At the top of the hill beside the Merinid Tombs, the Terrasse des Mérinides is the most accessible of the overlook cafés that line the ridge above Fes el-Bali. The café serves tea, coffee, and soft drinks only — no alcohol — but the view it commands is the whole reason to be here: the medina laid out below, dense and white, with Al-Qarawiyyin's green tiled dome at the centre and the Ville Nouvelle grid visible in the distance.
This is a sunset spot above all else. Come in the late afternoon, find a seat at the terrace railing, order a glass of mint tea, and wait. The light changes the colour of the medina continuously in the last hour before dark, and the call to prayer arrives from several directions at once. It is one of those views that stays with you. The terrace also offers a useful orientation point early in a visit, helping you understand the city's structure before descending into it.