If you have ever searched for Morocco on Instagram, Facebook, Xiaohongshu or Google, you must have come across the place "Chefchaouen". It is a mountain town in northern Morocco, known as the "Blue Town of Morocco" and the "Blue Pearl". Due to its remote location, it has been a quiet town for hundreds of years. It was not until Lonely Planet published a group of photos of the Blue Stairs that the Blue City gradually came into people's sight and became one of the most famous cities in Morocco, attracting tourists from all over the world to see its blue beauty.
You may have visited other blue-themed towns in the world before visiting Morocco, such as Santorini, which is famous for its most beautiful sunset, or Santorini Park in Thailand, known as "Little Greece". But I am sure you still have questions about Chefchaouen: Is it really that blue? Is it the whole city, or just a few streets? The answer is - it is really very blue! And it is stunningly beautiful! Before visiting here, you may not be able to imagine that there is a place in the world where every day of the year, the winding and crooked streets seem to be born for photographers. They are splashed with thousands of different blue pigments on the houses, walls, and sky. This is the blue pearl of Morocco.
So how to plan a free travel itinerary in Chefchaouen? What are the special attractions in the old town that cannot be missed? What are the delicious restaurants? How to choose a beautiful accommodation? How to get to Chefchaouen? Follow CHR TOURS and get to know the blue town of Chefchaouen!
Chefchaouen is a small mountain town built in 1471, located at the foot of the Rif Mountains in northern Morocco. Locals call it Chaouen for short. In this Islamic country dominated by green and brown, Chefchaouen has become a rare blue.
Chefchaouen is a remote town in Morocco, more than two hours away from Tangier and more than three hours away from Fes. It is not an easy city to reach. Since there is no train to Chefchaouen, you can only take an intercity bus from Fes, which takes about 4 hours.
Since transportation in Morocco is relatively inconvenient, and there may be misunderstandings or inconveniences when communicating with locals, it is recommended to join a local tour group to save worry and effort. The travel agency will arrange a dedicated business car and driver to take you all the way. The driver is experienced and familiar with the road. He can communicate in English and introduce the attractions. The cars used are all new, equipped with insurance and air conditioning. If you have any questions, you can directly contact the local customer service for a comfortable and secure trip.
Read our recommended itinerary for a 13-day trip to Morocco.
Chefchaouen has been hailed by the BBC as a "paradise on earth" and "an ocean in the desert" for its charming blue hue. However, did you know that Chefchaouen was not blue from the beginning?
This originally ordinary mountain town was first founded in 1471, and its blue history can be traced back to 1492. At that time, Jews who fled the persecution of the Spanish Inquisition settled here. According to a widely circulated legend, blue symbolizes faith and freedom in Judaism, which reminds them of the sky and the presence of God. A Jew was the first to paint the walls of his house blue, and then other residents followed suit, and blue gradually became the main color of the town.
Another theory is that blue paint has a mosquito-repellent effect and can help prevent malaria, so residents began to use blue to decorate their houses on a large scale, gradually forming the blue town we see today.
Although the traditional origin of blue is no longer traceable, no matter where the blue comes from, today's residents still maintain its unique hue by regularly renewing and painting the color of the city, house walls and doors, and this practice has been passed down.
The world's three blue towns: Santorini in Greece, Jodhpur in India and Chefchaouen in Morocco
Chefchaouen is located in a remote area and is not easy to reach, so it is recommended to stay at least one night so that you can have a full day to walk around the town.
Chefchaouen accommodation can be simply divided into "Old Town (Medina)" and "Outside the City Walls". The most convenient point of staying in the old town is that there are many attractions, restaurants and shopping. The disadvantage is that it is easy to find the way home, and most of the accommodation is traditional buildings. Staying in "outside the city walls" takes 8 minutes longer to enter the old town, but it is more likely to have new and high-end resort hotels.
The most exciting part of Chefchaouen is all in the "Medina". Everyone has selected popular check-in attractions, which are all popular IG scenes on the Internet, but in fact Chefchaouen is not a place where you must follow the attractions. The best way to experience Chefchaouen is to wander around the alleys and discover the points that interest you.
This is the latest popular check-in spot in Chefchaouen, right next to the orange juice shop "Orange Shop – Said Juice Seller (Google Map location)". The bright oranges specially decorated by the store form a sharp contrast with the blue background, and the photo effect is very outstanding. The orange and yellow oranges hanging on the vines are really eye-catching.
As long as you buy a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice in the store, you can take pictures here at will, and there is a cute cat nearby to keep you company. In addition, if you walk down one more floor, there are traditional sofas arranged by the owner, which are also very good for taking pictures!
Many vendors will display colorful hats in the alleys, and some shops will hang hats on the wall, which creates a strong impact with the blue wall and is very suitable for taking pictures. Nearby, when taking pictures, the boss will kindly give you a bag and a hat, and teach you where to stand and what poses to take pictures. Of course, remember to leave a tip after taking pictures!
There is also a photo-taking spot for Internet celebrities "Pic photos IG (Google Map Location)" near the "Internet Beauty Blue Stairs" and above the stairs. However, you have to pay to enter the door of this place, and you can see the entire photo setting after entering.
