The two medieval cities of Fez and Meknes can develop primarily cultural tourism: Fez, the spiritual capital of the Kingdom, is known for its traditional arts and its rich and authentic architectural heritage; Meknes, with its heritage and the Volubilis site, constitutes an attractive crossroads of civilizations. Both cities are UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The province of Moulay Yacoub is known for its thermal springs, which have therapeutic properties in a peaceful, hilly landscape, offering the opportunity to diversify the region’s tourism offerings by adding spa tourism.
The Fes metropolitan area is the leading urban center of the Fes-Meknes region and the third largest metropolitan area in Morocco after Casablanca and Rabat-Salé. Its urban development has spanned several centuries. The factors and mechanisms that have governed the main stages of its evolution are inextricably linked to the contexts of its hinterland and the rest of the Kingdom. The urban fabric of Fes and its spatial expansion still bear the imprints of historical upheavals and regional and national socio-economic transformations.
The origins of Fes date back to the reign of Idris I, who, in 789, was seeking a location for his capital. The chosen site was the valley of the Oued Fes, a small tributary of the Sebou River; ravines bring it abundant spring water that has rarely run dry throughout history (DESPOIS J, 1967). Water was supplied almost entirely by the natural environment flowing through the city’s neighborhoods. As for the advantages of its regional location, they proved strategic, as the city, throughout its long urban history, needed to maintain connections with the Mediterranean coast and the Atlantic coast via the valleys of the Oueds Mikkès, Sebou, and Lebene, or with the central Maghreb via the Taza corridor, and with the Tafilalet region via the Laânnoceur passes and the Boulemane road.
The first nucleus of the city of Fez dates back to the 8th century when the left bank of the Oued Fez, a tributary of the Oued Sebou, was chosen by Idris I to build the capital of his dynasty. His son and successor, Idris II, consolidated and solidified this choice by extending this initial settlement onto the right bank of the Oued Fez. The site offered several advantages (abundant water resources, availability of building materials, and a strategic location in relation to north-south and east-west communication routes).
The arrival of the Marinids was marked by the establishment of a new extension within the city of Fez, Fez Jdid, southwest of Fez El Bali. This extension included an administrative center, a royal palace, a commercial area, and residences, all enclosed by ramparts.
