Few cities in the world can claim to hold the soul of an entire nation within their walls, but Fez, Morocco, does exactly that. Considered the cultural capital and spiritual center of Morocco, Fez is also the oldest imperial city in the country, and its vibrant history is alive as you walk through the ancient medina. Located in the lowlands between the Rif and Middle Atlas mountain ranges in northern Morocco, the city of Fez has long been regarded as the country’s cultural, spiritual, and intellectual heartland. Whether you are a history lover, an architecture enthusiast, a food traveler, or simply someone searching for an authentic and unforgettable experience, Fez delivers on every level — and then some.
Fez, also spelled Fes, is a city in northern inland Morocco and the capital of the Fez-Meknes administrative region, with a population of 1.256 million according to the 2024 census. Founded in the 9th century, Fez is considered the oldest imperial city in Morocco, and unlike other destinations that have modernized rapidly, it has carefully preserved its heritage, making it a living museum of Islamic civilization. This extraordinary commitment to preservation is precisely what makes Fez one of the most remarkable travel destinations not just in Africa, but in the entire world.
The story of Fez begins over twelve centuries ago. The development of Fez took off at the beginning of the 9th century when Idriss II established it as his capital and allowed refugees from two far-flung corners of western Islam — Andalusian Cordoba in Spain and Kairouan in Tunisia — to settle there. They established two separate walled towns on either side of the Fez River and provided the craftsmanship and entrepreneurial skills for Fez’s commercial development. From the ninth century, successive ruling dynasties began and expanded their imperial capital, transforming an undistinguished riverside village into a great seat of power and influence. Fez’s star flourished under the Marinids from the 13th century, when the city enjoyed its golden age for almost 300 years. It was closely and symbolically linked with the birth of an “Arabic” Moroccan state and was regarded as one of the holiest cities of the Islamic world after Mecca and Medina. Today, Fez is known as the “Athens of Africa” and the “Mecca of the West” for its history and role as the spiritual and learning capital of Morocco.
At the core of Fez’s enduring appeal is its legendary medina. Fez el Bali, the old medina of Fez, is the world’s largest car-free urban area and one of the most extensive and best-preserved medieval cities in the Islamic world. Founded in the 9th century, this walled city contains an estimated 9,400 alleys and lanes, many too narrow for anything larger than a donkey to pass, housing over 150,000 residents. In 1981, UNESCO designated the Medina of Fez a World Heritage Site, describing it as “one of the most extensive and best conserved historic towns of the Arab-Muslim world.” It was the first site in Morocco to be granted this status. Walking through its ancient gates is not merely a sightseeing exercise — it is a full sensory immersion. Entering the Medina of Fez through the ornate Bab Bou Jeloud gate is like stepping into another century. The sensory overload is immediate: the call to prayer echoing off narrow walls, the scent of spices and leather, the clatter of hammering from coppersmith workshops, and the shouts of donkey drivers warning pedestrians to clear the path.
The city is divided into three main areas: Fes el Bali (the old medina), Fes el Jdid, and the Ville Nouvelle, with most sightseeing and cultural tours focusing on Fes el Bali, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world’s largest car-free urban zone. Fes el Bali is the soul of the city, its narrow lanes filled with mosques, madrasas, fountains, workshops, and markets. Ancient mosques and medersas, street-side water fountains, souks offering every conceivable product, palaces, hammams, and traditional inns provide points of reference amongst the bewildering maze of streets and barrage of sensual inputs.
Among the most remarkable landmarks that Fez holds within its walls is one of humanity’s greatest intellectual treasures. The Medina of Fez is home to the University of al-Qarawiyyin, recognized by UNESCO and the Guinness World Records as the oldest continuously operating educational institution in the world, founded in 859 CE. The University of al-Qarawiyyin was founded by Fatima al-Fihri, a woman from a wealthy family who used her inheritance to build a mosque and educational institution. Over the centuries it developed into one of the leading spiritual and educational centers in the Islamic world, with alumni including the philosopher Ibn Khaldun and the geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi.
