Rachel Perry is a staff writer and O . A . T . associate since 2019 .
Right : The structures of Al-Qarawiyyin University are covered in green tiles , the most important color in Islam .
City of Fez
Created by Jim Carroll , 6-time traveler from Chapel Hill , NC
Watch Video
Right : Men outside of a mosque wash themselves in a purification ritual known as Wudu before one of their five daily prayers .
What lies within the medina is both enchanting and may leave you shocked : Ceramic shops and spice stalls exist alongside tombs , tanneries , and butcheries proudly presenting camel heads . The streets buzz with the sounds of locals bartering for the best prices in Arabic and Berber , vendors hollering at passersby , or children passing around a football in dusty , dead end alleyways . You ’ ll notice the Islam muezzin ( call to prayer ) bellowing from the multitude of mosques five times a day .
Amidst this chaos of sights and sounds , it may be difficult to get your bearings at first — but what is confusing about the medina is also what makes for the most unexpected discoveries . You never truly know what lies around the corner . A narrow alley could open up to colorfully-tiled fountain or a bakery selling traditional almond briouat pastries . It takes years to learn the secrets of this labyrinth . Tourists who attempt to navigate the medina alone may never discover its true magic — it ’ s best to follow a well-versed guide into its depths .
Entering the medina
The most distinctive portals into the medina is an ornate blue entryway known as Bab Bou Jeloud ( The Blue Gate ). This horseshoe archway was built in 1912 and is often considered the front door of the medina . Once you cross its threshold , the 21st century fades away and a world suspended between the Middle Ages and the modern age emerges . From here , you ’ ll come across two main thoroughfares : Tala ’ a Kbira and Tala ’ a Sghira . Both lead to bustling souks and the city ’ s most important monuments and institutions .
As you wander deeper into the medina , the sound of traffic fades away . Among its
14 DISPATCHES • AUGUST 2022