What does the heavenly city look like? According to the ideas of many, it must certainly be located in the mountains, so that clouds walk sedately over the tops of low houses. It must be very warm in here! And the sky here should be so close that, if you try a little, you can reach it with your hand. Surprisingly, such a place exists. And these are not inventions of Hollywood directors, but the real blue city of Chefchaouen, which is located in Morocco.
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This northwestern part of Morocco is known for its peaceful scenery and particularly bright skies overhead. If you look at Chefchaouen from afar, you get the impression that there is a cloud above the city, which casts its transparent shadow on buildings with warm red roofs. However, if you get closer, you can see that the light bluish tint to the city is given not by a big cloud (there are practically no clouds over Morocco), but by houses that, as if according to the idea of a modern artist, are painted blue.
Indeed, if you walk through the narrow streets of Chefchaouen, you can see a stunning feature of this city: houses, stairs, window frames and even flower pots are painted in all shades of blue. As if the sky itself decided in this way to dissolve in the city, bringing all the local residents closer to itself.
Why exactly blue?
All tourists who continue to come to Chefchaouen to this day ask an absolutely logical question: where did this unusual tradition of painting buildings and numerous decor items blue come from? After all, when we talk about Morocco, we immediately imagine a colorful variety of colors and patterns that create a unique oriental atmosphere. Therefore, this preference for blue is often especially incomprehensible to everyone else.
This tradition goes back to 1471. It was at this time that the Muslims, who defended their lands from the invasion of the Portuguese, built a fortress between the Reef Mountains. She had an extremely good location: she was protected by high mountain ranges, and the elevation on which the fortress was located made it possible to control nearby lands.
When in the XV-XVII centuries Jews from Spain found themselves here, who were looking for salvation, they decided to find refuge in this place. It was from them that this tradition went - to paint buildings in blue. The fact is that the Jews perform their prayers with the help of several attributes. One of them is a prayer scarf, which in turn has a tzitzit (a bunch of threads woven in a special way). And one of the main components of such a beam is a blue thread. It must necessarily be a special color "thelet", described in the Talmud, as "the color of the sea, similar to the color of the sky, similar to the color of the Throne of Glory of the Most High." The Jews painted their houses blue and in this way they remembered that God was very close to them, and in this way they could approach him.
Today on the streets of Chefchaouen there are all shades: azure, like the surface of the sea, deep blue, reminiscent of infinity. However, initially tkhelet is a pale blue color, mostly close to white. The current state of the Moroccan city is explained by the desire of local residents to earn money from tourists. They succeed: the bluest streets become the most popular. Nevertheless, even this commercial move does not make Chefchaouen less attractive, because in addition to the special color of the walls, there is the same oriental flavor that attracts people from all over the world.
For a long time Chefchaouen was declared a holy city. This completely closed the entrance to the territory for non-believers. Those who wanted to disobey had to risk their own lives. Despite the fact that Chefchaouen is geographically close to Spain, Portugal, as well as to the Mediterranean Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar, until the beginning of the 20th century, only three Europeans visited the blue city.
Each of them had to try hard not to be discovered by the local population. So, the French explorer Charles Eugene Foucault, in order to get into the city, disguised himself as a rabbi, and stayed on the territory of the forbidden city for no more than an hour. The next intruder in the blue city was Walter Harris, a correspondent for The Times. He pretended to be a Moorish merchant, but for most of the time he managed to spend in Chefchaouen, he lived as a vagabond. And the least fortunate was William Summers. This American missionary managed to get into the territory of Chefchaouen, but soon after that, he was poisoned.
Everything changed in 1912, when, thanks to the Franco-Spanish agreement, Spanish troops entered the territory of the blue city and presented its beauty to the outside world.
The most popular commodity Chefchaouen is famous for is hashish. This is due to the fact that the city is surrounded by several huge hemp plantations. That is why, almost every Moroccan, young and old, winks at confused tourists and offers “ha-a-shish” in a whistling whisper. Of course, in addition to this, there are other well-known goods here. For example, the famous goat cheese, for which people come from all around.
The most popular month to visit Chefchaouen is April. It is then that hundreds of exotic flowers bloom here, which further transform the beautiful city.
To create the color "thelet" the ancient Jews used a natural dye. It was extracted from some types of molluscs. Over time, the recipe for creating a "divine shade" was lost, and its production was stopped.