"Tuiles colorées Colored Stairs (Google Map Location)" is the gate of the local residents, and the colors are also bright and colorful, which is quite good to take pictures. But because it is in the shadow, you need to pay attention to the changes in light when taking pictures.
There is a photo spot near the colorful stairs. The blue wall and the bright bougainvillea make you think you are in Santorini, Greece!
At the corner near the "Colorful Stairs", you will see a unique blue eye wall, which is also a local residential area. The bright blue eye wall is very eye-catching and very suitable for taking pictures.
Shortly walk up from the "Colorful Stairs", you can see the most famous "Derb El Assri - Internet Beauty Blue Stairs (Google Map Location)" in Chefchaouen. This famous blue staircase is the symbol of Chefchaouen and the location where the cover photo of Morocco by "Lonely Planet" was taken. The light here varies greatly, and the shooting effects in the morning and afternoon are different. The light in the morning is harder, while the light in the afternoon is softer. If you want to take a perfect photo, it is recommended to avoid crowded times and come at 10 am when the shops just open.
There are really many places in the whole town of Chefchaouen that are good for taking photos. The locals will decorate their spaces in a very stylish way. Everyone can choose their favorite landscapes to take photos, but don’t forget to put a tip in the plate after taking the photo (10 dirhams is enough), because these are all decorated by the locals with care, time and money!
From the foot of the mountain to the "Internet Beauty Blue Stairs", you will pass the "Small Square – Place El Haouta (Google Map Location)", which is surrounded by shops, restaurants, cafes, etc. There is also a blue pavilion in the middle where you can take photos and check in. Although the scenery is not special, there are many unique blue landscapes hidden in the surrounding alleys, and you can take more pure blue beauty in these alleys.
If you want to enjoy the beautiful sunset in Chefchaouen, the most recommended place is the "Spanish Mosque – Bouzafer Mosque (Google Map location)" on the hill outside the city wall. From here, the blue town is dyed golden in the afterglow of the sunset, and the picture is breathtaking.
But it should be noted that it takes at least 30 minutes to climb up the Spanish Mosque from the old town. You must grasp the sunset time and go up the mountain in advance. The entrance to the mountain is located on the outskirts of the old town of Chefchaouen. The signs are not conspicuous. You can pay attention to a small map and arrow signs. If you can't find the entrance, just follow the crowd to the higher place! Many tourists will gather at the Spanish Mosque in the evening, so be sure to come early to reserve a spot!
Chefchaouen is a famous blue city. If you like taking photos, absolutely "don't" wear blue! Because you will blend perfectly into the background. Bright contrasting colors such as white, yellow, orange, and red can better highlight the characters.
From 8:00 to 10:00, the shops are not open yet, and there are few tourists and residents. It is suitable for taking pictures of empty scenes, but the light will be darker at this time, and the whole person will be in the shadow when taking pictures. From 15:00 to 16:00, the light is softer and the photos are more beautiful, but there are more tourists, so it is difficult not to take pictures of people, and you need to queue up at the check-in points.
Although Chefchaouen is not big, you can visit the whole town in 1 hour without taking photos. But the alleys here are as intricate as a maze, and you can always find new surprises when you walk around casually. The light and shadow of the blue city are ever-changing, and the photos taken at different times will feel different. It is recommended that after taking pictures of popular IG check-in spots, you can break away from other people's routes and explore the whole Chefchaouen from your own perspective.
Walking through the maze of Chefchaouen, you will find that the sky is one blue, the walls are one blue, and the doors are another blue. Some blues are light and soft, some are slightly mottled, and you can even see residents painting their walls with new paint. Take a casual stroll along the blue stairs, and you will see brightly colored woven carpets in the alleys, and traditional pottery and leather products can be seen everywhere.
The kittens here are a major feature of the old city. Like many cities in Morocco, Chefchaouen is full of docile and cute cats. They lie lazily in a corner of the blue city, and each of them is raised to be white and fat. They are the real masters of this town, leisurely enjoying the slow life here.
If you like seafood, you can go to this seafood restaurant. You can choose any seafood you want. Avocado salad with shrimp, Smooth Clam, Anchovies Tajine and Pil-Pil Shrimp are all delicious.
If you want to eat Chinese food, you can come to "Mr. Bin Chinese Restaurant (Google Map Location)". They sell all kinds of Sichuan cuisine, such as braised beef noodles, lamb chops, chicken, pickled fish, and boiled fish. The seasoning and ingredients are pretty good.
If you feel tired after strolling around, you can go to the main square Uta El-Hammam (Google Map location) in the center of the old city to find a small Moroccan restaurant or cafe, sit in the open air seats, bask in the sun and drink coffee, which is very comfortable.
Click here to explore more travel guides in Morocco: Travel Inspirations.
Planning to travel to Morocco? You can refer to these itineraries for inspirations:
3-Day Sahara Adventure: Marrakech to Fes via Ait Benhaddou & Merzouga Desert
5-Day Journey through Northern Morocco: A Blend of History and Culture
7-Day Morocco Adventure: A Custom Journey from Marrakech
13-Day Moroccan Odyssey: A Custom Journey from Casablanca
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