Best Laptop Friendly Cafes in Fes With Fast Wifi

I have visited every spot on this list more than once. Some of these I found by accident after getting lost in the medina. Some were recommended by a neighbor who has lived in the Fez Jdid quarter since she was a child. A few I only tried because I needed to finish a deadline and the power went out at home. This guide covers the best laptop friendly cafes in Fes, Morocco, especially if you care about signal speed, enough outlets, and enough quiet to actually hear yourself think.

1. First Impressions of Working Fes-Style: What Makes These Spots Different

Fes does not feel like Marrakech. Tour groups flow differently here. The medina is narrower and the main arteries of the Fez el-Bali are full of donkeys, students from the University of al-Qarawiyyin, old workshops, and local families who have lived on the same street for generations. That atmosphere changes how you work. A corner table feels like borrowed time. You hear tile hammers or the call to prayer, not just a curated Spotify Arab-fusion playlist, although both exist.

The best laptop friendly cafes in Fes are scattered between the old medina walls and the French-built Ville Nouvelle. You will often notice a small contrast. Cafe interiors near Bab Boujloud tend to be more contemporary, clean, and built for visitors. Deeper into Fez Jdid or near the Mellah, places feel more lived in. Some of my productive days were in classic Moroccan spots that never marketed themselves as workplaces but just happened to have decent chairs, enough space, and someone willing to plug in a charger.

It helps to keep a few things in mind: reliable 4G still exists almost everywhere in Fes. Many cafes offer free Wi-Fi, though speeds change during peak hours and around Friday prayers. People are genuinely friendly, and that also means they might invite you for tea in the middle of your work sprint. That is usually a good thing.

2. Downtown Fez Work Cafes: The Ville Nouvelle Grid That Is Easy to Navigate

On any morning between 9:00 and 11:30, you will see students, teachers, and a few freelancers with laptops open along Mohammed V Avenue, Rue Farid El Hachad, and around the corners near Place Florence. There is a practicality to this area. Streets are wider, scooters weave between cars, and modern cafes line the sidewalks like in any other mid-sized city.

The Ville Nouvelle, built during the French Protectorate in the early 20th century, opens up after the tight warren of the medina. That is immediately noticeable when you are carrying a backpack with a laptop and you do not have to squeeze past someone else’s cardboard boxes of oranges. On Mohammed V Avenue, you will find places with large windows, visible outdoor seating, and obvious power outlets along the walls. You can often just sit, order coffee and a pastry, and open your laptop without saying a word.

Prices in this area reflect its slightly more globalized feel. Expect to pay between 15 and 35 MAD for a coffee, maybe a bit more if you pair it with something like a salad or a toasted sandwich. These cafes with wifi Fes usually post network names on the menu or on a small cardboard sign near the counter. Once you are in, speeds are often strong enough for video calls: on many afternoons I have hovered around 25 to 40 Mbps download and 10 to 20 Mbps upload, depending on the place and its hardware.

During the late afternoon, around 16:00 to 18:00, some spots get busy with school-age students. If you need a quieter environment for recordings or focused study, try to come in the morning or between lunch and the school rush.

Local Insider Tip: When I need to work last-minute in the city center, I head to one side streets off Rue Mohammed V, not the main boulevard itself. There are two or three small, modern cafes where regulars sit for hours and the staff never hustle you to leave. They know the Wi-Fi password and never mind if you stay through two coffee refills.

3. Near Bab Boujloud: Cafes Where Old Medina Energy Meets Proper Tables

Bab Boujloud, the famous blue gate at the entrance of Fez el-Bali, is one of the first landmarks most visitors recognize. The surrounding streets are the border between the ancient medina and the more “modern” parts of the city. Several cafes just below the gate and along Talaa Kebira have taken advantage of this flow of foot traffic by offering higher floors, rooftop terraces, and slightly more international menus.

If you walk down from the gate along Talaa Kebira, you will notice tanneries being pointed out, small shops selling brightly colored slippers, and a surprisingly calm bench with a view on one of the upper terraces overlooking the descent into the medina. This is where some of the most interesting Fes work cafes operate. They often have a story: some were once guesthouses converted partly into a cafe, others used to be family apartments that opened their rooftops to those who wanted mint tea and a view.

Tables here are usually wooden or metal, not plastic. The chairs may not be ergonomic, but they are stable. The Wi-Fi is often good for normal research and even video calls when the network is not crowded. I tested speeds a few times and got anywhere from 10 Mbps to around 40 Mbps download on a relatively quiet weekday morning. On the crowded Sunday early afternoon, it dipped, but I could still send documents and attend an online meeting without freezing.

One trick that a waiter shared with me: rooftop and terrace seats are more likely to have outlets in one of the front corners of the establishment. Some places reserved charging ports near the bar area where power strips are within reach. If you need to stay for more than two hours, ask politely if you can sit where there is an outlet; they will often point you to the right spot.

It is also worth knowing that some of these terrace cafes close earlier in winter, especially if the roof is semi-open. From March to October, you are safer for late evenings.

Local Insider Tip: I always take a seat slightly inside from the absolute edge of the roof terrace, in the second row of tables. You still get the view of the medina and the streets below, but the tables are closer to where the routers are often mounted, so the signal tends to be more consistent. On certain evenings, ask if they still serve it; sometimes they still have a small tagine left from lunch if you show up around 19:00. They might just heat it up.

4. Cafes with Good Power Outlets Along and Near Talaa Kebira

Talaa Kebira is one of the main streets descending into the heart of Fez el-Bali. Most visitors see it as a shopping corridor, full of shops selling lanterns, fabrics, spices, and ceramics. A few sit-down cafes and traditional tea houses open onto it or into small alleys just off the main lane. The power and Wi-Fi situation here is not uniform, but certain stretches have become known spots for those who want to open a laptop without leaving the medina.

About halfway down Talaa Kebira, near some of the old fondouks and smaller madrasas that now serve as cultural centers, there is a quieter side lane. Here you find narrow cafes with low benches, whitewashed inner courtyards, and occasionally a wooden door that looks like it leads to someone’s home. Inside, the tables are small, often round, and the lights are warm and sometimes dim. But their internet connection can be surprisingly steady, because many local businesses in the medina share strong lines that supply shops selling to foreign tourists and export clients.

You can order mint tea, orange juice, or coffee, and many of these places will also do simple grilled sandwiches or a plate of msemen with honey and butter. Meals are inexpensive, rarely exceeding 40 MAD for something filling. There is no need to ask loud permission to work; it is assumed you are a student or someone waiting for an appointment at one of the nearby workshops.

I tend to avoid the narrowest tables if my work requires more than one notebook and my laptop. Instead, I look for a corner where they have widened the base below and there is room for a power strip. On some days, there is a little crowd of high school students who are supposed to be studying together and end up listening to music. If you need absolute quiet, the deeper back room, if there is one, is usually calmer.

Local Insider Tip: I once asked a shop owner where he plugged in his phone. He pointed to a small side lane about thirty meters off Talaa Kebira, where a traditional-looking tea house had been quietly renovated inside. There, along the back wall, three outlets were in easy reach. The owner told me that a local family who export carpets from Fes invested in good internet so they could work from the medina. If you go after 10:30 in the morning, the place is quiet, and the connection is strong.

5. Cafes Along France Avenue and the Hassan II Avenue Axis

France Avenue is one of the main thoroughfares of the Ville Nouvelle. It leads to the central train station, the post office, and then on towards Hassan II Avenue. This axis has both institutional and residential buildings, but it also has a concentration of cafes and patisseries that see heavy everyday use by locals more than by tourists.

These cafes are straightforward. Tables are often square or rectangular and close together. The atmosphere is lively, especially in the mornings when people are on their way to work or school. The background noise can be higher than what you might associate with quiet cafes to study in Fes, but for some people that ambient hum actually helps concentration. I know writers from the city who prefer a constant low buzz to total silence, and you can find that along France Avenue.

For laptop use, the best times here are typically between 8:00 and 11:00, and again mid-afternoon between 15:00 and 17:00. During the main lunch hour, some places fill up with people eating a quick meal: a baguette sandwich, a bowl of harira, or a salad plate. The Wi-Fi is generally stable but not always fast enough for heavy uploads in the densest hours; upload speeds sometimes dip below 5 Mbps when every table is in use. I have done video calls on slower days, but with video off.

Mohammed V Avenue and the nearby side streets also have some quieter possibilities. The further you move from the busier intersections, the more you find neighborhood-style cafes where regulars linger for hours. The staff might not speak much English, but a simple “wifi?” and a card near the register usually solves the access issue.

Local Insider Tip: I walk past a small cluster of cafes just before one of the main crossroads on France Avenue. There is a particular one with a glass front, mostly visited by university students. They know exactly which corner table is closest to the router. I head there, order a café crème and a croissant when I can, and they never rush me out even if I stay until they start preparing for the afternoon tea service.

6. Rooftop Terraces Overlooking the Medina: Views and Work Sessions Above the Noise

If you ask locals where to find lookouts over Fez el-Bali, they will often mention the slopes above the medina, especially on the northern side near Bab Guissa and the area north of the main Talaa descent. Several traditional riads and smaller hotels have built rooftop terraces that spill over into semi-public cafes and lounges. These spaces are particularly interesting when you want to work with the old city rather than from inside it.

From certain terraces you can see the dozens of mosque minarets, clusters of white and cream rooftops, and the haze that hovers on hot days. The visual perspective of Fes makes sense from above in a way it does not from within the tangled alleys. For me, this view has a way of making even difficult writing projects feel more grounded.

Power and connectivity are not guaranteed everywhere, but a growing number of rooftop spaces here market themselves to international visitors. They typically invest in decent routers and sometimes have backup battery packs for internet boxes during outages. You can expect speeds comparable to places in the Ville Nouvelle on a good day, though the signal may fluctuate if the router is older or if the terrace is partially open to the elements.

These terraces are often quieter in the morning and early afternoon. By late afternoon and into the evening, they fill with people who come for the sunset and the cooler air. If you plan to work for several hours, arrive before 14:00 and ask for a table near the wall where outlets are more likely to be installed. Some places have a small bar area with power strips; if you are polite and order regularly, they will let you stay.

Local Insider Tip: I once spent an entire afternoon on a terrace near the northern edge of the medina. The owner told me that the best time for uninterrupted work is between 10:00 and 13:00, before the lunch crowd and before the tour groups arrive for the late-afternoon view. He also mentioned that the Wi-Fi password is sometimes written on a small chalkboard near the bar, not on the printed menu. If you do not see it, just ask the bartender.

7. Quiet Corners in Fez Jdid: Less Touristy Cafes Where You Can Actually Focus

Fez Jdid, the “New Fes” founded in the 13th century, is technically older than the Ville Nouvelle but younger than Fez el-Bali. It houses the Royal Palace, the Mellah (historic Jewish quarter), and many residential streets that most tourists never fully explore. This is where you find some of the quiet cafes to study in Fes that are not designed for Instagram photos.

On the streets around the Mellah and near the old ramparts, there are small cafes that serve mainly locals. The interiors are simple: tiled floors, plain walls, plastic or wooden chairs, and a television in the corner sometimes tuned to a football match or a news channel. The menus are basic: coffee, tea, maybe a sandwich or a plate of beans (loubia) in the morning. Prices are lower than in the medina’s main tourist lanes, often between 10 and 25 MAD for a drink.

These places are not always marketed as laptop friendly, but they are often very tolerant of someone who sits with a computer for a long time. The Wi-Fi may be slower than in the Ville Nouvelle, but for writing, reading, and basic research it is usually enough. I have done entire afternoons of editing in such spots, with only a few interruptions from the waiter asking if I wanted another tea.

The best time to visit is mid-morning or mid-afternoon, when the streets are less busy. During Friday midday prayers, many shops close and the area becomes very calm. That can be an ideal window for focused work if you do not mind the call to prayer echoing from the nearby mosques.

Local Insider Tip: I once followed a local student into a small cafe near one of the gates of Fez Jdid. It had no English menu and almost no decoration, but the owner had installed a decent internet line because his son used it for university work. The son showed me that the strongest signal was near the back wall, where the router was mounted behind a small shelf. If you sit there, you can work for hours without anyone bothering you.

8. Cafes Near the University and Student Quiarters: Affordable and Functional

The University of al-Qarawiyyin and other educational institutions in Fes have created pockets of student life around their campuses and in nearby neighborhoods. In these areas, cafes often cater to people who need a place to sit, study, and sometimes use a laptop between classes. They are not always glamorous, but they are functional and affordable.

You will find clusters of such cafes near the faculties in the Ville Nouvelle and along some of the streets leading towards the medina. The tables are often close together, and the noise level can rise when groups of students gather. However, many of these places have strong Wi-Fi because they know their clientele needs it for research and assignments. I have seen download speeds above 30 Mbps in some of these spots during off-peak hours.

The menus are simple and budget-friendly. Expect to pay between 10 and 20 MAD for coffee or tea, and maybe 25 to 45 MAD for a sandwich or a basic plate. Some places also sell notebooks, pens, and other supplies, which tells you a lot about who they are really serving.

If you want a quieter experience, avoid the times just before and after class changes, usually around 9:30, 11:30, and 15:00. Mid-morning and mid-afternoon are generally calmer. Some cafes have a back room or a mezzanine level that is less crowded; if you see stairs, it is worth asking if you can sit upstairs.

Local Insider Tip: I once asked a group of students where they go when the main campus cafe is too crowded. They pointed me to a small side street where a cafe had set up a few extra tables on the sidewalk. The owner had run an extension cord outside so that students could charge their laptops. It was not pretty, but the connection was stable and the price of tea was the lowest I had seen in the city.

9. When to Go and What to Know About Working in Fes Cafes

Fes is not a 24-hour city in the way that some capitals are. Most cafes open early, around 7:00 or 8:00, and many close between 21:00 and 23:00. A few places near the medina gates may stay open a bit later in summer, but do not count on finding a seat with power after 23:00 unless you are in a hotel lobby or a rare late-night spot.

Friday is the holy day, and the rhythm changes. Many cafes open late, sometimes not until 10:00 or 11:00, and they may close earlier in the afternoon. Sunday is often busy with families and students. If you need a calm environment, aim for midweek mornings: Tuesday to Thursday between 9:00 and 12:00 is usually the sweet spot.

Power outages are not constant, but they happen, especially during heavy rain or in older parts of the medina. Some cafes have backup batteries for their routers, but not all. If your work is critical, consider having a mobile data plan as a backup. Local providers like Maroc Telecom, Orange, and INWI sell prepaid SIM cards that you can use with a phone or a small Wi-Fi hotspot.

Tipping is not mandatory but appreciated. Leaving 5 to 10 MAD, or rounding up the bill, is common if you have stayed for a long time. Staff are more likely to be patient with your extended stay if you have been respectful and have ordered regularly.

Local Insider Tip: I always carry a small multi-plug adapter and a long charging cable. Moroccan outlets are the European Type C and Type E, and sometimes the sockets are loose. With my own extension, I can sit almost anywhere and still reach a power source without asking the staff to move furniture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fes expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget breakdown for mid-tier travelers.

A mid-tier traveler in Fes can expect to spend around 400 to 700 MAD per day, excluding accommodation. A typical day might include 50 to 100 MAD on coffee and snacks in cafes, 80 to 150 MAD on a lunch such as a tagine or grilled meat with bread, and 100 to 200 MAD on dinner. Local transport by petit taxi within the city usually costs between 10 and 25 MAD per ride, while a shared grand taxi is even cheaper. A decent double room in a riad or small hotel often ranges from 300 to 600 MAD per night, depending on season and location.

How easy is it is to find cafes with ample charging sockets and reliable power backups in Fes?

In the Ville Nouvelle and around Bab Boujloud, many modern cafes have multiple charging sockets and some form of backup for their internet routers. In the deeper parts of Fez el-Bali and in older neighborhoods, sockets are less common and power backups are rare. Overall, you can find workable spots with outlets if you focus on the main avenues, terraces, and student areas, but you should not assume every traditional tea house will have reliable power.

Are there good 24/7 or late-night co-working spaces available in Fes?

Fes does not yet have a large number of dedicated 24/7 co-working spaces like those in bigger tech hubs. A few hotels and business centers offer extended-hour access, sometimes for a fee, but most cafes close by 22:00 or 23:00. If you need to work late at night, your most reliable options are your accommodation’s lobby or your room, using a mobile data connection as backup.

What are the average internet download and upload speeds in Fes's central cafes and workspaces?

In central cafes and workspaces in the Ville Nouvelle and near Bab Boujloud, download speeds often range from 15 to 40 Mbps on a good day, with upload speeds between 5 and 20 Mbps. In the medina and older quarters, speeds can be lower and more variable, sometimes dropping below 10 Mbps during peak hours. These numbers are sufficient for most remote work tasks, but heavy uploads or multiple simultaneous video calls may be less stable in crowded or older locations.

What is the most reliable neighborhood in Fes for digital nomads and remote workers?

For most digital nomads and remote workers, the Ville Nouvelle, especially around Mohammed V Avenue, France Avenue, and the nearby side streets, is the most reliable area. It has the highest concentration of cafes with stable Wi-Fi, accessible power outlets, and a work-friendly atmosphere. The area near Bab Boujloud is a good second choice if you want a view of the medina, while Fez Jdid and the student quarters offer quieter, more local options with somewhat less consistent infrastructure.