If you manage to visit Chefchaouen, you will forever take with you an extraordinary sense of peace and tranquility. You will remember the wonderful city-fairy tale, in which the bright blue walls of the houses are set off by their cozy red roofs and where you never leave the feeling that you, at least a little, but still touched the sky.
I learned about this place in 2012, preparing for our first trip to Morocco. I remember well how, when I saw photos of bright blue tones on the net, the first thing I thought about was technical marriage and color imbalance. They looked too weird. However, having visited the blue city twice, I was convinced that this amazing place exists in reality ...
morocco, chefchaouen, chefchaouen, blue city in morocco, photo tour in morocco, tour in morocco, blue city of chefchaouen
So, Chefchaouen is the famous blue city, located among the gentle slopes of the Reef Mountains in northern Morocco.
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The city, first of all, is known for its historical part - the medina, where the walls of houses, painted with rich cold shades of blue, harmoniously combine with warm orange tones of roofs, stairs and other decorative elements. Here you can wander for hours, enjoying the color palette and measured atmosphere…
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The history of the city begins in 1471, when Emir Moula Ali ben Mussa ben Rashid el Alami founded the first mosque and a powerful fortress on the site of a small Berber village to protect against the Portuguese invaders, who then entrenched themselves in the north of the country in the city of Ceuth.
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But the city owes its unique appearance to the Andalusian Jews who settled in Chefchaouen after they were expelled from Spain in 1492. According to the biblical precepts, blue and blue shades should symbolize the prayer coverlet (tales) and remind of God.
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Today, there are no Jews left here, but the locals continue the established tradition and regularly renew the walls with fresh paint, because. this serves as a powerful impetus to attract tourists.
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An interesting fact is that for a long time the city was declared a sacred place and non-Christians were forbidden to visit it on pain of death.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, only three Europeans visited Chefchaouen. And this despite its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain and Portugal!
The first was the famous French African explorer and missionary Charles Eugene Foucauld (Charles Eugene de Foucauld, 1858–1916), who arrived in Chefchaouen in 1883 for just one hour and disguised as a rabbi. The second was Walter Harris, a London correspondent for The Times, who traveled through Morocco in the late 1880s. He entered the city under the guise of a Moorish merchant and lived there for some time as a vagabond. The third was the least fortunate. It was the American missionary William Summers, who was poisoned during his visit to the city in 1892.
And only after the Franco-Spanish agreement of November 27, 1912, Spanish troops entered Chefchaouen, thus opening it to the outside world.
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As you know, where there are tourists, trade is always in full swing. Chefchaouen is no exception. In the medina, you can find various souvenirs and woolen products (carpets, clothes, etc.) of bright colors and patterns in the open sale.
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Kote... as in all of Morocco, a lot of homeless cats live here.
And a heavy rock fan probably lives in this yard :)
Unlike other Moroccan cities, Chefchaouen's medina is quite clean (the city even received a national sanitary award). In addition, it is also inhabited, that is, it is primarily a residential area.
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There are a lot of children in the medina, who rush to school in the morning with big backpacks, and in the afternoon they run noisily through the narrow streets, playing games.
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On the old walls of the medina, you can see a completely modern telephone set.
Low crossing between streets.
In addition to blue variegated flowers, warm shades of walls can be found in the medina.
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Chefchaouen is called the capital of Moroccan hashish, thanks to the numerous cannabis plantations in the area.
It is easy to verify this statement: walking along the narrow blue streets of the medina, a seller of souvenirs or cakes will come up to you more than once and in a quiet whisper will offer "ha-shiish"
And having felt the specific aroma of "grass", hovering everywhere in the air, you believe that the product is real.
And at the end of our acquaintance with this fabulous city, its panorama at sunset...
The city of Chefchaouen, Morocco, is located in the northwestern part of the country, in the Rif mountains, between Tangier and Tetouan. There are several versions of the name of this city - Chefchaouen, Shifshaun, Chefshaouen.
The name of the city of Chefchaouen comes from the shape of the top of the Rif mountain, which rises above the city. It resembles the horns of a goat. "Chef Chaouen" translates as "look at the horns."
Getting to Chefchaouen is not so easy, but the color of this city deserves a long drive to get to it.
The city itself is one big attraction. It is famous primarily due to the blue and blue color of the houses and streets.
