Chefchuan
Chefchaouen - Morocco’s blue city
Chefchaouen or Chaouen, as the locals call it, is Moroccos´s famous blue city, nicknamed the blue pearl of Morocco. Before ever visiting Morocco I had seen plenty of pictures and read about the the blue washed buildings and the blue alleyways of Chefchaouen.
I wondered, like I believe everyone going for the first time do, if Chefchaouen really is so blue, if it´s only a few streets or if the whole city is painted in shades of blue. I also wondered if it was or was not a trick to attract tourists and I am sure after reading this that you wonder too.
photo @photographerchefchouen
In the well kept secret part of the country, the north of Morocco, in the Rif mountains is Chefcaouen. Founded in 1471 by jews and Moors fleeing Spain. The mountains above the city give the appearance of two horns or peaks and it´s believed that this is where the name Chefchaouen comes from meaning “view of the peaks” in the local dialect.
The buildings of the Old Town, the Medina of Chefchaouen are painted blue using a talc or chalk-based paint.
WHAT TO DO IN CHEFCHAOUEN
Chefchaouen is a perfect place to wander around to take in the beauty of a unique city. The Old Town, the medina, is a magical place to get lost in. The city is built on a hillside making the narrow streets and stone steps very steep giving your legs a good workout. Stop and admire the beautiful doorways and detailed tile work that decorate the houses, the stairs and the drinking fountains.
Exploring the labyrinth of narrow blue alleyways smelling of spices, incense, flowers, bread and fresh oranges was the highlight of my visit.
Chefchaouen is a photographers dream and the perfect place to fill up your memory card with unique blue photos.
Go shopping for colorful carpets, blankets, shoes or bags in the souks throughout the medina. It´s a little far from the bigger cities which means prices are higher, but it´s calm and you won´t be hassled as much here as in the cities and the prices are still low.
Visit a hammam to get scrubbed and to experience what plays a big part of life in Morocco. It gets kind of chilly in Chefcaouen because of the location high up in the mountains so if you are visiting in the colder months a visit to one of the local Hammam´s will warm you up.
The towns most famous building isn´t blue. Visit the 15th century Kasbah Fortress, built in Andalusian style on the main square of the city. It features a small museum and a beautiful garden. It was built as the first structure in the settlement to defend Chefchaouen from attack by the Portuguese and Spanish.
Go cat spotting in Chefchaouen, it´s a cat city and they live out in the streets as strays.
Hike to the Spanish Mosque on a hilltop overlooking the blue city, built by the Spanish in the 1920´s. The trail to the mosque crosses a river where you can see local women doing laundry the traditional was in cold mountain water. The mosque is kind of abonded so no-muslims are allowed to go inside to have a look.
Oranges and orange juice is a big deal in tradition. Hot mint tea in Morocco is a sign of hospitality, friendship and and tradition. You might be offered this by the locals, if not sit down at a street cafe, order a steaming glass of mint tea and watch locals dressed in djellaba robes go about their daily life. Soak it all in - the whole Moroccan experience.
HOW TO GET TO CHEFCHAOUEN
Chefchaouen is built on the edge of the Rio mountain range and the only way to get there is by road, winding up a rocky landscape. Driving in Morocco can be a bit crazy if you rent a car. The cheapest way to get to Chefchaouen is by bus. Traveling by taxi is another possibility but mind you Morocco is full of unauthorized taxis, their standard is often bad and the drivers reckless and trying to get as much money out of tourists as possible. My advice is to pay a little extra and book a driver with a car from a private company with a good reputation.
A lot of people only do day trips to Chefchaouen. You can easily visit from one of the nearby cities on a tour. I suggest to spend one or two nights in the city to get a feel of the life of the locals living there. If you are combining the blue city with other close by cities in Morocco the distance is around three hours from Fes, four hours from Rabat and two hours from Tangier.
WHAT TO WEAR
Morocco is a muslim country so conservative clothing is recommended. As a female solo traveler in Morocco I kept my knees, shoulders and chest covered as I see no point in getting unwanted attention. It gets cold at night and in the mornings in Chefchaouen because of it´s location in the Rif mountains so bring a sweater or a jacket.
THE PEOPLE I MET
Everyone I met were kind, went out of their way to help me and made me feel welcome. Be polite and dress appropriately and don´t be naive and you will be fine.
WHERE TO SLEEP
Spend the night in a Riad. Riad comes from the Arabic word of garden, referring to the space in the centre of the traditional Moroccan guest-houses open to the sky, usually with a water fountain. Be aware that you probably will wake up during your sleep to the Arabic call to prayer. I stayed at Lina Riad and loved it.
The truth of the blue city of Chefchaouen it that the Old Town, the medina, is painted blue, every shade of blue from cobalt to turquoise. The city is a tourist destination for the Instagram age but the city´s history and all the shades of blue dates back over 500 years.
There is no consensus on when or why the city turned blue. A common theory is that jews arriving in the 15th century painted the Jewish Quarter blue in honor of God in the color of heaven. Others have said it was jewish refugees in the 1030s who painted the city blue. With both theoris it was for sure long before that tourists discovered Moroccos blue city.
Talking to the locals I learn that they are happy with Chefchaouen as a booming tourist destination as long as the visitors pay respect. Riads are being renovated, new inns have opened, locals have taken up tour-guiding and restaurants and shops are bustling.
Chefchaouen is a magical place with it´s colors, the peacefulness, the traditions and to sum it all up the feeling of being in a place where time has stopped. If wanting to go, I would go now before Chefchaouen like so many other places loses it uniqueness and becomes too touristy.
