A Rest From the Chaos - A Trip to the Jnan Sbil Gardens in Fes's Old City - UNESCO Morocco

Navigating the endless maze of alleys in Fes’s ancient medina can be an exhausting experience, both mentally and physically. After a particularly tiring morning of exploring the medina, I was desperate for a peaceful place to escape the chaos and congested alleys. There are not many open spaces in the old city, and parks with trees are even harder to come by. This is of course with one major exception, the Jnan Sbil Gardens.

The gardens are located in the heart of the medina, about 8 minutes walk down the Rue Talaa Kebira street, heading west from the Blue Gate. If you are near the Royal Palace, where I showed you pictures of the golden doors in a previous post, it is about 10 minutes walk from there.

The gardens were founded in the 18th century by Sultan Moulay Abdallah, of the Alaouite dynasty. It has all of the Islamic and Moroccan aesthetics that you would come to expect from a royal garden in this part of the world; lots of symmetry, fountains, palm and citrus trees lining the walkways. There is care put into making the area pleasing to all of the senses. The sound of the water flowing through the fountains, smell of orange and lemon trees, the sight of beautiful symmetrical patterns and colors of flowers, all combine to make a perfectly relaxing space to refresh your mind.

I have visited similarly beautiful gardens in places like Granada or Cordoba in Spain, other places with strong Islamic and Moorish historical roots. When you walk through places such as these, which were designed for perfection, and specifically meant for the pleasure of kinds, I can’t help but feel lucky. For most of the history of Fes, places like this were only enjoyed by the Sultan and his family, with very few exceptions. To be able to walk through and enjoy them now, is a real treat, and reminds me how lucky I am to be alive at this very moment.

Due to the garden’s high walls, and the fact that Fes has no cars or motorbikes in the city anyway, walking into this area completely cuts you off from all of the distractions you normally hear in modern cities. Walking along the nicely shaded paths, listening to the chirping of birds, smelling the fresh air, it is easy to forget the crowded alleys just outside this private sanctuary.

This is exactly the place I needed to find to sit down and catch up on my writing. If you are like me, and plan to spend some time relaxing here, I recommend bringing some snacks to enjoy as there are no concessions inside the garden. If you forget to bring something, it's really no bother to just step out and grab something, as there is no admission fee to enter.

If you ever find yourself in Fes, and are looking for a calm place to refresh and recharge, I highly recommend stopping by the Jnan Sbil Gardens.

All photos were taken by me. Thank you for reading. :)

If you are interested in hearing more about my travels in Fes, Morocco, please check out some of my previous posts here:

Histoy & Smells - Fes’s Chouara Leather Tannery
Golden Gates & Holy Towers- Fes’s Ancient Medina
A Hillside Fortress & Ancient Tombs Overlooking Fes