The streets in the city are narrow and winding, the roofs of houses, often red, made of tiles. The streets are very clean. But how the houses are painted is simply amazing - the walls are blue, blue, azure white.
It is the blue-blue and white colors of the streets that this city attracts the attention of numerous tourists who, despite the long journey, go to Chefchaouen.
Riad
A traditional Moroccan house is called a riad. Usually, from the outside, the riad looks like a gray one, while in Chefchaouen it looks like a blue, plastered wall with a small wooden door. It seems that such a house looks deaf and unpresentable. But the riad has a second, hidden from prying eyes, facade that overlooks the patio. Such a device at home perfectly protects privacy, from the side of the street it is impossible to guess what is happening inside. The owners are reliably protected by the thick walls of the fortress house.
Usually such a house has two floors, but there are exceptions. All living quarters are located around the courtyard, as if surrounding it from all sides with a gallery of rooms. In some large houses, trees grow in the patio and fountains are installed. And in smaller houses, the courtyard serves as a “living room” for the whole family. The decoration inside a traditional riad is usually very beautiful. The courtyard is paved with mosaic tiles. The walls can be white, or they can be the brightest colors. And the shutters and doors are often decorated with paintings.
Some riads have become small guest houses. Sometimes the owners live on the first floor, and the second floor is rented out to tourists.
Why is the city painted in such colors?
This tradition goes back to 1471. It was at this time that the Muslims, who defended their lands from the invasion of the Portuguese, built a fortress between the Reef Mountains. She had an extremely good location: she was protected by high mountain ranges, and the elevation on which the fortress was located made it possible to control nearby lands.
When in the XV-XVII centuries Jews from Spain found themselves here, who were looking for salvation, they decided to find refuge in this place. It was from them that this tradition went - to paint buildings in blue. The fact is that the Jews perform their prayers with the help of several attributes. One of them is a prayer scarf, which in turn has a tzitzit (a bunch of threads woven in a special way). And one of the main components of such a beam is a blue thread. It must necessarily be a special color "thelet", described in the Talmud, as "the color of the sea, similar to the color of the sky, similar to the color of the Throne of Glory of the Most High." The Jews painted their houses blue and in this way they remembered that God was very close to them, and in this way they could approach him.
Today, all shades are found on the streets of Chefchaouen: azure, like the surface of the sea, deep blue, reminiscent of infinity. However, initially tkhelet is a pale blue color, mostly close to white.
Sacred, closed city
For a long time Chefchaouen was declared a holy city. This completely closed the entrance to the territory for non-believers. Those who wanted to disobey had to risk their own lives. Despite the fact that Chefchaouen is geographically close to Spain, Portugal, as well as to the Mediterranean Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar, until the beginning of the 20th century, only three Europeans visited the blue city.
Each of them had to try hard not to be discovered by the local population. So, the French explorer Charles Eugene Foucault, in order to get into the city, disguised himself as a rabbi, and stayed on the territory of the forbidden city for no more than an hour. The next intruder in the blue city was Walter Harris, a correspondent for The Times. He pretended to be a Moorish merchant, but for most of the time he managed to spend in Chefchaouen, he lived as a vagabond. And the least fortunate was William Summers. This American missionary managed to get into the territory of Chefchaouen, but soon after that, he was poisoned.
In 1912, when, thanks to the Franco-Spanish agreement, Spanish troops entered the territory of the blue city and presented its beauty to the outside world.
The most popular month to visit Chefchaouen is April. It is then that hundreds of exotic flowers bloom here, which further transform the beautiful city.
To create the color "thelet" the ancient Jews used a natural dye. It was extracted from some types of molluscs. Over time, the recipe for creating a "divine shade" was lost, and its production was stopped.
In addition, the city is famous for its wool. On the streets of Chefchaouen you can see many craft workshops. Chefchaouen is also famous for its bright woolen carpets, fabrics and excellent cheese made from the milk of a mountain goat.
The main attractions of Chefchaouen are located in the central square of the Old Town. There is a red sandstone fortress built in 1578 by the captive Portuguese, an unusual mosque with an octagonal minaret and magnificent mountains. In one of the towers there is a small ethnographic museum with a collection of embroideries and costumes.
In this unique city, you can feel the spirit of the Middle Ages, clean mountain air and an impressive atmosphere.
