23 Fez Experiences. Make 2023 the Culture Holiday Year with Palais Amani

• Independent Palais Amani is located in the heart of Fez’s UNESCO medina and home to an award-winning restaurant, cookery school and hammam 
• The art deco riad was partly rebuilt in the 1930s and totally refurbished  
• Direct London – Fez flights twice weekly with Ryanair sold at accessible fares   

Fez is Morocco’s second largest city but travellers wouldn’t know this as it remains one of Morocco’s  quieter holiday destinations. There is no beach, no overcrowded airport and no large yellow tour buses! All this makes Fez one of the most striking destinations for 2023. Add in very affordable flights with Ryanair from many destinations across Europe and a break to Fez will be an authentic adventure. A holiday in Fez is sure to be filled with culture starting with the UNESCO Heritage medina. The interconnected mass of souks is where the stunning art deco Palais Amani is located. The independent hotel created by owners, wife and husband team Jemima and Abdel offers many in-house and city wide experiences and tips. Here are 23 for 2023… 

1. The Fez Cooking School at Palais Amani – learn to cook on the rooftop with 360 views of Fez 
2. Guided tours of Africa’s largest medina – walk with a local and explore the unique souks 
3. A Hammam treatment at Palais Amani – traditional restorative treatment with candlelight 
4. A Moroccan tapas style alfresco dinner at Eden Restaurant at Palais Amani 
5. Moroccan wine tasting experience followed by dinner at Palais Amani 
6. Shop for interior items on Palais Amani’s doorstep and meet local craftsmen and women 
7. Book a yoga retreat or yoga class at Palais Amani 
8. Enjoy sunset cocktails on Palais Amani’s rooftop 
9. Eat at Café Clock – it is a quirky must visit destination 
10. Visit the Batha Museum 
11. Calligraphy masterclass, learn ancient Arabic with a tutor at Palais Amani 
12. Book ahead for the annual Festival of World Sacred Music in Fez
13. Eat b’sara around breakfast time or before lunch – a delicious local garlic, butter-bean soup
14. Eat Moroccan style street food at the many, many stalls selling local produce in the medina 
15. Enjoy a two-hour henna party, learning about the beauty of traditional henna skin art
16. Visit the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts including the beautiful courtyard 
17. Observe the Kairaouine Mosque & University, one of Africa’s largest mosques 
18. Eat at Le Tarbouche, a quirky café serving street food style dishes against a raw art backdrop 
19. Shop at Palais Amani’s boutique gift shop filled with local designers small items of work 
20. Visit the Medersa Bou Inania, a cultural experience like no other 
21. Courtyards… behind many grand doors in Fez are many hidden courtyards
22. View workers at the famous Chaouwara Tanneries from above and then buy a new bag or wallet 
23. Book a hike to the Fez countryside for a stunning view from above of Fez 

Palais Amani showcases the finest authentic and traditional Moroccan decoration. A large garden of 600m2 is at the centre of the palace filled with orange trees where birds, permanent residents here, provide the birdsong in this tranquil haven. This art deco riad has been frequently updated and modernised by Jemima and Abdel. It is now Fez´s leading independent hotel. 

Cookery Class and Medina Tour at the Fez Cooking School at Palais Amani
The Fez Cooking School offers visitors to Fez a unique insight into this magical city combining a foodie tour of the medina followed by a cookery class, all in a new purpose-built cookery school on Palais Amani’s roof terrace. Private and group workshops are available and offer a wonderful hands-on experience including time in the medina and then cooking. The guest selects their desired recipes, or the Fez Cooking School suggest a selection of Fassi, Moroccan or Sephardic dishes. The experience includes a tour of the food souks, tasting food along a two-hour tour of the medina, a cooking class with the newly gathered ingredients and lunch. Priced €165 per person, four hours.   

Each of the 18 bedrooms and suites is completely different both in design and layout. The Classic Rooms are cosy offering discreet views of the garden or medina. The second category of rooms is the Luxury Rooms, which combine a seating area and bedroom with stunning large windows and doors. The Junior Suites have a master bedroom, elegant salon and bathroom and can accommodate an extra bed so can sleep up to three. The Senior Suites offer an additional single room and the minimum dimensions are from 45m2 and include a salon and dedicated dressing area. Finally, The Grand Suite; this unique splendid room covers the whole 100 sq./m of the south wing. The suite includes a salon, a his and hers dressing room, spectacular bathroom and includes breath-taking views of the gardens and hills beyond. All rooms have their own fragrance and feature local beauty products and a selection of water and wines. Room service is also available.

A perfect spot to enjoy the sunshine or read a book or enjoy a cocktail before dinner by the bar. The roof terrace offers wonderful views of Fez and has many quiet corners with sun loungers and larger seating areas. A rooftop bar is open throughout the day and in the evening; there are cocktails to enjoy.

Immerse yourself into Fez in 2023, just three hours from London.

www.palaisamani.com 12 Derb el Miter, Oued Zhoune, Fes Medina, 30000, Morocco
B&B is priced from €180.00 per room per night