Page 174 - Australian House & Garden (January 2020)

H G travel

he cream or grey, sometimes blue or pink, exterior walls in the

narrow alleys of the medina (old town) in Fes give no clues
Tto the myriad secrets and treasures on the other side. Indeed, to
the uninitiated the sameness of these windowless, three or four-level
bastions, hardly entice investigation. Unlike Western homes,
traditional abodes in a Moroccan medina are deliberately discreet. But
step through the small dual-doorway of a riad (house with garden) or
dar (house with courtyard only), and you enter a whole new world.
exquisite mosaic-tiled courtyards, carved wood and plaster work,
landscaped gardens and sometimes a pool are found in this secret

heart of the home. Balcony-like walkways leading to bedrooms
surround the beautifully furnished courtyard; a rooftop terrace
affords sweeping views over the medina and beyond.
Fes’medinaanditshiddenriadsencapsulateMorocco’svibrantvisitor
appeal:culture,tradition,design,style,luxury,discoveryandcuisine,all
infusedwithamixofBerber,andalusianandMoorishcultures.theriads
and dars in Fes have been citizens’ homes since the city’s founding in
789aD; today, many are used as tourist accommodation.
Morocco’s other main cities – Casablanca, Marrakech, rabat,
Meknes, tangier, essaouira and agadir – also have walled medinas
hiding their own treasures. these are, of course, the souks (markets)

and squares that bring the medina to life. locals and tourists alike
jostle to bargain for food, spices, jewellery, clothes, rugs, textiles, >

Visually arresting minarets, used to call Muslims to prayer, are a landmark in most Moroccan towns. OPPOSITE Clockwise from top left The laneways Photography by Jack Single/Luxury Escapes & bauersyndication.com.au (laneway).
of the medina give little hint of the splendour behind the doors. The magnificent central courtyard at Riad Fès in Fes. Pastilla, a traditional Moroccan
pie, is often served as an entrée. The opulent luxury suite in the Riad Fès hotel in Fes. Ornate tiling, as on this building in Fes, is seen throughout
Morocco. View from the rooftop terrace at the Riad Fès; in the distance are the Rif Mountains.

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