What is Fes like in July?

July is high summer in Fes, and there is no pretending otherwise — this is one of the hottest months, with highs routinely 35 to 38°C and the medina’s deep, enclosed lanes trapping the heat. The sky is a hard, cloudless blue, rain is essentially absent, and the middle of the day is for resting, not sightseeing. I am direct with guests about this: a July trip is entirely doable, but only if you respect the rhythm of the heat and build your days around it.

The trick is to flip your schedule. Be at the gates of the medina by 7 or 8am, when the air is still cool and the souks are waking up — this is also the best light for photography and the calmest time at the famous madrasas and tanneries. Take a long, lazy midday break in a shaded riad courtyard or beside a plunge pool, and head out again in the late afternoon as the city cools and the rooftops come into their own for sunset and dinner. Hydration is non-negotiable; carry water everywhere.

On the upside, July sees fewer Western tourists than spring, so the medina feels less of a set-piece and more like the living, working city it is — though it is busy with Moroccan and Gulf family travellers, especially in the evenings. Prices for riads ease compared with the spring peak. The single best move is a day trip to the Middle Atlas: Ifrane, Azrou and the cedar forests sit at altitude and are dramatically cooler and greener, a true relief from the city furnace.

Pack for serious heat: the lightest breathable fabrics, a wide-brimmed hat, high-factor sunscreen, sunglasses and a water bottle. A riad with a pool or excellent shade is worth paying for in July. If you can handle early mornings and slow afternoons, you will still have a wonderful time — but if you are heat-sensitive or travelling with young children, the spring or autumn shoulder seasons will suit you far better.