Chefchaouen, the blue city two hours from Tangier
A mountain medina painted in blues, founded in 1471 and still one of the quietest places in northern Morocco.
Chefchaouen lies a little over two hours from Tangier in the Rif Mountains. Its medina climbs the slope in stairs and painted lanes, with the Kasbah and the Plaza Uta el-Hammam at its heart and the peaks of the Rif closing the view in every direction.
Travellers come for the colour, and stay for the calm: artisan workshops, mountain air, and viewpoints above the town where the whole blue medina sits in the landscape.
What to see in Chefchaouen
- The blue medina
- Lanes, stairways and courtyards washed in blue.
- Plaza Uta el-Hammam
- The main square beneath the Kasbah walls, with its cafés and the Grand Mosque.
- The viewpoints
- Paths above the town with views of the medina against the mountains.
Planning a visit to Chefchaouen
- Getting there
- About 115 kilometres from Tangier, two to two and a half hours by road through the Rif. The day trip lasts about 7 hours door to door.
- Altitude and weather
- The town sits around 600 metres above sea level: cooler than the coast, bring a layer outside summer.
- Time needed
- The day trip from Tangier gives two to three hours in town for the medina, lunch, the shops and a viewpoint.
Questions about Chefchaouen
Can I visit Chefchaouen as a day trip from Tangier?
Yes, it is the classic day trip from Tangier: about 7 hours with a private driver and guide, including two to three hours in the town itself.
Why is Chefchaouen blue?
Several explanations circulate, from a tradition brought by Jewish refugees to a practical way of keeping houses cool and insects away. Your guide will tell you the versions locals believe.
A day in Chefchaouen, your way.
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