From a ridge overlooking the city, the view of the ancient medina of Fes is one of the most memorable and evocative in the world. Scarcely a brick has been moved since the waning of the Middle Ages. Inside the old city, the streets are too narrow to allow for vehicles, and the transport of goods is accomplished by donkey, even to this day. Touring its tangled alleys is a joy, but a guide is required. Major sites include the richly embellished Medersa Bou Inania, a 14th-century Koranic school, and the 11th-century Chouara Tannery, a honeycomb of dye-filled stone vessels best viewed from above (note that the tannery has a notoriously unpleasant smell). Craft shopping in Fes is as good as, if not better than, in Marrakech. As always in Morocco, bargaining is expected.

"There are still a few places in the world that seem to transcend time, and Fes is one of them."