When visiting Fez, we naturally recommend starting with a half-day tour of the Medina. It is the oldest intact fortified city in the Arab world, as Baghdad and Damascus are today partially destroyed…
However, make sure to only accept tour offers from an official guide wearing a clearly visible professional badge around their neck. While we cannot display a full guide card here, there are specific details you should be able to read clearly:
- The official seal of the Kingdom of Morocco in the top left corner
- The guide’s ID photo right below it
- In the center, within a red box, the mention “City and circuit tour guide”
- Their first and last name underneath
- The authorized language spoken with tourists (only 1 permitted) below the name
If your guide does not carry this badge, they are not recognized as an official guide. This means they either did not pass the official exam or are simply a local resident attempting to guide tourists without the necessary cultural knowledge or language proficiency.
There are many unofficial guides in the Fez Medina and elsewhere… one cannot blame them for trying to make a living by sharing their passion for their city.
However, visitors should keep in mind that obtaining an official license is demanding, requiring formal education and strong language fluency. The easiest test is simply to converse with anyone who approaches you: if they do not speak your language fluently, they are likely not a licensed guide and will not be able to present an official badge.
