Chefchaouen
★ 4.7🇲🇦 ChefchaouenSuggested visit 1-2 daysBest season March to May and September to November, with mild weather
Photo spotMedieval old townCity walk
A whole hillside town painted in shades of blue, the most photogenic spot in Morocco's Rif mountains.
Overview
Founded in 1471 between two peaks of the Rif mountains, Chefchaouen paints almost every wall, step and planter in its medina blue — said originally to deter insects and keep the heat down, and now the town's signature. The lanes are narrow and steep, lined with carpet workshops and mint-tea cafés, and the surrounding hills make for easy half-day walks.
History
Founded in 1471 by Moorish settlers as a military post, it was long closed to non-Muslims and only opened up gradually under Spanish rule in the 1920s.
Highlights
- •The blue stepped lanes of the medina
- •Uta el-Hammam square
- •The Spanish Mosque viewpoint over the town
- •Half-day walks in the Rif
Practical tips
- •Early morning and late afternoon give the best light and fewest people
- •Residents still live here — ask before photographing people
Practical information
- Best time
- March-May, September-November
- Tickets
- The medina is free
- Opening hours
- All day
- Local food
- Tagine, couscous, mint tea
- Getting around
- About 2.5 hours by road from Tangier, four hours from Fes.
- Visa
- Visa-free for stays up to 90 days with a valid passport.
Traveller reviews
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