Fez is equally celebrated for its extraordinary artisanal traditions. The city remains Morocco’s spiritual heart thanks to its strong ties to religious schools and Islamic scholars, and its car-free medina has also remained a crossroads for trade and a center for teaching the traditional trade crafts of Morocco such as intricate wood carving, zellige tilework, and hand wrought metalsmithing. No visit to Fez is complete without witnessing the iconic tanneries. The Chouara tannery, the largest of three medieval tanneries in Fez, is one of the most iconic sights in Morocco, where workers still use traditional methods dating back centuries, soaking hides in stone vats of natural dyes including saffron, mint, poppy, and indigo.
Then there is the food. Fez is renowned for refined Moroccan cuisine, often considered more traditional than in other cities, with classic dishes including slow-cooked tagines, pastilla, and seasonal specialties passed down through generations. Moroccan cuisine is a flavorful blend of Arab, Berber, Mediterranean, and Andalusian influences — and nowhere does this culinary tapestry feel more alive and authentic than in Fez.
Unlike bustling Marrakech, Fez still retains much of the traditional culture that has defined it, making a trip here a glimpse into the Morocco that was, as well as insight into Morocco on the cusp of change. Fez is probably your best bet for experiencing a good balance between authentic culture and good tourist infrastructure. Whether you spend your days getting wonderfully lost in the labyrinthine alleys, sipping mint tea in a centuries-old courtyard, or marveling at the geometric tilework of a Marinid madrasa, Fez will leave an imprint on your heart that no other city can replicate. This is Morocco at its most raw, most beautiful, and most timeless — and it is waiting for you.
◆ Middle Atlas Foothills — Fès-Meknès Region, Northern Morocco
Fez (Fès — فاس)
A complete city guide to Morocco’s spiritual and intellectual capital: the world’s oldest continuously inhabited medieval city, home to the largest car-free urban zone on Earth, a UNESCO-listed medina of extraordinary density and beauty, the ancient University of al-Qarawiyyin, and a living tradition of Moroccan craftsmanship, Islamic scholarship, and Andalusian heritage that has endured for over twelve centuries.
Overview & Significance
Why Fez occupies a singular position in Moroccan and Islamic civilization — and what separates it from every other destination in the country.
What Is Fez?
Fez — written Fès in French and فاس in Arabic — is Morocco’s third-largest city by population and its undisputed spiritual, intellectual, and artistic capital. Founded in 789 CE by Idris I and substantially expanded by his son Idris II around 809 CE on the banks of the Oued Fès river, the city grew into the dominant cultural and religious center of the Maghreb. Today it is home to approximately 1.2 million people, and its medina — Fès el-Bali — is the largest car-free urban area on Earth and one of the most complex, best-preserved medieval cities anywhere in the world.
Morocco’s Intellectual & Spiritual Heart
While Casablanca holds the economic crown and Rabat the political one, Fez has always been the kingdom’s soul. The city is home to the University of al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859 CE and recognized by UNESCO and the Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest continuously operating university. Its mosques, madrasas, zaouias, and libraries have trained Islamic scholars, jurists, theologians, and artists for over a millennium. The city remains the spiritual reference point for Moroccan Islam and the living archive of the country’s pre-colonial civilization.
Location & Urban Setting
Fez sits in a natural river basin surrounded by rolling hills at the western edge of the Middle Atlas mountains, at an elevation of roughly 410 meters above sea level, approximately 60 km east of Meknès and 200 km northeast of Casablanca. Its geography — a sheltered valley with reliable water from the Oued Fès — explains both why the city was founded here and why it grew so densely. Three distinct urban zones define modern Fez: Fès el-Bali (the ancient medina), Fès el-Jdid (the 13th-century royal quarter), and the French Ville Nouvelle built from 1916 onward.
Why Visitors Return
No Moroccan city demands more of its visitors — or rewards them more richly. The medina disorients by design: its 9,000-plus lanes, souks, and dead-end alleys were laid out over twelve centuries without any master plan, and navigating them is part of the experience. What travelers consistently remember is not a single landmark but the totality: the call to prayer echoing off tiled rooftops, the smell of cedar wood from a carpenter’s atelier, a sudden view of the tannery vats from a terrace above, a madrasa courtyard of impossible geometric delicacy, the hum of a weaver’s loom in a narrow workshop. Fez is one of the rare places that genuinely cannot be replicated or adequately photographed.
