How do I not get lost in the Fes medina?

Let me reframe this first: in Fes, getting a little lost is not a failure, it's the experience. Fes el-Bali is a deliberate medieval labyrinth of around nine thousand lanes with almost no street signs, and nobody — not even guides off their usual routes — knows every alley. The trick isn't to never lose your bearings; it's to lose them without panic, knowing you can always recover. Some of my favourite Fes moments came from a wrong turn into a quiet square where kids were playing or a coppersmith was hammering away. So go in expecting it, treat it as wandering rather than navigating, and the maze becomes a pleasure.

That said, here are the anchors that keep 'a little lost' from becoming 'genuinely stuck.' First, topography: the medina sits in a bowl and slopes downhill toward the river and the main gates. When you're disoriented, heading downhill generally brings you back to a major artery or gate; heading uphill takes you deeper into the residential maze. Second, the two main streets — Talaa Kebira and Talaa Seghira — run down from Bab Boujloud (the Blue Gate) and are the spine of the whole medina; learn to find your way back to either and you've got a highway home. Third, landmarks: the Blue Gate, the Kairaouine minaret, the Bou Inania medersa's tower are tall reference points you can navigate toward.

Technology is your safety net, but use it right. Download an offline map before you arrive — Maps.me and Google Maps' offline mode both cover the medina's lanes surprisingly well, and crucially they work with GPS even with no signal, so your blue dot still tracks you through the alleys. Drop a pin on your riad the moment you arrive (or get its exact location from the host) so you can always route back to it. A power bank matters here — a dead phone in the medina is how a fun afternoon turns stressful. And screenshot your riad's name and phone number in Arabic so you can show it to anyone if you need directions.

When you do need human help — and you will — ask wisely. Shopkeepers standing in their doorways are a good bet; they're not going anywhere and usually point you correctly. Be a little wary of an unprompted 'this way is closed, follow me' from a young man on the street, which is often a faux-guide opener that ends at a shop expecting a tip. A genuine, calm question — showing your riad name or saying 'Bab Boujloud?' — usually gets an honest point in the right direction, and a small thank-you if someone walks you a way. Carry a bit of small change, keep your sense of humour, and remember: the medina isn't that large on a map, even if it feels infinite. You're never truly far from a gate.