Chefchaouen – Morocco’s acclaimed “Blue City” – is a treat to your eyes. It’s stunningly beautiful!
This small town is nestled in the foothills of the beautiful Rif mountains. The walls of this city are covered in blue hues from a palate that ranges from royal blue to baby blue and everything in between. You can wander here for hours and its winding small lanes will surely steal your heart away with its beauty.
Since Chefchaouen is more “off the beaten path,” it’s not quite so overcrowded with tourists yet, but it’s worth a visit.
The reason behind all the blue paint?
There are a couple of theories as to why the walls of the city were painted this colour. Some believe that it protects against mosquitoes, while others say that the Jewish community, after escaping Europe, painted the walls in a colour that symbolizes heaven.
How to Reach?
Chefchaouen is usually combined with a trip to Tangier. However, it can also be easily accessed from other Moroccan cities as well, like Fes and Rabat. The nearest airport to Chefchaouen is Tetouan (TTU). However, there are better options for getting to Chefchaouen. There are daily buses from major cities like Marrakech, Fez, Meknes, Casablanca, Tangier, Ceuta, and Tetouan.
Things to do in Chefchaouen
Get lost in the beautiful blue lanes of Chefchaouen. Walk around the town and you’ll end up discovering so many enchanting squares, doors and dead-end alleys that are all very photogenic.
The entire city of Chefchaouen is a photographer’s delight. Make sure you take a lot of photos.
At the centre of the medina is an ethnographic museum, also called the Kasbah Museum. Visit this museum to learn about the history and culture of Chefchaouen.
This place is heaven for shopaholics. Many of the small streets in Chefchaouen are occupied by little bazaars that sell local crafts, arts, clothes, and traditional souvenirs.
We also recommend walking or wandering through the handicraft’s souk in the medina Numbers of shops selling local handicraft are immense. Colourful settings in the streets outside the shops look inviting and all you need to do is choose.
While you’re in Chefchaouen and you have a spare day or two, you shouldn’t just admire the surrounding mountains from the streets but go on a hike or on a day-trip to enjoy the beauty of the Rif Mountains. Less known than the Atlas Mountains, but just as beautiful, these peaks rise to 6500 feet above the Mediterranean and boast some of the best hiking routes in Africa.
You can also hike up to Jeb al-Kalaa, the peak overlooking Chefchaouen. Since, it’s a difficult hike, you definitely have to have a certain level of physical fitness to be able to walk all the way up and back.
You can go on a day trip to Akchour Waterfalls and God’s Bridge which are two very special places near Akchour, a small town located at a 45-minute drive from Chefchaouen.
