Tucked away from the main tourist hustle and bustle, Morocco’s blue city, Chefchaouen, is worth the journey for a visit. Painted entirely a soft pastel blue (a mix of the founding groups’ colors — dark blue for the Jews and white for the Arabs which settled Chefchaouen), today Chefchaouen retains its authentic Moroccan feel, even with the encroachment of modern technological advancements. It’s steep, cobbled medina streets wind up the side of the mountain, lined on either side by picturesque, blue-painted riads. The call to prayer is particularly melodic as it echoes off the surrounding cliffs. If you’re lucky on the weekend you can catch a late night wedding party dancing through the streets; Chefchaouen is a popular wedding location for Moroccans.
“Chef” as the locals call it happens to be the sister-city of my hometown, Issaquah, Washington. No wonder I felt right at home in this pint-sized swath of blue tucked into a fold in the Morocco’s Rif Mountains. The first time I visited Chefchaouen I planned to just spend one night. 4 days later I schlepped my heavy bags down to the departing bus. I had caught the Chefchaouen magic and was reluctant to leave. Now, a visit to Chefchaouen is a highlight for all our tours to Morocco. I tell ever traveler to make the journey to Chef, it’s Morocco at its best!
I’ve put together this photo essay of many of my favorite Chefchaouen moments. It’s a wonderful city to get lost in and see where your wandering takes you.
Enjoy your travels and see you in North Africa!
Cheers,
Genevieve
ArchaeoAdventures’ Director
Visiting Morocco: Interested in joining an ArchaeoAdventures Tour to Morocco? Learn more about or Majestic Morocco tour