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Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen is a small city located in the northwestern part of Morocco. This city is the center of the province of the same name, it lies in the Rif mountains, between the cities of Tangier and Tetovan. This is the only Moroccan city that does not dazzle in the eyes of yellow, red and green. The city is best known for its old part, almost all the houses in which are painted in different shades of blue.
The city was founded in 1471 by immigrants from Spain - initially only a small fortress was built here, which has survived to this day. Since the 1920s, Chefshaien has been part of Spanish Morocco and only in 1956 came under the jurisdiction of the independent state of Morocco.
Now the population of the city is about 35 thousand inhabitants. Recently, the popularity of the city among tourists has grown significantly, many new hotels have appeared here (now there are about 200 of them in the city!), souvenir shops and restaurants.
The city is especially popular among tourists from Spain in the winter season, during the Christmas holidays. Among the popular attractions are the runes of the old mosque, the remains of an ancient fortress of the 15th century, as well as numerous parks and gardens, the most famous of which are Talassemtan National Park, Talembot Park, Buhashem Nature Reserve and others.
Here, as in all of Morocco, there are a lot of cats. In this pretty tourist town, there is almost no dirt, garbage heaps and the stink of latrines. Here, another problem is the suburban marijuana plantations, thanks to which Chefchaouen bears the title of "capital of hashish."
The tradition of painting houses blue was introduced by Jewish refugees, who believed that the more you look at blue, the more opportunities you have to remember heaven and God.
The most fabulous Moroccan city is Chefchaouen, stretched between the Reef Mountains. I first met him in another sunny and amazing Andalusian city of Frigiliana a year before my Moroccan trip, I bought a very authentic notebook there with photos of beautiful blue doors on the cover and wondered where are they? So my curiosity led me to Chefchaouen, the blue city.
At the current site of the city in the second half of the 15th century, Muslims founded a fortress, protecting their lands from the invasion of the Portuguese. And later this place became a haven for Jews expelled from Spain. They then enriched Chefchaouen with emerald color. According to the Talmud, the Jews painted their houses blue, “the color of the sea, similar to the color of the sky,” and thus approached the Almighty.
Now there are almost no Jews left in Chefchaouen, and the houses are still painted in all shades of blue and thus willingly attract tourists.
And we were among the majority and still came to this so well-publicized city. Only this is not a city at all, but a small charming village. It is very cozy and sunny there, and people are incredibly smiling. If I had a chance to live in, then I would have settled in one of the many blue houses in the vastness of Chefchaouen, hoped for a measured sunny life and would definitely become an artist.
Shaven, as the locals call the city, is itself as if drawn and rich in creative spirit, and therefore in the city you can often find people who draw, make something, or simply get inspired.
We could not resist the overwhelming positive emotions from the stories of those who had already visited Chefchaouen, and already on the second day of our Moroccan trip, we ended up in this legendary city and immediately fell head over heels in love with it.
How to get there?
Chefchaouen, as we have already found out, is a village. And villages, as you know, are tiny and exist through the nearest large cities, which one way or another must be crossed to get to glorious Chefchaouen.
The closest of these cities is, therefore, it is better to get to Chefchaouen from Fes. And how to get to Fes, read.
By plane
By air, Chefchaouen itself cannot be reached due to the city's lack of air links, even with other Moroccan settlements. However, if you have familiar winged people ready to give you a lift, then yes, this option will work. And so, from Russia or Europe you can fly to Fez, Casablanca, Rabat, and from there it’s already within easy reach of the long-awaited emerald city. By the way, read and read how to fly to Fes or Casablanca. On average, a flight from metropolitan Russia (Peter,) to metropolitan Morocco (, Casablanca,) can cost between 200-250 EUR one way, and it will take about 6 hours to travel, excluding transfers, difficulties and expectations. Ticket prices for current dates can be viewed.
By train
There is also a problem with the railway connection in Chefshaun. The town is in the mountains, and, probably, this became an obstacle to the construction of the railway in those parts.
By bus
The bus is the most excellent, and, perhaps, the only option on how to get to Chefchaouen.
Such trips are carried out by the bus company CTM, whose flights connect the blue village with Fez, Casablanca and Rabat, as well as with the small town of Tetouan.
There are no bus routes from Agadir and Marrakech to Chefchaouen. In this case, from these cities it is best to first get to Casablanca, and from there to Chefchaouen.
