Chefchaouen
The blue city of the Rif — indigo alleys, mountain air, and mornings made for slow photographs.
Nobody remembers exactly why Chefchaouen is blue — a mix of old Andalusian tradition and, some say, a belief the colour keeps insects away — but the effect is the same for every visitor: every turn looks like a photograph you didn't take on purpose. It's a small town, and that's the point. You come here to slow right down.
The Rif mountains around it are genuinely wild — this was one of the harder regions to reach for much of Morocco's history, and it still feels a little apart from the rest of the country. Come in the early morning before the day-trip buses arrive from Tangier, and the blue alleys are almost entirely yours.
Wander the blue city
A slow photo walk through the indigo alleys of Chefchaouen at first light.
Dawn in the medina
Before the shops open, before the crowds — just you, the blue walls and the cats.
Ras el-Maa waterfall
A short walk to the spring that feeds the whole town, still used for washing wool and rugs.
Spanish Mosque viewpoint
A steep half-hour climb for the best panorama of the medina in Morocco.
Wildflowers on the Rif hillsides and comfortable walking temperatures.
Warm days, cool evenings, and the summer crowds thinning out.
Busy with domestic tourism and hot by midday — still worth it for the early mornings.
Quiet and cool, sometimes with a dusting of snow on the higher Rif peaks.
Chefchaouen on the northern loop
Chefchaouen sits naturally between Tangier and Fes, a comfortable stop for anyone entering or leaving Morocco through the north rather than flying into Marrakech.
Mustapha routes northern itineraries through Chefchaouen whenever a journey starts or ends near Tangier.
Ready to explore Chefchaouen?
Tell Mustapha your dates and he will build Chefchaouen into a journey that is yours alone.