Chefchaouen: The Blue Pearl of Morocco

Tucked into the Rif Mountains in northern Morocco, Chefchaouen is a town where almost every wall, step and doorway is painted some shade of blue. It is one of the most photographed places in the country, and it earns the attention.

Why is Chefchaouen blue?

There is no single agreed answer, which is part of the charm. The most repeated explanation credits Jewish refugees who settled here in the 1930s, for whom blue symbolised the sky and heaven. Others say the colour repels mosquitoes, or simply keeps the houses cool in summer. What is certain is that the town now repaints itself regularly, and the blue has become its living identity.

What to see

• The medina — small enough to wander without a map, and the whole point of coming.
• Plaza Uta el-Hammam — the main square, overlooked by the red-walled kasbah.
• The Kasbah Museum and its garden, for the view from the tower.
• The Spanish Mosque — a twenty-minute uphill walk for the best panorama, particularly at sunset.
• Ras el-Maa waterfall, where locals still wash clothes at the edge of town.

When to photograph it

Early morning, before around 9am. The light is soft, the lanes are empty and the shopkeepers are only just setting up. By mid-morning the day-trip coaches arrive and the famous staircases fill with queues. Late afternoon is the second-best window.

How to fit it into your trip

Chefchaouen sits naturally on the northern route. From Tangier it is roughly two hours, which makes it an obvious first stop on a tour heading south towards Fes and the Sahara. Coming up from Fes it is about four hours. Most travellers find one night is enough to see it properly and two is a genuine pleasure.