- From Fes, the road will take three hours and 7.5 EUR for a one-way ticket.
- From Casablanca about 6 hours and 12 EUR.
- From Tetouan a little over 1 hour and only 3 EUR.
- From Rabat - 4 hours and 9 EUR.
Buses from Casablanca run only once a day, from Tetouan - five times a day, and from other cities up to three times a day. Tickets can be bought at the ticket office of the bus station of the corresponding city, and one hour before the departure of the bus itself, you already need to be at the place designated by the ticket seller. Buses always arrive exactly on Moroccan time, that is, they are as late as they can, but this has its advantages: you can really anticipate what Chefchaouen will actually turn out to be: peaceful and harmonious. There is absolutely nowhere to hurry in the villages!
Moroccan buses are quite comfortable, the roads are excellent, but the views on the way to Chefchaouen are so-so, but they are worth seeing to later compare them with those that you will meet somewhere in the Atlas Mountains. The country is one, but there are many species, and each, unlike any other, deserves attention.
The first place you will get to in Chefchaouen, getting to it by bus, is the bus station, which is located at the foot of the most interesting part of the city - the Medina. You can get to the city center both by taxi and on foot. By taxi it will take about five minutes and will cost about 3 EUR, and on foot - 20 minutes due to constant rises, but in this way you can immediately appreciate the size of the city and its beauty. We stuck to the second option and didn't regret it a bit. But leaving the city (and as we found out, this can be done in the same way as getting to the city: only by bus), you seem to fly out of it from the fact that you are bouncing down the sloping streets from the Medina towards the bus station.
By car
If you travel around Morocco by car, then this is very, very cool. The country is tiny, but the roads, as you remember, are excellent. So it turns out that getting to Chefchaouen by car is the best alternative to a bus. There are roads to Chefchaouen from all Moroccan villages, but most often they drive from Fes.
From Fes to the blue city, by the way, 200 km and some couple of three hours on the way.
There are no problems with parking in Chefchaouen, but if your accommodation is in the Medina, then the car will need to be left outside of it.
By ferry
You won’t be able to get to Chefchaouen by ferry, because the city is rich in mountains and a small river with a waterfall, but the seas and oceans are not about Chefchaouen. But ferries go to coastal Moroccan cities (, Ceuta, Melilla), from which, with transfers in large cities (,), you can also reach Chefchaouen by land.
Clue:
Chefchaouen - the time is now
Hour difference:
Moscow 2
Kazan 2
Samara 3
Yekaterinburg 4
Novosibirsk 6
Vladivostok 9
When is the season? When is the best time to go?
Chefchaouen is very famous, popular and very, very loved by everyone: locals and visitors, which means that the city is always full of fans, but at the same time it is open and glad to new guests. The city always has a clear sky, perky sun and smiling inhabitants. All this creates a great mood and a wonderful impression of Chefchaouen itself at any time of the year.
Chefchaouen in summer
It can be quite hot in Chefchaouen in summer, but nevertheless, there are more than enough guests at this time of the year. On the way to the ocean, travelers also stop by Chefchaouen to check if it is true that it is completely blue. They are surprised, convinced, create evidence in the form of a lot of stylish photographs against the background of blue doors, blue walls and even blue cats, they decide that the city is really beautiful and worthy of attention. Therefore, then all these travelers return to Chefchaouen more than once or twice, but not in the summer, to walk around the city more, and not hide from it in the shadows. Summer is summer, and not everyone is immune to it.
Chefchaouen in autumn
It seems to me that autumn is completely absent in the city of Chefchaouen. And there is no autumn weather, as such, when it rains, everything fades and the sun disappears until next summer. And the mood, the most kind and radiant, only multiplies. Perhaps the city is very good in autumn, but not because it's autumn, but because the city is such that everything is indifferent.
Chefchaouen in spring
In spring, the city warms up to +30 degrees, but sometimes it can also drizzle, refreshing Chefchaouen from such a clear hot sun. The local river and narrow streets allow you to hide from the heat, and at night, after beautiful sunsets, it becomes fabulously warm. This time of the year is one of the best to explore Chefchaouen.
Chefchaouen in winter
Winter in Chefchaouen is certainly cooler, but even at this time of the year it is quite possible to get a tan. During the day up to +15, but the sun is always very welcoming and warming. And the nights are surprisingly warm and cozy, which we lacked in the same.
