What is Fes like in November?

November marks the turn into late autumn in Fes. The warm clarity of October gives way to cooler, more changeable weather: days are mild at around 19 to 21°C, but the nights grow noticeably chilly, and this is when the season’s first sustained rains arrive. It is not a sun holiday — but on a fine November day, with the medina washed clean and the surrounding hills greening up again after the dry summer, the city is quietly beautiful and far less crowded.

I plan November trips with built-in flexibility, because the weather can swing from a bright, perfect walking day to a grey, drizzly one. That suits a more relaxed, cultural pace: anchor your days with indoor pleasures — the Nejjarine Museum, a long lunch, a hammam, a cooking class — and use the clear spells for the medina, the gates and the rooftops. The light in November can be wonderfully dramatic, with low sun breaking through cloud over the tilework, which photographers tend to love.

The crowds of the autumn high season have largely dispersed, so the medina returns to its working, everyday self — artisans, bakers and merchants going about their business without the press of tour groups. Riad prices ease back from their peak, and the better rooms are available again. The countryside is greening after the first rains, and day trips to Sefrou, Meknes, Volubilis or the Middle Atlas are still worthwhile, though the higher ground can be cold and the cedar forests damp.

Pack for cool, wet-leaning conditions: warm layers, a proper rain jacket, an umbrella, and waterproof shoes with grip for the slick cobbles. Make sure your riad has heating, as the evenings turn cold. November is not the month for guaranteed sunshine, but for atmosphere, low prices and an authentic, uncrowded Fes, it has a real and underrated charm.