Quick Facts at a Glance
Fast-reference essentials — geography, population, language, climate, currency, and connectivity in one place.
| Official Name | Fès (French) / فاس (Arabic) / Fez (English international) |
|---|---|
| Nicknames | The Spiritual Capital of Morocco; The Athens of Africa; The City of a Thousand Mosques |
| Country | Kingdom of Morocco |
| Region | Fès-Meknès |
| Location | Western Middle Atlas foothills; ~200 km northeast of Casablanca, ~60 km east of Meknès |
| Elevation | ~410 m (1,345 ft) above sea level |
| Municipal Area | ~280 km² |
| City Population | ~1.2 million (city); ~1.6 million (greater urban area) |
| Founded | 789 CE by Idris I; substantially expanded by Idris II c. 809 CE |
| Role in Morocco | Spiritual, intellectual, and artistic capital; one of four imperial cities |
| Languages | Darija (Moroccan Arabic) — primary spoken language; Amazigh (Tamazight) spoken by some residents; French used in administration and business; English increasingly common in tourism |
| Currency | Moroccan Dirham (MAD / DH) |
| Climate Type | Semi-arid Mediterranean (Köppen BSk/Csa); hot dry summers, cool wet winters; more continental than coastal cities |
| Summer Temps | ~35–40 °C (95–104 °F) July–August — significantly hotter than coastal Morocco |
| Winter Temps | ~5–15 °C (41–59 °F); nights can approach freezing; occasional snow on surrounding hills |
| Best Season | Spring (March–May) and Autumn (September–November) — mild temperatures, manageable crowds |
| Main Airport | Fès–Saïss Airport (FEZ) — ~15 km south of the city center; direct flights to Europe and domestic routes |
| Airport to City | ~20–25 min by taxi (60–80 MAD); no direct train service; shuttle buses available |
| Rail Connection | Fès Train Station (Gare de Fès) in the Ville Nouvelle; ONCF services to Casablanca (~3.5 hrs), Rabat (~3 hrs), Meknès (~45 min), Tangier (~5 hrs), Oujda (~4.5 hrs) |
| Urban Transport | City buses (CityBus Fès); blue petit taxis; grand taxis for intercity; no tramway currently |
| Medina Transport | Foot only — Fès el-Bali is entirely car-free; mules and donkeys remain in use for goods transport |
| Electricity | 220V / 50 Hz; Type C & E sockets |
| Visa (key markets) | EU, US, Australia and many others — visa-free up to 90 days. Verify individual requirements before travel. |
| UNESCO Status | Fès el-Bali inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981; described as “one of the most complete medieval cities in the Arab world” |
| Al-Qarawiyyin University | Founded 859 CE — recognized by UNESCO as the world’s oldest continuously operating university |
| Key Annual Event | Fès Festival of World Sacred Music — held annually in June; one of Morocco’s most celebrated cultural events |
Why This City Stands Out
The qualities that make Fez unlike any other city in Morocco — or in the world.
Fès el-Bali is not a museum reconstruction or a tourist-facing heritage zone — it is a living medieval city of extraordinary integrity. Covering roughly 280 hectares and containing over 9,000 streets, alleys, and dead-ends within its ramparts, the medina functions as it has for centuries: a self-sufficient urban ecosystem of mosques, Quranic schools, water mills, tanneries, dye houses, foundries, bakeries, hammams, and markets. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee described it in 1981 as “one of the most complete medieval cities of the Arab world,” and the designation has only become more remarkable as the decades pass.
The University of al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859 CE by Fatima al-Fihri — a woman of Tunisian origin — is recognized by UNESCO and the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s oldest continuously operating degree-granting institution. It predates the University of Bologna (1088), Oxford (1096), and every other institution typically described as the “oldest university” by more than two centuries. For much of the medieval period, it was the most important center of Islamic learning in North Africa and drew scholars from across the Muslim world, Andalusia, and beyond.
No city in Morocco has maintained its artisanal traditions as comprehensively as Fez. The medina is organized into specialized craft guilds and quarter-by-quarter workshops where leather tanners, brass engravers, silk weavers, zellige tile cutters, wood carvers, and pottery painters practice techniques passed down across generations. The Chouara tanneries — the largest in the city and almost certainly the most photographed — have operated continuously for over a thousand years using methods virtually unchanged since the medieval period. Zellige tilework and carved plaster from Fez supply royal palaces, mosques, and riads across Morocco and the diaspora.
