A quiet home inside the oldest medina of Fes
Sakina is Arabic for tranquility. A studio in the heart of Fes el Bali, with a rooftop terrace and an exceptional view over the whole medina.
Your calm base in the heart of Fes
In Fes, a masriya is the independent apartment on the upper floor of a traditional house. Studio Sakina is one of them, in the heart of Fes el Bali, the walled medina listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1981. It suits travellers who want to live the city from the inside – early mornings in quiet lanes, long walks through the souks, evenings with tea and the call to prayer drifting over the rooftops.
A quiet place, very close to Place R’cif and a 7-minute walk from the Al-Qarawiyyin mosque. The studio hosts up to 2 guests.
Climb to the roof and the whole medina opens before you: green-tiled minarets, a sea of terraces and the hills beyond the city walls. The terrace is private, with a shaded corner where you can enjoy a glass of mint tea and the view over the medina.
A home of your own
A masriya is not a room in a guesthouse. It is a complete apartment with its own entrance, and for the length of your stay it is yours alone.
Your own entrance.
A separate door onto the lane: come and go as you wish, at any hour.
No one else in the house.
No other guests and no shared spaces. The living room, bedroom, kitchenette and terrace are yours alone.
A private terrace.
The rooftop is reserved for you: morning tea, prayer or sunset over the medina.
Your own rhythm.
Cook when you like, rest when you like, with no timetables to follow.
The studio
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Living room
A corner sofa and armchairs in traditional Moroccan style.
Bedroom
Two single beds of 80 cm each, which can be joined into one 160 cm bed or kept apart.
Kitchenette
Cooker, fridge, kettle and coffee maker, a teapot and tea glasses, plus dishes, cutlery and pans. A washing machine is also available.
Bathroom
Shower with hot water, towels and bed linen, hairdryer, soap and shampoo.
Comfort
Wi-Fi, air conditioning and heating, TV, iron and a safe. A prayer mat is provided and the qibla direction is marked.
Places to visit
The old city is a walking city: lanes too narrow for cars, workshops open to the street, and landmarks around every turn.
Bab Boujloud
The 1913 gateway into the old city, faced in the blue zellige of Fes outside and green inside. Most first walks into the medina begin here.
Madrasa Bou Inania
A 14th-century Marinid school of carved cedar, stucco and zellige, a few steps from Bab Boujloud and open to visitors.
The souks
Covered lanes and open workshops: coppersmiths, weavers, slipper makers and spice stalls, quarter after quarter.
Chouara tannery
Watch hides being dyed in the stone vats from the terraces of the leather shops above, a craft practised here for centuries.
Al-Qarawiyyin
Founded in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri, the mosque and centre of learning at the heart of the medina. Visitors who are not Muslim can admire it from the doorways.
Place Seffarine
The square of the coppersmiths, where craftsmen still hammer copper pots and trays by hand, close to Al-Qarawiyyin and the Chouara tannery.
Fassi cuisine
Small cooked salads to share – zaalouk, roasted peppers, spiced broad beans – bissara for breakfast, pastilla for a feast.
Our favourite places nearby
Café Clock
In the heart of the medina, about 10–15 minutes on foot. Excellent service, a relaxed atmosphere and a beautiful view from the roof terrace.
Yalla Yalla Restaurant
About 5 minutes on foot. Friendly service and a pleasant atmosphere.
Restaurant Almandar
About 5 minutes on foot. A warm welcome and a good atmosphere.
Getting here
Cars cannot enter the medina lanes, so every arrival ends on foot. Send us your arrival time and we meet you at Place R’cif and walk you to the door.
By air
Fès–Saïss Airport (FEZ). Taxi to Place R’cif: about 30 min. Price on request.
By train
Fès railway station, with lines to Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech. Taxi to Place R’cif: about 10–15 min.
Close by
Grocery, bakery, hammam and café, all within walking distance.
When are you coming?
Choose your dates and send a request. We reply by email, usually within a day, and your stay is confirmed once we approve it.
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€55 / night
Good to know
Check-in and check-out
Check-in from 14:00, check-out by 10:00.
House rules
- Maximum 2 guests. Overnight visitors are not allowed.
- No smoking anywhere in the studio or on the terrace.
- No alcohol.
- Quiet hours from 22:00 to 08:00, out of respect for the neighbours in this residential lane.
- No parties or events.
- No pets.
- Please take care on the rooftop terrace and do not sit or climb on the parapet. Children must be supervised at all times.
- As required by Moroccan law, Moroccan couples must present a marriage certificate at check-in.
- Please switch off the air conditioning and lights when you go out. Water and electricity are precious in the medina.
- Please leave the studio tidy at check-out, with the dishes washed.
- A lost key is charged at €50, to cover changing the lock.
Registration of guests
Moroccan law requires us to register every guest with the authorities. Please have your passport ready at check-in.
Payment and cancellation
A 30% deposit secures your booking, payable within 3 days of confirmation by bank transfer or Revolut. The balance is due on arrival at the latest, in cash or by bank transfer or Revolut. Cancellation: the deposit is refunded in full up to 7 days before check-in, 50% of it is refunded between 7 days and 48 hours before check-in, and it is non-refundable within 48 hours of check-in or in case of no-show.