez

Meknes and Volubilis: 1 hour by car
Chefchaouen: 3.5 to 4 hours
Ifrane: 1 hour

Bringing a group?

Corporate hospitality, fan clubs, teams and families travelling together: tell us the dates and group size and we will put together tours, transfers and a group dinner for Fes Festival of World Sacred Music.

Plan a group trip

Questions people ask

When is Fes Festival of World Sacred Music 2027?

The next edition is 28 May to 5 June 2027, following the usual pattern. The organiser has not confirmed it yet.

How do I get from the airport to Bab Al Makina and venues in the Medina?

Where should I stay for Fes Festival of World Sacred Music?

For most visitors the best base is Ville Nouvelle: Modern hotels with parking and taxis to the stadium; 10 minutes to the Medina.

What else can we do around Fes Festival of World Sacred Music?

Good short outings in Fez include Fez Medina guided tour, Fez cooking class, Pottery and zellige workshop. See the day plans on this page for a full schedule.

What is there for kids and families near Fes Festival of World Sacred Music?

Family-friendly picks: Fez Medina guided tour, Meknes, Volubilis and Moulay Idriss, Middle Atlas, Ifrane and cedar forest. Jnan Sbil gardens with a lake and shade.

How far is Bab Al Makina and venues in the Medina from Fez centre?

About 3 km in a straight line. Taxis to Bab Boujloud and the Medina gates.

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