The areas surrounding Fes are incredibly fertile and varied, with the Rif mountains to the north, the Atlas to the East and South and the coast to the west. Many locations are well-known for particular herbs, and the abundance of the land of the region was one of the driving forces behind the flourishing of the herbal medicine tradition in the city. Whilst a few plants were carried all the way from India and China, the vast majority of the plants used today in Fessi medicine are from its own surrounding hills.
Lalla Shafia, in English, 'Our Lady the Healer' is a Moroccan saint whose tomb lies at the top of a hill opposite the small bath town of Moulay Yaqoub, just outside of Fes. There are many stories as to her life and death, but many hold that she was the daughter of Moulay Yaqoub (Saint Jacob) who is the name-sake of the town. The thermal baths in Moulay Yaqoub are frequented by many with illnesses, particularly skin complaints, and this visit is often accompanied by a trip up the hill to the tomb.