Fez is the principal repository of Moroccan-Andalusian civilization. When the Reconquista drove Muslim and Jewish communities from Córdoba (in 818 CE), Seville, and eventually Granada (1492), large waves of refugees settled in Fez, bringing with them the architectural vocabulary, musical traditions, culinary sophistication, and scholarly culture of Islamic Iberia. The Andalusian Quarter (Adwat al-Andalus) on the north bank of the Oued Fès was founded specifically by these exiles. Their influence is visible in the city’s horseshoe arches, ornamental stucco, geometric tilework, and the haunting modal music known as Andalusian malhun — still performed in Fez’s cultural circles today.
The medina’s built environment is staggering in its concentration. Within a few hundred meters in any direction from the Qarawiyyin Mosque you will pass: the 14th-century Bou Inania Madrasa (with its muezzin clock tower); the Attarine Madrasa (considered the jewel of Marinid decoration); the Nejjarine Fountain and woodworking museum; the Chouara and Seffarine tanneries; the cloth, spice, and copper souks; the Hammam Sidi Azouz; and dozens of neighborhood mosques and zaouias. The sheer density of surviving medieval architecture — most of it in active daily use — makes Fez unique not just in Morocco but in the world.
Fez exists simultaneously as three cities in one. Fès el-Bali is the ancient medina, car-free and medieval in character. Fès el-Jdid (“New Fez”), founded by the Marinid sultan in 1276, is the royal quarter containing the Royal Palace (Dar el-Makhzen), a historic Jewish mellah, mosques, and gardens — a distinct urban environment from the older medina yet equally historic. And the Ville Nouvelle, planned by the French from 1916 onward as a separate European quarter beyond the city walls, offers wide boulevards, a train station, modern hotels, and contemporary cafés. Understanding all three layers is essential to understanding Fez.
Historical Context in Brief
A compact chronology of Fez from its Idrisid founding to its current role as a living UNESCO World Heritage city — twelve essential points.
Key Neighbourhoods & Zones
The three urban layers of Fez and the distinct quarters within the medina that every visitor should understand before arrival.
Fès el-Bali — The Ancient Medina
The heart of the city and one of the world’s great urban environments. Fès el-Bali is divided by the Oued Fès into two historically distinct quarters: the Andalusian Quarter (Adwat al-Andalus) on the north bank, founded by exiles from Córdoba; and the Qarawiyyin Quarter (Adwat al-Qarawiyyin) on the south bank, the commercial and religious heart of the medina. The Qarawiyyin Quarter contains the main souks, the Qarawiyyin Mosque and university, the great madrasas, the tanneries, and the principal artisanal workshops. Both halves together cover roughly 280 hectares and hold hundreds of thousands of residents, making this not a preserved ruin but a living urban environment of extraordinary intensity.
Fès el-Jdid — The Royal Quarter
Founded in 1276 by the Marinid dynasty as an administrative capital adjacent to the old medina, Fès el-Jdid (“New Fez”) contains the Royal Palace (Dar el-Makhzen) — one of the most magnificent in Morocco, identifiable by its enormous gilded brass gates opening onto a vast esplanade — along with the historic Mellah (the old Jewish quarter, established 1438), the Grande Rue de Fès el-Jdid, and several important mosques. The Mellah, though now predominantly Muslim in residence following 20th-century Jewish emigration, retains its distinctive narrow streets, overhanging balconies, and ornate doorways, and its Jewish cemetery remains maintained. The Bab Semmarine gate marks the main entrance.
Ville Nouvelle — The French Quarter
Laid out from 1916 onward by French planners as a deliberate counterpart to the medina, the Ville Nouvelle is a grid-planned district of wide boulevards, European-style apartment buildings, the ONCF train station, government offices, banks, mid-range and upscale hotels, and a conventional commercial center. It is where most budget and mid-range accommodation is concentrated for visitors who prefer modern conveniences, and where local restaurants and cafés serving Moroccan, French, and international food operate without the tourist premium of medina establishments. The Ville Nouvelle is connected to the medina by regular city buses and petit taxis.
