A Day in Fes Ville-Nouvelle

The new part of town is only a mile from the old medina, but feels like a completely different world in many ways. With modern buildings and many Western-inspired restaurants, this part of the city is the economic center of Fes and is quickly becoming the hub of Fes nightlife. Despite not having the antique charm that the old medina offers, the New City has much to see and do that will keep you entertained for the length of your visit. Here's what not to miss in Fes Ville-Nouvelle...
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1. Walk the Avenue Hassan II street in the center of Fez

This well-manicured pedestrian pathway in Fes is a major social center, where you can expect to find children playing in the fountains and driving miniature battery-run cars at night, teens hanging out and eating popcorn and cotton candy from street vendors, and families having picnic dinners on the lawns. The best time to visit this street is at night after dinner hours, when people head into town for evening coffee and family time (this may be a little different depending on the time of year, and what the weather conditions are like). During the day, I would recommend using this street as a base for exploring some of the other lively neighborhoods in the New City. If you go to the Avenue Hassan II, then head in the general direction of the gardens Jardin Lalla Amina, there are some nice streets with cafes, boutique restaurants, and various fruit and vegetable markets along the way.

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2. Visit Cafe Broadway and the French Bakery near Avenue Hassan II

These are two places that I visited on a daily basis when I lived in Fes (literally, every single day…). Cafe Broadway is situated on the corner of the block where the American English Institute (and Arabic school) is located, and is frequented by students and local residents alike. The food is not that special (not at all bad, but also not super exciting!), but the people who work there are the kindest. When I was a regular customer, they regularly opened early for me so that I could get breakfast before class, were happy to help me practice Arabic and encouraged me even when I’m sure I was butchering the language, and once even drove to a grocery store to buy more ketchup for myself and a friend to go with our chicken strips (obviously we didn’t know that they would do that, and did not ask them to - we could have easily gone without the ketchup!) Needless to say, Cafe Broadway is one of the most welcoming places in all of Fes, and is definitely worth a quick snack or lunch (they also have the best orange juice in Fes - it’s the coldest and is always freshly squeezed!).

Just a few blocks from Cafe Broadway is a wonderful French Bakery. It is small and somewhat hidden between apartment buildings on a small side street, but is a must if you are in the area. Their freshly baked pastries and sweets - both French and Moroccan - are always delicious, and usually cost less than 10 cents (yes, $.10!!!) each. Try the chocolate croissants, and the bread-like pastry with white frosting (don’t remember the name, but it’s so good!). The bakery is between Cafe Broadway and Avenue Hassan II, but unfortunately the exact street is not on Google maps (it’s THAT authentic). If you are in the area it should not be difficult to find because there are only a few streets in this area, but if you don’t want to spend the time wandering around, just ask any Moroccan in the area. Ask in French if possible, or say “ay-na al mukhbaz?” and hopefully they will be able to point you in the right direction! (See Map 1).
It may be on the street “Rue Lakhdar Ghilane,” so that would be a good place to start too.

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4. Experience the local markets

There are large fruit markets in several parts of the city, but the easiest to find is the one down the street from the train station across from one of the main mosques. To get there by taxi, ask to go to “Mesjed Imam Ali” (“mesjed” means mosque). If you continue to walk up this main street past the mosque you will come across some other large fruit markets. It is fine to eat fruits from these, just make sure you wash them first! (And avoid eating watermelon - for some reason it tends to make visitors sick if they haven’t acclimated to the local water yet). I would recommend trying the cherries if they are in season. I’ve never had any as good as those from the Fes markets! Ask for half a kilo to start with - it should cost less than a couple dollars (USD). Say, “nesf kilo (caras)” to ask for “half a kilo (of cherries).” (See map 2).

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Map 1

Map 2