We had a chance to visit Chefchaouen in winter, the deepest-January, but at 100% there was a feeling that we were in May.
Chefchaouen monthly weather
Clue:
Chefchaouen monthly weather
Districts. Where is the best place to live?
Chefchaouen, like many cities, consists of an old city and a new city. The old one is always called Medina, but the new one is so new that it doesn’t even have its own name yet.
Medina is the heart of Chefchaouen, the most curious and charming place of this city. Everything that will create your impression of the city is located in the Medina, so it is better to stay in this area of Chefchaouen.
It is a must to stay in a traditional Moroccan house called Dar or Riad. Both of them are very beautiful, cozy, with internal patios, terraces and a welcoming atmosphere. Another such housing in Chavin is often called simply a house, which in Spanish sounds like Casa, and in French - Maison. In this case, mainly Spanish and French are used, apparently due to the past of the city, and also due to the numerous immigrants from Southern Europe.
You can book such accommodation in advance at, but sometimes, out of season, you can find a good option already on the spot, while saving the same percentage that intermediaries charge. However, when looking for accommodation on the spot, you should be careful: very often Moroccans offer to stay at home in comfort and with everything you need for a small fee. But we understand that not every comfort can be comfortable. In this case, it is better to look for suitable accommodation in advance on the same Booking, and only then, upon arrival in Chefchaouen, find free places to sleep there. Yours will not leave you.
In Chefchaouen, housing prices range from 8 EUR to 150 EUR. For the first price, you can stay for one night in a dormitory room with 6-10 beds in one of the city's hostels, called Dar, Riad, Casa or Maison. For the second price, you can rent a house for one night with all amenities and maximum comfort.
You can see the prices for apartments, and compare the cost of hotel rooms.
From personal experience
During our stay in Chefchaouen we stayed at a very nice Moroccan family home, La Casa Amina. Finding it among the emerald tangled streets was not easy, but real. This house is quite modest, but at the same time very stylish in Moroccan style: yellow and blue walls, wooden ceilings, patterned tiles and stunning photographs of Chavin's life everywhere, taken by the eldest son of the owner of this house. On the patio, they are treated to mint tea for days and tell interesting stories from the life of the city, and on the terrace you can bask in the sun and wonder what is there on the neighboring terraces. The place is really very homey and therefore so sincerely recommended.
Staying at Casa Amina for one night in a room for two costs 8 EUR per room, but without toilet and shower. The latter seems to be common to all, but quite convenient. The house itself is small, but always full of guests, so if you still like this place to sleep, then it’s still better to book it, because there are always quite a lot of people who want to live in Casa Amina. Of the minuses of this house is the lack of breakfast, but one of the many pluses is that the owners suggest the most delicious budget places in Chefchaouen, where you can have a hearty breakfast and just have a delicious meal. And the atmosphere of the house is still very warm and beckons to return there again and again.
What are the prices for holidays?
Housing prices in Chefchaouen, as already mentioned, vary from 8 to 150 EUR per night, depending on comfort conditions. Breakfasts on average cost 3-4 EUR, lunches and dinners - about 10 EUR. As for cultural recreation for which you have to pay, this is the only museum in the city - the Museum of Artifacts, the entrance fee to which is no more than 2 EUR. Other approximate prices can be found below in the sections on food and souvenirs.
Main attractions. What to see
The whole city is one big attraction. In Chefchaouen you need to walk a lot, notice everything and take a lot of photos. The city is very photogenic. The doors alone are worth something!
Top 5
What to see in 1 day
We stayed in Chefchaouen for three days, and this turned out to be neither more nor less, but just right. But if you only have 1 day for this fabulous city, then you need to walk around it a lot, soak up the sun, take a lot of amazing photos, be inspired and someday come back again. Here's the plan for one day:
- 6 am - meet the dawn from the terrace of the house, drinking warm mint tea and smiling at the sunny day.
- 7 am - get out on the emerald streets and stray stray on a whim, refreshed with tangerine juice from the stall.
- 10 am - Arrange a late breakfast for yourself, snacking on Moroccan sandwiches and oriental sweets in a cinema shop (read more below).
- 11 am - Find all the cats of Chefchaouen and capture them on camera.
- 12 days - drink tea and chat with artists in a local cafe (read more below).
