Masterpieces of Fez: Handicraft Tour
About this experience
Fez is still a producing city. The blue-and-white pottery, the zellige tile in the palaces, the brass lanterns, the Sabra silk and the leather that leaves the Chouara vats are all made here, in family workshops that have held their corner of the Medina for generations. This half day is spent with those makers rather than in front of their finished goods.
You watch a zellige cutter shape a ten-sided tile by eye with a hammer, see a loom threaded for a Fassi blanket, follow a brass tray from a flat disc to a chased surface, and learn at the tanneries why the pigeon-droppings vat is not folklore but chemistry. At most stops you can try it: a hand on the potter’s wheel, a few rows at the loom, a chisel on copper.
Your guide is salaried by us and takes no commission, which changes the whole tone of the day — prices are explained honestly, quality is explained bluntly, and if you buy nothing at all nobody minds. If you do want to buy, you will know by then what a fair price looks like and how to spot machine-made work.
Itinerary
The route
- 09:30Pickup at your riad
A short introduction to the Medina's guild system — who makes what, and where.
- 10:00The pottery quarter
Throwing, glazing and the cobalt blue of Fez; a turn at the wheel if you want it.
- 10:45Zellige workshop
Tiles cut by eye with a hammer, and the geometry behind a ten-pointed star.
- 11:30Brass and copper
Place Seffarine: trays raised and chased by hand, and the apprenticeship behind it.
- 12:15Weaving and Sabra silk
A loom threaded for a Fassi blanket; how to tell real agave silk from viscose.
- 13:00Chouara tanneries
From the terrace, then the leather souk and the grading of skins.
- 13:45Woodwork and farewell
Cedar carving at the Nejjarine quarter, then back to your riad.
What's covered
- Included
- Pickup and drop-off at the door of your riad or hotel in Fez
- Private licensed guide, in English, French, Spanish or Arabic
- Entrance fees to every site on the route
- Bottled water
- Workshop visits and hands-on tries at the pottery and the loom
- Tannery terrace access
- Not included
- —Meals and drinks, unless listed above
- —Personal purchases in the souks
- —Gratuities — never expected, always appreciated
Good to know
Will I be pressured to buy?
No. Your guide is salaried by us and takes nothing from a sale, and the workshops know the arrangement. Plenty of guests buy nothing; the day works either way.
If I do want to buy, how do I avoid being overcharged?
By the third workshop you will know roughly what materials and labour cost, and your guide will tell you plainly what a fair range is for a given piece and whether it is actually handmade. Bargaining is normal — expect to settle around 60–70% of the first price.
Can purchases be shipped home?
Yes. The larger workshops ship worldwide and will crate a table or a mirror; your guide helps you compare quotes and keeps the paperwork straight. Expect 1–3 weeks to Europe.
Is it suitable for children?
Very — the wheel, the loom and the hammering hold their attention better than any monument. Under-12s are half price.
Do the tanneries smell as bad as people say?
In summer, strongly. You are given a sprig of mint at the terrace, which genuinely helps, and we visit in the cooler part of the morning. If you would rather skip it, say so and we extend the weaving stop instead.
Can we focus on just one craft?
Yes. If you want two hours at the loom or with a zellige master instead of six short stops, tell us and we will arrange a single-craft version — sometimes at a small extra cost for the artisan's time.
How does pickup work?
Your guide meets you at the door of your riad or hotel in Fez at 09:30 and walks you back at the end. If your riad sits deep in the Medina, we agree the nearest gate the day before so nobody waits in the wrong alley.
Is the price per person or per group?
€40 is per person, and it is the full price — guiding, entrance fees and transport inside the city are already included. Children under 12 are half price, and there is no single supplement.
How do we book and pay?
Send your date and group size by WhatsApp. You get a written confirmation the same day, usually within a couple of hours. No deposit and no card details: you pay your guide in cash, in euros or dirhams, on the day.
What if we need to cancel?
Cancel free of charge up to 48 hours before the start time — a message is enough. Inside 48 hours we will still move you to another date whenever we can.
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