The Fez tanneries by rental car: Chouara tannery, where to park and how to visit

The Fez tanneries are one of Morocco’s most famous sights: stone vats full of dye where leather is worked much as it has been for centuries. The largest, Chouara, lies in the heart of Fes el-Bali, the medina listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. You can’t drive there: the car gets you to the medina, and from there everything is on foot.

Photo: Jorge Franganillo — CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Published on 30 September 2026

Where are the Fez tanneries?
The Fez tanners' quarter: how to get there on foot
Where to park to visit the tanneries
When and how to see Chouara tannery
Combining the tanneries with the rest of Fez

Where are the Fez tanneries?

Chouara tannery is in Fes el-Bali, near the Saffarine madrasa, along the Oued Fez. It is the largest and busiest of the city’s tanneries.

Two other tanneries are found in the medina: Sidi Moussa, very close to Chouara, and Aïn Azliten, founded at the end of the 18th century. Tradition traces tanning in Fez back to the city’s earliest days; texts from the early 12th century already mention the Sidi Moussa tannery.

The Fez tanners' quarter: how to get there on foot

The tanners' quarter of Fez spreads around the Chouara tannery, in the lower part of the medina along the Oued Fes, between Seffarine Square and the leather souks. You sense it before you see it: the lanes fill with drying hides, handcarts and leather shops.

From Bab Boujloud you walk down Talaa Kebira, crossing the whole medina: the classic route, downhill from start to finish. From Bab R’cif, the gate closest to the lower medina, the walk to the tanners' quarter is much shorter. With a car, choose your car park according to what you want to see first.

In the quarter, touts will offer to "show you the tannery". You do not need them: the leather shops' terraces are signposted, and you go up in exchange for a look at the goods or a small tip, agreed beforehand. Our guide to tourist traps in Morocco covers these situations in detail.

Where to park to visit the tanneries

The medina is closed to traffic, so you leave the car at one of its gates. Bab Boujloud, the famous Blue Gate, has a large open-air car park right in front; Bab R’cif, on the east side of the medina, is usually less crowded.

These car parks fill up quickly from late morning into the afternoon: arrive early and you will find a space and walk the medina before the heat. Fes-Saïss airport is about 15 kilometres from central Fez, around twenty minutes' drive outside rush hour.

When and how to see Chouara tannery

The tannery is viewed from above, from the terraces of the leather shops around it. The colours of the vats and the tanners at work are best seen from late morning to early afternoon; in summer, come earlier because of the heat.

The smell is strong. A sprig of mint under your nose helps, and a morning visit is more pleasant.

Combining the tanneries with the rest of Fez

The tanneries fit easily into a day spent in the medina: enter through Bab Boujloud, cross the souks, then on to Chouara and Seffarine square. Wear good shoes: the lanes go up and down.

With a car, keep the next day for the surroundings: Meknes and Volubilis to the west, or Ifrane and the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas to the south, about 65 kilometres away.

Frequently asked questions

Can you drive all the way to the Fez tanneries?

No: the medina is closed to traffic. You park at a gate, such as Bab Boujloud or Bab R’cif, and continue on foot to Chouara tannery.

What is the best time to see the tanneries?

From late morning to early afternoon for the colours and activity. In summer, come earlier because of the heat and the smell.

How long does it take from Fez airport?

Fes-Saïss airport is about 15 km from central Fez, around twenty minutes' drive outside rush hour. Allow a little longer to reach the car park at the gate you choose.

Where is the tanners' quarter in Fez?

In the heart of Fes el-Bali, around the Chouara tannery, near Seffarine Square and the Oued Fes. Park at Bab R’cif for the shortest walk, or at Bab Boujloud to cross the medina downhill.

Sources

Visit Morocco — visitmorocco.com

UNESCO — whc.unesco.org

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Written by the Loccor editorial team, the platform connecting travellers with car rental agencies in Morocco.

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