- Day 13 - Find local street graffiti and photograph all the most beautiful doors of the city.
- Day 14 – Dine on couscous or something else delicious at a local home-style restaurant (read more below).
- Day 16 - stock up on souvenirs, honing your trading skills.
- Day 17 - go to the river, to the Ras el maa park and dissolve in that atmosphere of life, childhood and freedom. Take pictures of everyone smiling and bask in the sun in a cafe with colorful chairs while sipping avocado juice.
- 19 pm - climb the observation deck, get to know all the mountain goats along the way, and at the very top marvel at the beauty of Chefchaouen, so similar to the Spanish city of Albaisin, say goodbye to the sun and the city see you soon and go to meet new impressions.
Food. What to try
It is well written about Moroccan goodies and, and you can try all of them in Chefchaouen. Even in Chefchaouin, you definitely need to refresh yourself with avocado and tangerine juices. They perfectly energize not only for the whole day, but for the whole city. With such energy, all the up and down streets of the Medina will be mastered effortlessly. Such juices are well drunk in a cafe by the river for 1.5 EUR and in the heart of the city, walking with takeaway juice from a stall for only 1 EUR.
Everywhere in Morocco, bread is very tasty, and among the smiling Chaveans it is even tastier. It is sold everywhere and for only 0.5 EUR.
You can have breakfast in Chefchaouen from prefabricated products bought on the streets of the Medina or in any street cafe you like. You can have a hearty lunch or dinner in one of the glorious restaurants of the city for an average of 10 EUR per person. It can be cheaper, but not so satisfying and tasty.
In our experience, there are two highly recommended places for pita in Chefchaouen. The first of which is a home restaurant, very modest, tasty, perfect for locals, but so attractive for visitors that long lines line up for lunch and dinner at this restaurant. But the upper floors of the house, it turns out, also belong to the restaurant, so there is enough space for everyone. Unfortunately, I won’t tell you what the name of the restaurant itself is and how to find it, but all the locals know it, they will recommend it to you and tell you where and how. Every Sunday there seems to be couscous day, and at the very top there is a great terrace.
Another place is a stall with Moroccan sandwiches and oriental sweets, very tasty, prepared by the mother of the owner of the shop. In front of the stall there are tables and benches on a slope and give the impression of an open-air cinema with an endless movie of Moroccan fast food. The place is cool, and the sandwiches are hearty and even quite tasty, and one of these costs 4 EUR, and sweets even 0.10 EUR per piece.
Safety. What to watch out for
You can read about Moroccan security in general in the corresponding section in the article about. Also in the article about there is a good description of Moroccan security using personal examples. And as for Chefchaouen, the city not only seems safe, but it is actually very safe. Chefchaouen turned out to be one of the few cities in Morocco where even night walks were quite pleasant and comfortable. The only thing that can bother or annoy is the Arabs obsessively selling hashish. This is how Morocco teaches patience.
Things to do
Outside of the usual walks around the city, you can hang out with a cup of tea in a spacious cozy cafe, the only one in the city where live music sounds in the evenings and artists work wonders during the day. We found this place on the day of Catholic Christmas and planned to return there for the evening for music and fun. They returned, but the musicians let us down, they didn’t come, but we didn’t care about musicians, we still had a concert: all those who came for music played the guitar and sang songs. And so it turned out fun, improvised by all of us. Chefchaouen is inspiring.
This cafe is very noticeable: there is an easel at the entrance, friendly artists and cats. Come in, you'll be satisfied.
Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift
Chefchaouen - holidays with children
Chefchaouen is full of joy and laughter just because there are so many children in the city. Plowing the streets of the Medina or relaxing by the river, little Moroccans are everywhere, frolicking under the clear sky or in the river itself. However, during our entire stay in Chefchaouen, we have never met visiting kids and it's a pity. In my opinion, children would love a sunny city like Chefchaouen. Although the city is not rich in all kinds of civilized entertainment such as a water park, an amusement park and others, but how many other, more true and real joys the city can give to its little guests: mountains, mountain goats, a river, sun, fruits, a football field and even maybe new friends.
Chefchaouen is a very comfortable city, no matter who you come with: with children, without, with friends, without, and even if you are completely alone in this city.
If you lack the sun, friends and inspiration, then Chefchaouen is just the place where all this is more than in abundance. Go there and let Chefchaouen make you happy and warm :).