Bab Bou Jeloud & The Western Medina Gate
Bab Bou Jeloud — “the Blue Gate” — is the principal entry point for visitors into Fès el-Bali and one of the most photographed structures in Morocco. Built in 1913 and faced with brilliant blue zellige tiles on the exterior (facing the city) and green tiles on the interior (facing the medina — green being the color of Islam), it opens directly onto the main arteries leading into the medina: Talaa Kebira (the “Upper Road”) running past the Bou Inania Madrasa toward the Qarawiyyin, and Talaa Sghira (the “Lower Road”) paralleling it through the spice and textile souks. The area around Bab Bou Jeloud is dense with cafés, riad hotels, and guesthouses.
The Artisan Quarter & Seffarine Square
Deep within the Qarawiyyin Quarter lies Seffarine (Brass-Workers’) Square — one of the few open spaces in the medina and surrounded by craftsmen hammering copper and brass vessels in workshops that have occupied these positions for centuries. Nearby are the Attarine souk (spices and perfumes), the Cherratine leather goods souk, and the approaches to all three of the city’s principal tanneries: Chouara (the largest and most visited), Ain Azliten, and Sidi Moussa. This quarter is the commercial and craft core of the medina and the area where visitors most vividly encounter the economic and artisanal life of traditional Fez.
The Andalusian Quarter
Less frequented by tourists than the Qarawiyyin side, the Andalusian Quarter on the north bank of the Oued Fès offers a quieter, more residential character. Its centerpiece is the Andalusian Mosque (founded 859 CE — the same year as al-Qarawiyyin), which is closed to non-Muslims but whose exterior and surrounding streets reward exploration. The quarter contains several traditional hammams, neighborhood fondouks (trading inns), the Bab el-Ftouh gate and cemetery, and an atmosphere that gives a more direct sense of medina neighborhood life away from the main tourist circuits. The hillside above the Andalusian Quarter offers a panoramic viewpoint over the full expanse of Fès el-Bali.
Landmark & Visitor Snapshot
The sites, experiences, and reference points that define a visit to Fez — distilled from the most consistent traveler questions.
Practical Visitor Information
Core planning essentials — best time to visit, getting there and around, money, medina navigation, and what to expect.
Best Time to Visit
Spring (March–May) is consistently the best season: temperatures in the medina range from 18–27 °C, roses and fruit trees are in bloom on the surrounding hills, and tourist volumes have not yet peaked. Autumn (September–November) is the second-best window, with temperatures cooling from summer extremes toward a comfortable 20–28 °C and excellent light for photography. Summer (July–August) is genuinely hot — temperatures in the airless medina lanes regularly reach 38–42 °C — and should only be planned with a midday rest strategy. Winter is cold but entirely viable for architecture-focused visits; January averages 14 °C by day and can drop to 4 °C at night. Ramadan brings a deeply atmospheric medina but with significant changes to restaurant and souk hours.
Getting There
Fès–Saïss Airport (FEZ), approximately 15 km south of the city, serves direct routes from major European cities including Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Madrid, London, and Barcelona, plus domestic connections to Casablanca, Marrakech, and Agadir. The journey from the airport to the city center takes 20–25 minutes by taxi (expect to pay 60–80 MAD, agree the price before departure). There is no direct train connection to the airport. By rail, Fez station sits in the Ville Nouvelle: trains from Casablanca take approximately 3.5 hours; from Rabat roughly 3 hours; from Meknès just 45 minutes.
Getting Around — Medina Navigation
Fès el-Bali is entirely car-free and mule-free for private use (working mules carry goods — yield to them). Navigation is by foot only, and intentional disorientation is part of the experience. The medina’s two main arteries — Talaa Kebira and Talaa Sghira — run from Bab Bou Jeloud down to the Qarawiyyin area and provide a rough spine for orientation. Offline maps (Maps.me or Google Maps offline) are genuinely useful but not infallible in the medina’s densest zones. A licensed official guide (available through your riad or the Syndicat d’Initiative) can transform the first day in the medina from bewildering to revelatory — the ONMT-licensed guides in Fez are among the most knowledgeable in Morocco.
