The city that blue me away

Chefchaouen, Morocco

It’s all blue. In every direction, there’s just more blue. Dark blue, light blue. Vibrant blue, dull blue. Blue, blue, blue, blue.

It’s what draws visitors here to Chefchaouen in the first place. And once here, it draws you in further, until you feel like you’re in a magical frozen or underwater world.

The old medina of Chefchaouen is not large but it’s the kind of place where you’re happy to walk the same streets over and over again.

As the light shifts throughout the day, the blue glow changes, and you can look at the alleys afresh.

And with freshness. The colour makes everything feel so crisp and clean.

This is a welcome difference from the larger cities of Morocco like Fez or Marrakech.

he streets aren’t large, they’re not full of shops, the crowds aren’t thick and there’s less mania to the atmosphere.

It’s another one of the reasons Chefchaouen has been a favourite stop along the Morocco tourist trail for decades. This is a relaxing break where the lack of sights is part of the charm.

In the town itself, it’s easy to spend a day wandering and trying to find new angles of blue. Up and down stairs, along the main arteries, through the small winding passageways.

The main square has open air cafes and restaurants where there’s no rush to move on. A slow lunch, a leisurely coffee, an hour or two catching up on emails from a cushioned lounge.

Surrounding Chefchaouen is a mountainous nature that’s also one of the draws. There are trails leading off to hikes for a day or even longer. It’s likely these will pass through local marijuana farms – another reason travellers have come here for years – but they are easily ignored.

Unfortunately it’s cold and wet for all of my time in Chefchaouen. The blue sky somewhere above is blocked by an almost constant blanket of grey. Although I had planned a hike to explore the mountains, I decide to spend my time in the medina instead.

Thankfully there’s still enough blue here not to need the sky to give it to me.

I think you’re best off just making your way to Chefchaouen and spending a day or two exploring. But if you’re short of time and just want to go and take some photos, there are a few options here:

Let me now share some more photos of this rich colourful urban environment, high in the green hills away from the oranges and browns that define much of Morocco’s landscapes.

THE BEST ACCOMMODATION IN CHEFCHAOUEN

I think Chefchaouen is worth much more than a day trip and there are some wonderful places to stay in or around the blue buildings.

BACKPACKER

When it comes to great value dorm beds, Riad Baraka has the best in town.

BUDGET

You’ll find really good prices at the very friendly Dar Besmellah, which has a great terrace.

BOUTIQUE

With a very nice modern style, La Petite Chefchaouen has great rooms just on the edge of the kasbah.

LUXURY

Overlooking the town from a quiet hillside location, Dar Jasmine is a beautiful luxury option.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MOROCCO?

See my Morocco Travel Guide

To help you plan your trip to Morocco:

• My tips on the best things to do in Marrakech
• Why it’s worth doing a side trip to this seaside city
• Visit an incredible World Heritage Site used for filming Game of Thrones
• My suggestions for the best things to see in the Medina of Fez
• What you’ll find when you explore the blue city of Chefchaouen
• The grand buildings of the old imperial city of Meknes
• Finding the new and the old in the capital city Rabat
• Visit the ancient Roman ruins that are now a World Heritage Site
• How to deal with touts in Morocco
• Details about all the World Heritage Sites in Morocco

Let someone else do the work for you:

You may also want to consider taking a Morocco tour, rather than organising everything on your own. It’s also a nice way to have company if you are travelling solo.

I am a ‘Wanderer’ with G Adventures and they have great tours in Morocco.

You could consider:

• Morocco Kasbahs and Desert (8 days)
• Highlights of Morocco (15 days)
• Sahara and Beyond (15 days)

When I travel internationally, I always get insurance. It’s not worth the risk, in case there’s a medical emergency or another serious incident. I recommend you use World Nomads for your trip.