Shopping in the souks of Fez

Founded by Idris I in 789AD the imperial city of Fez has for centuries been home to the finest religious and cultural monuments in Morocco.

The city is only a couple of hours from London by plane and makes an ideal destination for intrepid explorers looking for a unique shopping experience.

Tourists visit the city throughout the year, but summers can be overwhelmingly hot, with temperatures averaging around 30°C in July and August. Rainfall is always severely limited in the desert region.

The climate is less harsh in the winter and spring, making January - May more accommodating months for visitors.

While the city is divided into three parts, the French Ville Nouvelle, old Fez-Jdid and the historic Fez-el-Bali, it is the last of these that holds the real treasure of the city.

Made a World Heritage Site in 1982 in recognition of its unique status, Fez-el-Bali is a vibrant, mercurial medieval city; alive with a hundred scents and sights, simply waiting to greet shoppers.

Hidden behind the high ramparts are the town's souks; a maze of streets lined with hundreds of craftsman plying their trade using skills that have been handed down through generations.

Jewellers, cobblers, potters, weavers, apothecaries and leather tanners all produce their goods in individual workshops at the roadside, making it possible to see goods being produced using traditional methods before you buy.

Machinery is still rudimentary, with the majority of goods still made by the skilled hands of the craftsmen.

And with such hard-work involved in production traders are looking to drive a hard bargain, so be prepared to haggle.

At the heart the maze is the tannery, producing and colouring leather using methods that haven't changed since the middle ages.

It can be viewed from nearby rooftops, at a cost of a few dirhams, where men can be seen treading colour into the leather as they have done for centuries.

But make sure to visit before the sun gets too high in the sky, as the smell of the powerful dyes can become overwhelming in the full heat of the day.

For those looking to explore a unique and vibrant city without a map Fez represents the ideal mixture between commerce and history.

More information on the city can be found at the official Visit Morocco site.

Holidays Direct have a number of trips to the historic city, and TraveloCity also have a range of holidays on offer.