Experience
Chefchaouen
A Rif town founded in 1471, known for its blue-painted medina and its balcony position on the mountain.
Chefchaouen was founded in 1471 as a stronghold, at about 600 metres of altitude, backed against the two peaks that give it its name.
The medina is compact and can be walked in half a day. The blue facades it is known for are maintained quarter by quarter and take the morning light particularly well.
The town is also a way into Talassemtane National Park and to the Akchour waterfalls, some thirty kilometres away.
What there is to see
Outa el Hammam square
The heart of the medina, at the foot of the kasbah.
Kasbah and its garden
A 15th-century fortress, now an ethnographic museum.
Spanish mosque
A viewpoint over the town, twenty minutes uphill.
Akchour waterfalls
A day's walk from the town.
When to go
April to June and September to October. The altitude keeps the evenings cool even in summer, and winter is wet.
Chefchaouen: frequently asked questions
How long should you stay in Chefchaouen?
One or two nights. The medina takes half a day; the second day is for walking in the country around it.
How do you reach Chefchaouen?
By road from Tangier or Fez, two to four hours depending on where you set out. The town has neither an airport nor a railway station.
