Very often, Instagram and reality don’t match up. But Chefchaouen was one of the rare ones that lived up exactly to Instagram expectations. In fact, it has actually become my most favourite city of this Morocco trip. It’s not just the different shades of blue at every corner, but also its vibe, the intimate setting of the medina, and its stunning landscape that took my breath away. Morocco continued to amaze me as Chefchaouen was vastly different from Marrakech and Fez. Each city has its own unique charm, and this one spoke the most to me.
As for Tangier, it was an unplanned stop. We were meant to leave Morocco via Tangier airport, but there was an eight-hour delay, so we got to head out to see the city a bit.
Chefchaouen: The Magical Blue City
Nicknamed “the blue diamond”, it is believed that Chefchaouen was painted blue to repel mosquitoes and to keep buildings cool during the hot summer months. Today, its signature blue attracts tourists from all over the world. Enveloped in the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen was founded in 1417, originated as a fortified Kasbah to defend northern Morocco against Portuguese invaders.
Whilst many treat it as a day trip destination from Fez or Tangier, we think it’s worth spending 2-3 days to fully explore and immerse yourself in the charm of this city.
How to Get to Chefchaouen
We got to Chefchaouen from Fez via a private car hire. Alternatively, you can get to Chefchaouen via CTM bus from Tangier or Fez. However, the bus doesn’t take you straight into Chefchaouen old town (where all the blue is), and you do have to get a local taxi from the bus stop to get there.
The nearest airport to Chefchaouen is Sania Ramel Airport (TTU) in Tetouan, which is for domestic flights only. For international flights, Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport (TNG) is the closest one, which is about 2 hours away from Chefchaouen.
Where to Stay in Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen is a small and compact city. We stayed at Residence Hoteliere Chez Aziz, which is located by the doorsteps of Chefchaouen medina. From there, everything is walkable.
Chefchaouen Hotel Recommendations
- Residence Hoteliere Chez Aziz (where we stayed)
- Riad Alhambra
- Dar Echchaouen
- Riad Nila
- Taj Chefchaouen
Food at Chefchaouen
- El Cielo – organic Arabic fusion restaurant with views overlooking a beautiful tropical garden
- Casa Aladdin Restaurant – Moroccan restaurant with great rooftop views
- Restaurant Hamsa – Moroccan restaurant with great rooftop views
- Vancii – the highest rooftop in Chefchaouen
What to See & Do in Chefchaouen (our 1-day itinerary)
Barrage El Wahda
After a lovely breakfast at our riad in Fez, we got into our private car hire to head to Chefchaouen. The ride was around 3 hours, and it was a scenic one. We made a brief picture stop at the Barrage El Wahda, which is the largest dam in Morocco and the second-largest in all of Africa.
Chefchaouen Medina
We asked our driver to drop us off directly at our hotel, Residence Hoteliere Chez Aziz. Once checked in, we immediately started exploring the Chefchaouen medina.
The medina is much smaller than that of Marrakech or Fez, making it incredibly easier to navigate. Also, people were not trying to haggle with you at every corner. As a pleasant change of scene, you can actually chill and stroll around leisurely in the Chefchaouen medina.
Paid Courtyard Photo Spot
We grabbed a quick lunch at a local restaurant and continued wandering around. Every corner was just so picturesque, but then we stumbled across the cutest photo spot, which is the courtyard of someone’s home! The space is open from 10 am to 7 pm, and you have to pay a very small fee to take pictures in it. In my opinion, it was worth it.
The Spanish Mosque
As it approached golden hour, we made our way towards the Spanish Mosque. Following the main flow of tourists, we managed to find the waterfall and the little trail up to the hilltop where the Spanish Mosque was perched.
The Spanish Mosque was built in the 1920’s, but it’s never been used or opened. It remains an abandoned spot today, and instead serves as a hilltop viewpoint that overlooks Chefchaouen’s medina.
The view was spectacular, and the atmosphere was immaculate. There were street performers performing music up there, and we just absolutely fell in love with this place.
Plaza Uta el-Hammam
Coming down from the Spanish Mosque and weaving through the medina once again, we found ourselves following the cobbled streets and arrived at the main square of Chefchaouen, named Plaza Uta el-Hammam.
The square was lined with cafes and restaurants. Since it’s near dinner time, we picked a random spot for dinner and eventually called it a day.
Tangier: A Historic Port City
Sitting directly opposite to Gibraltar in Spain, Tangier has over 3000 years of history serving as a strategic North African port. Our hotel in Chefchaouen kindly arranged a taxi for us to take us to Tangier. The journey took about 2 hours.
As mentioned, we were meant to go to Tangier Airport to catch our flight back to London. But as we arrived at the airport, we found out our flight was delayed for 8 hours. Therefore, this was an impromptu visit around Tangier, as we dropped off our luggage and wandered off.
What to See & Do in Tangier
Masjid Al-Minaa
We hopped into a taxi outside the airport and asked the driver to take us to the city centre. Instead of Moroccan or French, be prepared to use Spanish here as Tangier is just opposite to Gibraltar in Spain.
After a quick lunch, we first wandered off towards the port, and it’s unmissable to see the majestic Masjid Al-Minaa. The mosque was an absolutely spectacular sight, featuring a striking white-and-gold facade with its golden arches glistening under the sunlight.
Petit Socco and Coffee at Salon Bleu
From there, we wandered a bit at the Petit Socco in the medina, and then found a route to hike up to the Kasbah. We came across Salon Bleu and popped in for a cup of coffee and enjoyed the rooftop views.
Medina & Kasbah
After coffee, we wandered off the check out the Kasbah area, which is located at the highest point of the medina. The Tangier Kasbah/Medina follows a white-washed colour theme that somewhat reminded me of Balearic Spain. Well, you are actually able to spot Spain across the ocean so it makes a lot of sense with the Spanish influences. Compared to all the other destinations we stopped during this Morocco trip, Tangier noticeably has a more European-influenced layout and architectural styles.
Other Things to Do in Tangier
- Grand Socco
- Cap Spartel and Hercules Cave
Follow Our 9-Day Moroccan Journey
Part 1: Marrakech
Part 2: Sahara Desert Tour
Part 3: Fez
