3 Best Sights in Fez and the Middle Atlas, Morocco

Graceful proportions, stucco calligraphy, carved cedarwood, ornate zellige, and its excellent state of preservation make this 14th-century building one of the best representations of Merenid architecture in Fez. Named for local spice merchants, the former Koranic school was founded by Sultan Abou Saïd Othman as a students' dormitory attached to the Kairaouine Mosque next door. Visit the austere rooms on the first floor for wonderful views over the mosque. 

Arguably just as beautiful and more well-preserved than its better-known Fassi namesake, the Meknès version is a showcase for Merenid design; this Islamic educational institution, now a historic site, was finished in 1358. From the cupola to the enormous bronze doors on the street, virtually every inch of this building is covered with decorative carving or calligraphy. The central fountain was for ablutions before prayer. Head upstairs to visit the small rooms that overlook the courtyard. These housed the 60 communal tolba, or student reciters.  The rooftop terrace has one of best panoramic views of Meknès's medina.

An outstanding historic site from the Merenids, the Moulay Idriss Medersa was built in the 14th century by sultan Abou el Hassan. The medersa, hidden in the town's steep and twisting streets, has a striking cylindrical minaret constructed in 1939 that is the only one of its kind in Morocco, standing as testimony to Turkish and Arab influences. Originally built with materials from Volubilis, the minaret is decorated with green ceramic tiles bearing inscriptions of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Koran. Only Muslims can enter the medersa.