Medina
Winding alleyways, cute doorways and charming plazas all in many shades of blue – this is what has attracted millions to this tiny village in the Rif…
Getty Images/Aurora Creative
Chefchaouen
Beautifully perched beneath the raw peaks of the Rif, Chefchaouen is one of the prettiest towns in Morocco, an artsy, blue-washed mountain village that feels like its own world. While tourism has definitely taken hold, the balance between ease and authenticity is just right. The old medina is a delight of Moroccan and Andalusian influence with red-tiled roofs, bright-blue buildings and narrow lanes converging on busy Plaza Uta El Hammam and its restored kasbah. Long known to backpackers for the easy availability of kif (cannabis), the town has rapidly gentrified and offers a range of quality accommodation, good food, lots to do and no hassles to speak of, making it a strong alternative to a hectic multicity tour. This is a great place to relax, explore and take day trips to the cool green hills.
Explore Chefchaouen
- Medina
Winding alleyways, cute doorways and charming plazas all in many shades of blue – this is what has attracted millions to this tiny village in the Rif…
- BBouhachem Regional Nature Reserve
One of two parks in the Rif Mountains, Bouhachem is exceptionally beautiful and covers an enormous territory. The forest has various species of oak and…
- PPlaza Uta El Hammam
The bustling heart of the medina is the shady, cobbled Plaza Uta El Hammam, which is lined with cafes and restaurants, all serving similar, rather…
- OOued Ras El Maa
The waterfall of Ras El Maa is just beyond the far northeastern gate of the Chefchaouen medina. It’s here, where the water comes gushing out of the…
- SSpanish Mosque
The mosque was built by the Spanish in the 1920s, but never used. It fell into disrepair and remains closed, but the grounds out front make for a perfect…
- KKasbah
If you're getting tired of blue, Chefchaouen's 15th-century clay-brown kasbah contains a lovely Andalusian-style garden, a former prison, the small Center…
- GGrande Mosquée
Towering over Plaza Uta El Hammam, the Grand Mosquée and its unusual octagonal minaret were built in the 15th century by the son of the town’s founder,…
- HHorno Bab El Ain
A traditional bakery; locals still bring their bread dough and bastilla (savoury-sweet pies) to bake here.
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Chefchaouen.
See
Medina
Winding alleyways, cute doorways and charming plazas all in many shades of blue – this is what has attracted millions to this tiny village in the Rif…
See
Bouhachem Regional Nature Reserve
One of two parks in the Rif Mountains, Bouhachem is exceptionally beautiful and covers an enormous territory. The forest has various species of oak and…
See
Plaza Uta El Hammam
The bustling heart of the medina is the shady, cobbled Plaza Uta El Hammam, which is lined with cafes and restaurants, all serving similar, rather…
See
Oued Ras El Maa
The waterfall of Ras El Maa is just beyond the far northeastern gate of the Chefchaouen medina. It’s here, where the water comes gushing out of the…
See
Spanish Mosque
The mosque was built by the Spanish in the 1920s, but never used. It fell into disrepair and remains closed, but the grounds out front make for a perfect…
See
Kasbah
If you're getting tired of blue, Chefchaouen's 15th-century clay-brown kasbah contains a lovely Andalusian-style garden, a former prison, the small Center…
See
Grande Mosquée
Towering over Plaza Uta El Hammam, the Grand Mosquée and its unusual octagonal minaret were built in the 15th century by the son of the town’s founder,…
See
Horno Bab El Ain
A traditional bakery; locals still bring their bread dough and bastilla (savoury-sweet pies) to bake here.
Guidebooks
Learn more about Chefchaouen
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