2 Best Sights in Fez and the Middle Atlas, Morocco

Closed for renovation at the time of writing, this 19th-century palace sits on the north side of the Place el-Hedim and houses a museum of Moroccan arts, with an outstanding collection of carpets, jewelry, ceramics, needlework, and woodwork. Built by a powerful family of viziers (high government officials), the palace itself is stunning, especially the carved-cedar ceilings, interior Andalusian garden, and menzah (pavilion).

A 14th-century, three-story Nejjarine fondouk, the Inn of the Carpenters is now home to a fascinating museum that displays Morocco's various native woods, 18th- and 19th-century woodworking tools, and a series of antique wooden doors and pieces of furniture. Enjoy a mint tea on the rooftop terrace with panoramic views over the medina. Don't miss the former jail cell on the ground floor or the large set of weighing scales, a reminder of the building's original functions—commerce on the ground floor and lodging on the levels above.  Check out the palatial, cedar-ceiling public bathrooms, certainly the finest of their kind in Fez.