June 2012
The Fes Festival of World Sacred Music (8-16 June) is a must. International artists perform in the Batha Museum's oriental gardens in the afternoon, and at Bab al Makina, the Royal Palace parade ground in the evenings. Plus, there are free concerts in Boujloud Square every evening at 6pm (fesfestival.com).

April 2013
Spring in the Fez medina means the air is filled with the glorious scent of orange blossom. Women buy the petals by the kilo and distill them to produce orange-flower water that's used in cooking and cosmetics, splashed over hands before eating, or even over people's heads at religious ceremonies. Look out for men making zinc stills in tiny shops.

January 2013
Get off the beaten track and visit the Kasbah Nouar, Fes el-Jdid, where you'll be the only tourist! It's a great place for choosing a djellaba or checking out the fancy wedding costumes.