Between the City Zones
Blue petit taxis are the standard mode of transport between the Ville Nouvelle and the medina gates (Bab Bou Jeloud, Bab Guissa, Bab el-Ftouh). Fares within the city are metered and inexpensive — expect 15–30 MAD for most journeys. City buses (CityBus Fès) serve the main routes including from the train station to Bab Bou Jeloud. Taxis do not enter the medina; they drop at the nearest gate. Between the medina area and Fès el-Jdid, the walk takes approximately 20 minutes along Avenue Hassan II, or a short taxi ride.
Money & Costs
The Moroccan Dirham (MAD/DH) is not convertible outside Morocco — exchange currency on arrival at the airport or in the Ville Nouvelle (bureau de change rates are more favorable than hotel desks). Cash is essential for medina transactions: souks, small restaurants, hammams, tannery terrace tips, and artisan workshops are all cash-only. A budget riad room can be found from 250–400 MAD; a mid-range riad from 600–1,200 MAD. Madrasa entry fees range from 20–70 MAD. A full medina lunch at a local worker’s restaurant costs 40–80 MAD per person. Licensed official guides charge approximately 250–350 MAD for a half-day — worth every dirham for first-time visitors.
Language, Etiquette & Safety
Darija (Moroccan Arabic) is the language of the medina; French is the second most useful tongue. A few words of Darija — “shukran” (thank you), “la shukran” (no thank you), “bshal” (how much) — go a long way in souk interactions. Dress modestly in the medina: covered shoulders and knees are expected and practically important for women and men. When visiting a mosque or madrasa, shoes must be removed; women should cover hair. Unsolicited “guides” in the medina will approach visitors — a polite but firm “la shukran” is sufficient. The city is safe but be aware of the standard medina walking-tour scam (offering “free” directions that end in a commission shop); avoid following strangers who approach unbidden.
Who Visits & How Long to Stay
An editorial read of the ideal visitor, realistic trip length, and how Fez fits into broader Morocco itineraries.
Best For
Fez rewards travelers who prioritize depth over breadth — architecture enthusiasts, Islamic history devotees, craft lovers, slow travelers, food explorers, and anyone with a genuine curiosity about how a medieval Islamic city actually functioned and continues to function. It is not the right destination for visitors seeking beaches, nightlife, easy navigation, or maximum comfort. It is emphatically the right destination for anyone who wants to understand Morocco’s civilizational depth, witness unbroken living tradition, and spend time in an urban environment with no credible parallel anywhere in the world.
How Long to Stay
Two full days is the realistic minimum to experience Fez meaningfully without feeling overwhelmed. Day one: Bab Bou Jeloud → Bou Inania Madrasa → Talaa Kebira souk walk → Chouara Tanneries → Seffarine Square → Attarine Madrasa → Qarawiyyin perimeter → dinner in the medina. Day two: Nejjarine Museum → Andalusian Quarter → Fès el-Jdid and the Mellah → Royal Palace gates → late afternoon at the Merenid Tombs viewpoint. Three days allows for a licensed guide on day one, self-exploration on day two, and a half-day excursion to Meknès or Volubilis on day three. Four to five days suits riad-based slow travelers who want to get genuinely lost, attend a music performance, explore hammams, and engage with workshops at their own pace.
Morocco Circuit Position
Fez occupies the northeastern corner of the classic Morocco imperial cities circuit. The standard four-city loop — Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, Marrakech — is well-served by rail and can be completed in eight to twelve days at a comfortable pace. From Fez, Meknès is 45 minutes by train (a half-day trip covering the imperial ruins and Moulay Ismail’s extraordinary mausoleum) and the Roman site of Volubilis is a 30-minute taxi ride beyond that. The Sahara Desert (Merzouga dune field) is approximately 6–7 hours southeast of Fez by car — making the city a viable starting point for an overland desert circuit via the Middle Atlas and the Ziz Valley.
Fez Festival of World Sacred Music
The annual Fès Festival of World Sacred Music, held each June since 1994, is one of the most respected world music events on the international calendar. It brings together Sufi ensembles, gospel choirs, Buddhist chants, flamenco, Andalusian malhun, Gnawa masters, and classical musicians from across the Muslim world and beyond to perform in the medina’s open-air venues, palace gardens, and the Bab Makina esplanade. For visitors who can align their travel with the festival’s dates — typically the second week of June — it adds a layer of musical and spiritual experience to Fez that transforms the city visit entirely. Tickets for major concerts sell quickly; advance planning is essential.
