The blue pearl is a city in northern Morocco. It was founded in 1471 in the Rif mountains by the Moors and Jews fleeing from Spain. I must confess that before having visited this country, I dreamed of knowing this incredible blue place and discovering its streets. There are several theories that speak of the color of the city, among which this where the more common:
- Being a Jewish settlement, blue is one of the representative colors of this religion.
- Blue and white serve to repel off mosquitoes.
- Represents the sea.
No one knows what the real reason is, but what we all can agree is that the colors of the city make it look amazing.
How to move in the city
To get to Chefchaouen, you will most likely come from Tanger or Fez. Both cities have airports and they are touristic cities and there are several ways to arrive here. In our case, we come from Fez:
- Bus: If you are traveling as a backpacker, this option is very good. The Fez – Chefcaouen journey costs MAD 80 per person, please remember that if your suitcase is big, you must pay MAD 5 to be able to take it on the bus. Although it is not easy to buy tickets online, you can get it easily. Buses run constantly and you can buy tickets at various stores in the city or at the bus station. If you are in Fez, next to Snack Malak you can get them. On the way, the bus stops for 20 minutes so you can relax outside although the buses are very comfortable.
- Private tour: This is a great option to travel around Morocco and our tour starts from Chefchaouen. They take you between the agreed cities, you travel comfortably and you have a personalized guide. I recommend you organize your tour with the Corazón de Marruecos, it is a great agency and they help you to set a perfect tour. Prices depend on the number of days you want to travel with them.
- Shared hostel tour: From Fez, several hostels help you organize the tour and it is a great option. Usually they get several people and there is a tour among the people from the hotel. Normally it is a 1 day tour, they leave early so you get to spend the day in Chefchaouen and return in the evening. Prices range from 400 – 500 MAD
Upon arrival in Chefchaouen, if you arrived by Bus, you should take a Petit Taxi that will take you closer to the Medina to find your accommodation (if you are going to stay, we decided to spend 2 nights). It shouldn’t cost you more than 10 MAD, but again remember to negotiate before getting on it.
The city is quite small and everything is easily accessible on foot, so being in the Medina, you can move around very easily. There are some viewpoints of the city that are a little bit far away and although you could walk, you can also look for a Petit Taxi.
What to do in the city
My best recommendation for you to visit Chefchaouen is that you let yourself get lost in its small streets and blue squares. Every corner has wonders and if you let yourself go you will discover incredible places without you realizing it. If you go off the touristic streets you will find small houses and magical restaurants. The entire city is photogenic so you won’t stop taking pictures.
If you still like to have some destinations marked on your map, I recommend these places that we visited:
Place Outa El-Hammam
This is the main square of the Medina and where almost everything happens. You will find enough restaurants, cafes and shops to spend the day. Additionally, here you will find the Kasbah and the Grand Mosque of Chefcaouen.
Grand Mosque of Chefchaouen
As I mentioned on the Fez blog, sadly in Morocco if you are not Muslim you cannot enter the Mosques. You will have to enjoy its view from outside and observe the Minaret. If you discover what is different from the vast majority, put it in the comments.
The Kasbah
Next to Place Outa El-Hammam, you will find the city Kasbah. Kasbahs are fortifications within the city that normally housed very powerful families. You can enter to visit its gardens but it has a cost of 50 MAD.
Walk through their market streets
I insist again, LOSE yourself in the city, look for small markets and squares, you will see that you will thank me later. In each corner you will find colors and flavors that will leave you with your eyes and mouth open.
Viewpoint of the city
Although there are several viewpoints to observe the city, I recommend that you start doing the path that goes from Ras El-Ma to the Mosque because the view is spectacular and you can continue walking until you reach the Mosque, I wasn’t able to do it because it was already getting dark but I regret it.
Where to stay in Chefchaouen
Although Chefchaouen is a very small city and the vast majority of people decide to do day tours, I would recommend that you spend a night in the city. In our case we decided to spend two as our tour around Morocco started on the second day very early and we had to leave here for Meknes.
The Medina is full of several beautiful hostels to stay so finding one should not be a problem. We booked in La Joya with breakfast included and very close to Plaza Outa El-Hammam.
Another place where you can stay if you have a slightly bigger budget, is the Hotel Parador. We found this place because it was one of the few places where they sold beer and with the heat in the afternoon it was a good option.
Restaurants in Chefchaouen
Although you will find several restaurants on all the main streets inside the Medina, these are my recommendations:
- Bab Ssour: Restaurant with typical Moroccan food, it has several room, I recommend you go up to the terrace and have lunch with a very nice view.
- Mandala: A great place very close to Place Outa El-Hammam, it is a great place if you want to try a good pizza and have a flavor you know.
- Hotel Parador: If you can’t take a few days without a beer, this is a great place to go. It has a small bar and you can go out to the pool where you have an incredible view and watch the sunset.
