Four days suits Fes well, given how much there genuinely is to absorb in Fes el-Bali alone before considering day trips to nearby imperial cities. Days 1 and 2 stay almost entirely within the medina. This is worth doing with a guide, at least for your first exploration — Fes el-Bali's more than 9,000 narrow lanes are notoriously disorienting, and a knowledgeable guide unlocks workshops, viewpoints, and historical context you'd otherwise miss entirely. The Chouara Tannery, one of the oldest and largest traditional leather tanneries in the world, has viewing terraces overlooking the colourful dye pits (mint leaves are offered at the entrance to help with the smell). The Al-Attarine Madrasa, an exquisitely tiled 14th-century Islamic school, ranks among the finest examples of Marinid-era craftsmanship anywhere in Morocco. Day 3 moves to Fes el-Jdid, the newer medina quarter, and the exterior of the Royal Palace with its ornate brass doors — visitors can't enter, but the doors alone are worth the stop. Spend the rest of the day shopping for crafts in the medina's countless workshops, where bargaining is expected but generally starts from lower prices than Marrakech's more tourist-heavy souks. Day 4, if you have it, is best spent on a day trip. Meknes, another of Morocco's imperial cities, sits about an hour away and offers a quieter, less crowded alternative to Fes's own grandeur. The nearby Roman ruins at Volubilis add a layer of ancient history that predates the Islamic architecture seen throughout the rest of the trip. A few practical notes: hire a guide for the medina specifically — this genuinely is one of the most disorienting old towns anywhere, and the cost is well justified by both time saved and context added. Politely decline unsolicited offers from unofficial guides on the street, arranging instead through your riad or a reputable operator. And dress modestly, especially around religious sites and in the older quarters, where conservative dress is both expected and respectful.