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Chefchaouen sits on the flank of the Rif mountains in the north of Morocco, with two rocky peaks rising behind it. Most people know it for the blue-washed walls of its medina, which turn narrow stairways and doorways into a continuous pale-blue backdrop. Locals often call it Chaouen.
The town was founded in 1471 as a small fortress, a base against Portuguese raids on the coast. Muslims and Jews expelled from Andalusia settled here in the following centuries and shaped its look and its crafts. The origin of the blue is debated: explanations include religious meaning, mosquito deterrence and tourism, and no single story is settled. What is certain is that it is a small, slow place, and the mountains around it are as much a reason to come as the town.
Best time to visit
Spring and autumn offer mild days and cool nights, and the surrounding hills are green in spring. Summers are warm during the day and fresh in the evening, which makes the town a retreat from the hot plains, though it is busy in July and August.
Winter is the wettest season. Rain is common, fog can sit in the valley, and the nights are cold, with snow on the peaks in some years. Bring a waterproof layer and shoes with grip, since the stone steps get slippery.
Getting there and around
There is no railway or airport in the town. Most visitors come by bus or shared taxi from Tangier, Tétouan or Fès, and the journeys take a few hours. Intercity buses stop at a station a short walk or taxi ride from the medina. Many travellers combine Chefchaouen with Tangier or with a trip to Fès.
Once in town, everything is on foot. Cars cannot enter most of the medina, and the lanes are steep and stepped. Pack a small bag, since you will carry it up the hill to your lodging.
Neighbourhoods
The blue medina
The core of the town, with narrow lanes, small workshops and houses with painted doors. It is small enough to walk across in minutes, but pleasant to wander for hours.
Plaza Uta el-Hammam
The main square, beside the Kasbah and the Great Mosque, lined with cafés.
The Andalusian quarter
A district of the medina settled by families from Andalusia, with tightly packed lanes and several guesthouses.
Ras el-Maa
The spring at the eastern edge of the medina where the town's water flows out of the mountain. Locals wash clothes here, and the area has a few cafés.
The new town
The modern district on the lower slope, where the bus station, shops and ordinary services are.
Top things to do
Walk the medina
Start in the morning, when the light is soft and the lanes are quieter. The medina is best explored without a plan.
The Kasbah
The 15th-century fortress on the main square, with a garden, a small museum and a tower you can climb for a view over the town.
Ras el-Maa
The spring and the small waterfalls at the edge of the medina. A short walk, and a pleasant place for tea.
The Spanish Mosque
A mosque built by the Spanish in the 1920s on a hill above the town. It is a 30-minute walk and gives the standard view of Chefchaouen at sunset.
Handicrafts
Look for woven wool blankets, textiles and leather goods made in the region.
Talassemtane National Park
A mountain park with forests and trails, accessible for day walks.
Akchour
A valley with a waterfall and a rock arch known as the Bridge of God, reached by a walk from the road at the end of the valley.
Local goat cheese
The mountain farms around the town produce goat cheese, sold fresh in the market.
Food to try
Goat cheese
The local cheese is fresh and mild, served with bread and honey or olive oil.
Tagine and couscous
As elsewhere, with a Rif accent: lots of vegetables, olive oil and herbs.
Bissara
A thick broad-bean soup, good on a cold morning.
Fresh juices
Oranges and other seasonal fruit are pressed on demand in the squares and cafés.
Mint tea
Hot, sweet and served with everything.
Itinerary
One day
Wander the medina in the morning, climb the Kasbah tower, lunch on the square, walk to Ras el-Maa and, if you have energy, up to the Spanish Mosque for sunset.
Two days
Add a hike in Talassemtane National Park, or a trip to Akchour for the waterfall and the Bridge of God.
Three days
Add a slower day in town, or break the trip with a visit to Tétouan or the coastal town of Asilah.
Practical tips
Chefchaouen is on every Morocco itinerary and fills up at weekends and in high season. A night here lets you see the town in the early morning and evening, when most day visitors are gone.
Ask before photographing residents and shopkeepers, and remember that many of the lanes are people's front doors. Dress modestly in the medina.
Because the paths and steps are steep, wear shoes with grip, and bring a small torch for evenings.