Just a few reasons why you HAVE to see Chefchaouen in Morocco

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**This post is the 3rd of a 5-post series discussing what to see in Morocco. (You can check out the other parts in the list below, separated by each specific city. Everything is also summarized in another post here.**

Morocco is a country in Northwest Africa, whose region has been inhabited for over 300,000 years. It bears a rich geography with the Atlas Mountains in the center/south of the country, the Sahara desert to the west, with Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines to the north and west, respectively. The official languages of Morocco are Arabic and Berber, but you will also find French spoken in many of the country’s institutions.

In this post I will talk about some of the places to check out in Chefchaouen. If you would like to read more about Morocco, feel free to check out the blog posts below:

• Marrakech (Blog Post: Taking a Walk Through Marrakech, Morocco)

• Essaouira (Blog Post: Explore Essaouira on the Moroccan Coast)

• Chefchaouen (Blog Post: Just a few reasons why you HAVE to see Chefchaouen in Morocco)

• Merzouga - Sahara Desert (Blog Post: Why you should see the Sahara Desert in Merzouga, Morocco)

• Summary (Blog Post: Which city in Morocco is best for you?)

If you’ve seen pictures of Morocco, you have undoubtedly stumbled upon photos of this entirely blue city in the north of the country. Indeed, once you arrive here and start making your way to an accommodation deep in the heart of the medina, you will want to photograph everything. The city is quite small compared to the others listed in the post but it’s just as charming.

Chefchaouen is located in northwest Morocco, just inland from Tangier, and is nicknamed the ‘Blue City’ or the ‘Blue Pearl of Morocco’. Its origins began as a military outpost before the Spanish Reconquista of Granada. Due to the influx of immigrants from Spain, the city grew quickly. The name of the city itself loosely means ‘look at the horns’, in recognition of the two mountain peaks above the city.

How to get to Chefchaouen

There are a few ways to get into Chefchauoen from different cities and different modes of transportation:

• The closest airport to Chefchauoen is over 40 kilometers away in Tetouan (Airport Code: TTU), which is not ideal when trying to get into the city. A taxi to the city will set you back an hour of your time and about $40.

• It is recommend to fly into Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport (Airport Code: TNG), which is much larger than Tetouan but it a bit further away from Chefchaouen. It will take about 2.5 hours to reach Chefchoauen from this airport, where a taxi will cost you nearly $100, but the bus will be about $10.

• The bus from Tangier airport to Chefchaouen leaves from the city of Tangier and not the airport, therefore you should take a taxi to get to the bus terminal. From here, buses leave 5 times daily and cost about $10 for the 2.5 hour trip. You can book your tickets through CTM.

• One can take buses from other cities to Chefchaouen with CTM as well, however the departures will be less in number. For example, you could go directly from Rabat, Casablanca, and Fez.

• A train does not go directly to Chefchaouen. One may take a train from Marrakech to Tangier for example, but you will still have to find transport to Chefchaouen.

Jemaa Bouzafar Mosque

Every corner of the city is picturesque and if you only have a day or two here, you must watch the sunset over the city at the Jemaa Bouzafar mosque. Make you way up the top of this hill (takes about 20-30 minutes from the city center and your level of fitness) about 60-90 minutes before sunset to grab a good spot. Even in the middle of summer, it’s smart to bring a sweater when the sun goes down.

The trail starts at Bab al Ansar and goes over the Ras el’Ma river. From here, you will see the trail gain in elevation and will take you past some pastures and small villages. You can’t miss it. As for the mosque itself, it was built by the Spanish but fell into disrepair.

Chefchaouen Medina

The medina is a must see as it contains all the alleyways, plazas, and doorways you come to expect when visiting this city. There is no particular place to go but just to come and admire all the different shades of blue while also seeking shade from the sun, especially in the middle of summer.

Kasbah

Not everything in Chefchaouen is blue. There is a 15th century Kasbah with a garden and former prison within the city. It is currently the Center for Research and Andalusian Studies but also houses an art gallery. The fortress itself contained 13 spires and gives great views over the Chefchaouen medina. Unfortunately, more information about the kasbah can only be found in spanish, arabic, or french via their descriptions.

Bab El Ain

This Bab name translates to the ‘eye gate’. This is because this is the location where guards would watch over the Chefchaouen medina. Out of the many babs in the city, this one is probably the most known.

Place El Haouta

This plaza can be found in the Old Town district of Chefchaouen. It is a rather small square but one of the most photogenic parts of the city. You know you have reached Place El Haouta when you see the blue and white fountain in the middle.

Derb El Assri

Last but not least, the iconic place that everyone seems to find in the city is Derb El Assri. It is the area where you can get your photos of bright blue facades and colorful flower pots and truly immerse yourself in this city. It may be popular so try to go during nonpeak hours (before 10am).

Although this list is nowhere near comprehensive, it should give you a good understand and representation of Chefchaouen during your visit. The city was pretty difficult to get to after having to take a few long buses from other places in Morocco, but I can honest say that our two day time there was worth it. It being hard to reach is part of the allure in my opinion and a place you can check off your list and be proud of it.

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