Gayza Le Bar

Gayza Le Bar is the bar of Riad Fès, the Relais & Châteaux hotel in a restored 14th-century palace in the Zerbtana area of the medina. It is one of the few places inside Fes el-Bali where you can order a glass of wine or a cocktail in a beautiful setting, and that alone makes it worth knowing about. The bar is described by the hotel as cosy and elegant, set among flowing water and fragrant orange trees.

In the evening the bar serves Moroccan and international wines and a selection of signature cocktails, and its drinks list is published on the hotel website. During the day the same menu, built around local produce, is served by the pool, and from 4pm there is a tea-time menu, so the bar works as well for an afternoon break as for an aperitif. Gayza Restaurant, which serves French and Moroccan menus, is in the same hotel, so it is easy to move on to dinner.

Before or after a drink, go up to the hotel's Rooftop, a panoramic terrace with views over the medina and the surrounding mountains, especially beautiful at sunset when the call to prayer echoes across the city. The combination of courtyard bar and rooftop makes Riad Fès one of the best places in the medina for an evening drink.

There is a dress code. Elegant attire is expected in the restaurant, bar and rooftop; plastic sandals, flip-flops, waist bags and football shirts are not allowed, and after 7pm shorts are not permitted except for children under 12. Backpacks and large bags must be left at the luggage store. If you are not a guest, it is wise to book a table, which you can do through the hotel's booking page or by phone.

Gayza Le Bar suits couples and travellers staying in nearby riads that do not serve alcohol, as well as anyone who wants a quieter, more refined evening than the hotel bars of the Ville Nouvelle. Because it is inside the car-free medina, plan your route back to your riad in advance, and ask the hotel for directions or for someone to accompany you if you are unsure of the lanes after dark. Expect hotel prices for drinks.