Chefchaouen

The "Blue Town" in the Rif Mountains, with blue-and-white medina alleys that make every shot a postcard, sunsets from the Spanish Mosque, and hikes to Akchour Waterfalls and the God's Bridge.

Chefchaouen lies on the western slopes of the Rif Mountains in northern Morocco, at an elevation of about 600 m. It was founded in 1471 as a fortress against the Portuguese, and later took in large numbers of Andalusian Muslims and Jews expelled from Spain; the whitewashed walls, tiled roofs and blue paint of the old town come from them, earning it the name "the Blue Town." The old town is small, and 1–2 days on foot is enough to see it all: ① the blue medina, where you can photograph at will along winding stone-stepped lanes, with Outa el Hammam Square, the Kasbah and the Great Mosque at its center; ② the hillside to the east, with the Ras el Maa spring and laundry stream and the sunset viewpoint at the Spanish Mosque; ③ the outdoors, with a day trip to Akchour Waterfalls and the God's Bridge, the climb up Jebel el Kelaa, and multi-day hikes in Talassemtane National Park; ④ the surroundings, with the World Heritage old town of Tetouan and Oued Laou beach on the Mediterranean. Climate: April–May and September–October are the most pleasant, with spring wildflowers and the best waterfall flow; July–August days are hot but nights in the mountains are cool; winters are cold, damp and rainy, and houses in the old town generally have no heating. Getting there: there is no airport or train station; take a CTM bus or a hired car from Tangier (about 2.5–3 hours), Fez (about 4–5 hours) or Tetouan (about 1.5 hours), and buy bus tickets in advance in high season. We suggest staying 2–3 nights. Notes: non-Muslims cannot enter mosques; ask permission before photographing residents or doorways; cannabis is grown in the mountains around town, so just decline any offers and do not go into the mountains with strangers; during Ramadan most restaurants are closed in the daytime.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries