Best things to see & do in Chefchaouen; a complete travel guide

If you are looking for the best things to see and do in Chefchaouen, then this travel guide is perfect for you! While I was planning my trip to the Blue Pearl of Morocco to explore its narrow streets and its pretty doors, I discovered it wasn’t always easy to find the information I needed. So I decided to share all my knowledge and experiences in this post to answer all your questions. That way it will be much easier planning a trip to Chefchaouen!

Want to explore more of Morocco? I am sure you will be interested in my Morocco Road Trip Guide and my travel guides to Fes and Marrakech!

Best things to see & do in Chefchaouen; a travel guide to the Blue Pearl of Morocco

TABLE OF CONTENT

Best things to see & do in Chefchaouen; a travel guide to the Blue Pearl of Morocco

Where is Chefchaouen?

Chefchaouen is located in the northwest of Morocco in the Rif mountains. It takes about a two and a half hour drive from Tangier and a four hour trip from Fes. It takes this long to get there, because there are no highways that connect these cities. Maximum speed between Tangier and Chefchaouen is often only 40 km and 60 km per hour. But it is a very scenic route, so I didn’t mind to sit in the car that long.

best things to see and do in Chefchaouen

How to get to Chefchaouen?

Not only aren’t there any highways, there aren’t trains either. So the easiest way to get to Chefchaouen is to fly to Tangier (it is the closest airport) and hire a personal driver online via a website with good reviews. If you will drive that long, you want to make sure you’ll sit comfortable and arrive safely at your destination, since driving in Morocco can be very adventurous. It is a little pricey, but the drivers speak English or French (or both) and you get water and wifi on board. A regular taxi can not always be trusted.

Another advantage of hiring a personal driver is that they will contact the host of the place you are staying at and they will help you with carrying your luggage. So no looking for your hotel in the maze of streets or dragging your heavy bags on the many steps.

If you want a cheaper option, you can take the CTM bus. If you arrive in Tangier airport, you’ll need to take a taxi to the CTM bus station in the city first. You can travel almost the whole of Morocco by CTM buses.

Where and how long should you stay in Chefchaouen?

I have spent three nights in Chefchaouen. That way I had two full days to enjoy all the best things to see and do in Chefchaouen. I could’ve stayed longer because I loved wandering the blue streets, but two days is enough to see most of the town.

When you are planning a trip to Chefchaouen I recommend to book a hotel or guesthouse in the medina. That way you are close to the shops, restaurants and sights. It is also good to know that only the medina is blue, the rest of Chefchaouen is not.

I stayed at Dar Zambra, a traditional Moroccan guesthouse, which is located on the hill at the edge of the medina. I had a wonderful view on the city from its rooftop, where breakfast was served every morning. The guys who run Dar Zambra speak English and they were very nice, always ready to help. My standard single room was small, but clean and it had a heater! Which is rare in hotels in Chefchaouen, because I heard people complaining about it. I really enjoyed my stay there!

Booking.com

When is the best time to go to Chefchaouen?

I visited Chefchaouen at the end of March. The mornings were a bit chilly (10-15°C), but when the sun came out, the temperature rose to 23°C. When I was there the weather wasn’t perfect. I had one stormy night with a lot of wind (I thought my window would explode!) and rain. But I was lucky that it only rained for one hour during the day, even though the sky was often grey.

The locals told me the weather wasn’t normal for the time of the year. But they were happy that it rained, because apparently they had had a very dry winter. I think March to June is the perfect period to visit Chefchaouen. There are less tourists then and the weather is already pleasant.

During the summer months the average temperare is about 25°C. Because Chefchaouen is located in the mountains, it never gets unbearably hot. During the winter months the chance of rainy days is way higher.

Why is Chefchaouen blue?

Since it is a frequently asked question, it could not be missing from this Chefchaouen travel guide! After it is always nice to know some background information about the places you visit, right?

There are a lot of stories about why Chefchaouen is painted blue. But no one really seems to know the truth about the Blue Pearl of Morocco. Historic reports say the city has been blue since the 15th century. But some say the jews painted it blue when they took refuge from Hitler in the 1930s to remind people of the sky, heaven and God. Others say the blue is a good mosquito repellant. Which could be true, because I didn’t encounter any mosquitoes. Another theory is that the blue paint keeps the buildings cooler. Whatever story might be true, I am glad they keep repainting it blue, because it is simply stunning.

How to experience Chefchaouen at its best?

Even though a lot of people seem to do a day trip to Chefchaouen from Fes, I recommend staying at least one night to make sure you will be able to experience all the best things to see and do in Chefchaouen. The drive from Fes takes too long and you’ll only be able to explore the city in the middle of the day for a few hours, when this charming town is at its busiest.

I loved exploring Chefchaouen early in the morning when it was still quiet. The only sounds I heard were the birds and the rooster announcing the start of a new day. It was easy to take photos without the crowds. It felt like an abandoned city with me being the only one left. By day I continued exploring all the narrow blue streets and checked out the cute boutiques. I loved discovering new places and hidden corners. If you are here for only a few hours, you will never be able to explore Morocco’s Blue Pearl to the fullest.

What are the best things to see and do in Chefchaouen?

Take a lot of photos

Chefchaouen is one of the most photogenic places I ever visited. Every street is beautiful. So I can only advise to take a good camera and keep it in your hands the whole time, because there are a lot of photo opportunities. There are even house owners who let you in to take photos for a small admission fee of 5 MAD. There are some photo places that became famous thanks to Instagram. During the day you will need to stand in line to take a photo there. So wake up early in the morning, if you want to be able to take pictures without the crowds and the waiting. I discovered many other nice photo spots as well.

If you are interested in the best photo locations in Chefchaouen I recommend to check out my Chefchaouen Photography Guide!

Get lost in the blue narrow streets

The best way to find unique spots and to escape the crowds is to take any street or stairs that isn’t located on the “tourist route”. That way you’ll find yourself alone and you’ll discover Chefchaouen at its best. I found myself “lost” quite a few times, meaning I just took one unknown street after the other. I loved the fact that I only encountered a few locals and that I discovered so many beautiful corners, doors, fountains…

Hike to the Spanish Mosque

If you are looking for a fantastic view of Chefchaouen, I recommend to do the hike to the Spanish Mosque. The best views can be found on your way, so it is not really necessary to go all the way up. But if you like to hike for a while, this is a nice thing to do. You can sit on the small wall and catch the sunset. I didn’t, because it was too windy at the time. After the wind decided to show my bright pink panties to everyone around me, twice (I was wearing a long floaty dress), I decided it was time to return.

Drink a lot of orange juice

I drank the best orange juice in Morocco, so I couldn’t let this one out of this Chefchaouen travel guide! I had two favorite places to drink orange juice in Chefchaouen. The first one was at the Ras el Ma waterfall. This waterfall is located at the east border of Chefchaouen. You can have an orange juice by the river or you can get a table in the river! That’s right! You can sit at a table with your feet in the river! It was a little too cold to do that when I was there, but it was a very relaxing place to have a juice and listen to the sound of the flowing water.

My other favorite was Said’s orange juice bar near the famous “blue steps”. I know it sounds weird, because there are blue steps everywhere in Chefchaouen. But everyone seems to call this little side street thé blue steps of Chefchaouen. Said is a very friendly guy, who has a beautifully decorated juice bar. He builds up the whole bar every day and it looks like a photo set. He even has a seating area! Check out his Instagram!

Enjoy a meal or a drink at the Place Outa Hamam

If you love people watching like me, the Place Outa Hamam is your spot! This is the central meeting point of Chefchaouen and you will find a lot of restaurants here. So sit at one of the terraces in the square and just take a look around. Both day and night this place is always full of life.

Shop local souvenirs

Moroccan shops will always be on the best things to see and do list! There are a lot of cute boutiques in Chefchaouen where you can find carpets, lamps, soaps, spices, baskets, straw bags, leather items, jewellery and handmade crafts. So it is a lot of fun to just stroll around and browse the shops.

Listen to the call to prayer from a rooftop

I loved sitting at the rooftop of my guesthouse and listen to the call to prayer. Every mosque starts doing it at a different time, so the “Allahu Akbars” echoe all over Chefchaouen and against the mountainsides.

Where to eat and drink?

This travel guide would not be complete without restaurants being on the best things to see and do list in Chefchaouen! Even though it is a small town, there are a lot of food options! These were my favorite places to eat:

Café Clock: This is a more modern and trendy place, where you can eat traditional Moroccan dishes with a twist. I loved the pancakes with caramelized bananas and the camel burger. It is also a great place to meet people. I was never eating alone. They often have live music in the evening, so there is always something happening at Café Clock.

Marisco Twins: There are two Marisco restaurants at the Place Outa Hamam, but everyone told me to go to the Twins restaurant, because it is better. I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner here (spread over different days) and I never got disappointed. The staff always recognized me and were very friendly. They serve traditional food like tagines, couscous and soups.

Restaurant Lampe Magique Casa Aladdin: I think the name already explains it all! I really loved the interior of this restaurant. It felt like I was beamed into an Arabic Nights fairytale. The restaurant also has a rooftop terrace with a view of the Place Outa Hamam. I only ate the soup here, because I wanted something light after having the massive pancakes at Café Clock for lunch. But the soup was delicious.

What to pack for Chefchaouen?

Since it is a muslim country I took a lot of sleeved maxi dresses and wide pants. You need to cover up if you want to respect the country’s culture and its people. A headscarf isn’t necessary though.

Don’t forget to bring an umbrella, a scarf, a warm cardigan or sweater and a jacket. Chefchaouen is situated in the mountains, so it can get very chilly in the evening. There is a big chance of rain between the months of October and April. I visited at the end of March and I wore my denim jacket a lot of times since it was a bit cold.

Comfortable shoes are also necessary. Chefchaouen is built in the mountains so there are a lot of steps. High heels are definitely not recommended!

Pin this best things to see and do in Chefchaouen travel guide for later!

Book your trip to Chefchaouen here: