A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Fez vs. Urbino for Attractions, Food, Old Town, and Backpackers

Should you visit Fez or Urbino?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Fez and Urbino can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Fez

Fez is a ancient, winding, and busy city. As it's a big city, visitors will find plenty to do, too. Many visitors also come because of it's amazing beauty. It's also popular because of the museums, food, and shopping.

Urbino

Urbino is a authentic, laid back, and historic town. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. Visitors also love the food, shopping, and museums.

Fez and Urbino: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Fez or Urbino?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Fez. Although Fez and Urbino are both popular with visitors, Fez has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Fez is more popular for its museums, food, historical sights, shopping, big city activities, and impressive beauty, while Urbino is known for its nightlife. Fez is popular for its ancient medina, gorgeous riads, and amazing local dishes. It is also home to the Chouara Tannery. Urbino is popular for its Renaissance walls, historic center, and authentic atmosphere.

The Chouara Tannery

How is Fez different from Urbino?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Urbino and Fez. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Fez or Urbino?

Fez is an amazing city to visit for its historical sights. Also, Urbino is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its sights and museums.

With plenty of landmarks, attractions, and museums, Fez has many famous sights for visitors. Tucked into the medina are ancient mosques, historic universities, and beautiful gardens. Highlights of the city include Al Quaraouiyine Mosque, Dar Batha (a palace and museum), and Medersa Bou Inania (a former theological college). Another not to be missed sight is the tanneries. You'll likely smell them before you see them, but the history is truly impressive.

Urbino is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. At the heart of the city are its historical sights. The cathedral is worth a visit, as is The Ducal Palace, but for most visitors, simply soaking up the town's atmosphere is the best experience.

Is the Food Better in Fez or Urbino? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Fez is an amazing city to visit for its local flavors and cuisine. Also, Urbino is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Many restaurants in Fez have been singled out for their culinary prowess. Some of the best food in Morocco can be found in Fez. Head away from the main gates and the major tourist routes to find more local restaurants. Every visitor must try tagine. It's not actually a recipe but instead a cooking pot and technique. If you order a tagine, you'll enjoy a stew like dish that's slow cooked and usually made with lamb or chicken although vegetarian options are often available. Other dishes to try include couscous and pastilla. Pastilla is a pastry covered chicken dish that is seasoned with cinnamon and sugar.

With its innovative style combined with traditional elements, Urbino makes for a great culinary experience. The city's history has influenced its cuisine. Traditional foods include cornbread, truffles, and meat sausage. While these options aren't as common today, you can still find them if you seek them out.

Is Fez or Urbino Better for Nightlife?

Urbino is a town with good options for nightlife and partying. However, Fez is lacking in options for its evening party scene.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Urbino. Because of the large student population, there are usually some fun activities going on at night. You'll find some good bars around town that are fun to hang out at.

Things get quiet in the evenings in Fez. It's a conservative city and the nightlife reflects that. You'll find some bars in the major hotel chains and you can often find alcohol at the more expensive restaurants.

Is Fez or Urbino Better for its Old Town?

Fez is an amazing city to visit for its historic old town charm. Also, Urbino is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its historic old town.

Fez offers visitors a world-class historical old town to explore. The walled medina offers a maze of streets that are lined with shops selling perfume, spices, street food, and trinkets.

Many visitors go to Urbino to see the historical old town. The historic center feels a bit undiscovered by Italian standards. There are stone houses and the town is built on a steep hill, giving it a beautiful setting.

Is the Shopping Better in Fez or Urbino?

Fez is an amazing city to visit for its shopping areas. Also, Urbino is not as popular, but is still a nice town for shopping.

Many people travel to Fez specifically to go shopping. Head to the medina and try your hand at negotiating. There are impressive art shops and hidden gems spread between more touristy shops selling souvenir trinkets.

Urbino is a great destination for shopping. You'll find galleries, book shops, and jewelry stores around town that are fun to pop into.

Is Fez or Urbino Better for Families?

Fez is a city with good options for its kid-friendly activities. However, Urbino is not a good destination for its family-friendly activities.

Fez offers lots of family activities. Kids will enjoy wandering the medina, sampling Moroccan dishes, and trying their hand at bartering for a good price. There are several gardens that offer a quiet oasis from the chaotic streets. There's also baklava and other sweet treats that kids can taste. Many kids enjoy taking a tour to the nearby countryside where they can feed monkeys, hike, and visit local villages.

Urbino is not the most family-friendly destination. The city is filled with history and architecture, which may be lost on the kids. There are the classic Italian restaurants which is a favorite among kids and adults alike.

Is Fez or Urbino Better for Couples?

Both Fez and Urbino are great destinations for a couple's getaway.

Fez makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Couples who like an adventure will enjoy soaking up the medina, visiting the gardens, and taking a trip into the countryside.

Couples visit Urbino frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. This walled city is fun to explore and can make for a great romantic stop. The city is walled and has many historical buildings which couples will enjoy learning about together.

Is Fez or Urbino Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Fez is an amazing city to visit for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Urbino is not a good destination for backpackers.

A large number of backpackers visit Fez, as it is a very popular city for budget travelers. Prices are very affordable and there are riads that range in price and style. Many restaurants cater to different budgets and most of the entertainment involves wandering around and soaking up the atmosphere.

Urbino is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. It's not well known by backpackers and there are a very limited number of hostels in the area.

Is Fez or Urbino Better for Students?

Urbino is an excellent place to visit for its student-friendly activities. However, Fez is not popular with students.

Students come from all over to stay in Urbino. The student population is a large part of this small city. University students are usually happy and enjoy many activities and outings into the surrounding area.

Fez is not popular with students.

Is Fez or Urbino Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Visitors will find decent public transit in both Fez and Urbino.

Public transit is mostly limited in Fez. There's a basic public transportation system with buses and a train station, but you'll likely need to take taxis if you can't walk to a destination. Taxis are affordable and abundant.

Public transit is generally limited in Urbino. The town is accessible by bus but not by train.

Is Fez or Urbino a more walkable city?

Fez is great for its ease of walking around. Also, Urbino is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its walkability.

Fez is a very walkable destination. The medina can be explored on foot, but it's easy to get lost so allow a lot of time. There are several walking routes through the medina that are marked with colors but you'll likely find yourself wandering on and off the routes as you explore. Outside of the medina, you'll likely want to take a taxi.

Urbino is somewhat walkable. Many parts of the city are easy to explore on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Fez Worth Visiting? and Is Urbino Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Urbino or Fez?

How long in Fez or Urbino?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Fez or Urbino to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Fez than Urbino because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 3-5 days is a good amount of time for Fez, and 1-2 days is enough time in Urbino.

Families should spend more time in Fez than Urbino. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Fez, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Fez than Urbino. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Fez that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Fez than Urbino if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Fez.

One day in Fez or Urbino?

Fez is a bustling city that offers something for everyone. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

With nightlife and food around the laid back destination of Urbino, there's plenty to do. So, one day is just the right amount of time to spend here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.

A weekend in Fez or Urbino?

Fez is a great place to explore. With so much to do, a weekend is probably not enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Many people visit Urbino for a weekend. With food and shopping around the laid back town of Urbino, there's plenty to do. Because of this, a weekend is usually enough time for a trip here.

Five days in Fez or Urbino?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Fez. For many, it makes a great getaway for five days. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill five days here. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

The destination of Urbino offers shopping and museums. It offers something for everyone. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips.

A week in Fez or Urbino?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the busy big city of Fez. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Urbino, a popular town, is full of activities for travelers. Your budget might influence how long you stay. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Morocco, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, The Best 2-Week Tours in Italy, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Italy.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Fez and Urbino, we can see that Urbino is more expensive. And not only is Fez much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Fez is in Africa and Urbino is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Fez would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Fez and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Urbino would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Urbino than you might in Fez.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Fez Expensive? and Is Urbino Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Fez or Urbino?

Fez has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Urbino. When comparing the sizes of Fez and Urbino, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.