Behind an unmarked door in Fez's oldest quarter, a tiled courtyard and a rooftop over the medina replace any need for a view from the room.
Fez's medina hides its riads behind blank, unmarked doors, so the reveal is deliberate: step through and you're suddenly in a tiled courtyard open to the sky, a fountain trickling at its center, zellige patterns running up every wall. Rooms open directly onto this courtyard rather than a corridor, which is the whole architectural point of a riad.
Breakfast is usually served on the rooftop terrace, msemen and olive oil and mint tea poured from height, with the medina's rooftops and minarets spread out below. Most riads can arrange a guide for the tanneries and souks, worth doing at least once, since the medina's nine thousand-odd alleys defeat GPS entirely.
Book directly with the riad rather than a generic booking platform where possible; many are family-run, and a direct booking often gets you a better room or a free hammam session thrown in.
