The tanneries terrace is the photograph. It is not the day. Give a licensed local guide the morning for a madrasa interior, a foundouk, and one view over Fes el-Bali. Eat lunch sitting down. Shop only if you asked to.
When you have another day, take the Volubilis and Meknes day trip rather than a second loop of the same lanes. Ifrane and Azrou are the mountain reset in hot weeks.
Fes is also a gateway. The desert road toward Merzouga is shorter than from Marrakech. If you fly in and out of different cities, a Fes to Marrakech desert tour is the spine we build most custom trips around.
For walking craft, read how to visit the Fes medina. For the city itself, stay two nights if you can.
Further reading from an official source: UNESCO listing for the Medina of Fez (UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Medina of Fez).
