CHEFCHAOUEN

1 Wander the blue streets of Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen is a photographer’s dream. Spend plenty of time wandering every indigo nook and cranny of Morocco’s blue pearl. Finding your own favorite spots is part of the charm!

2 Photoshoot with a local

Chefchaouen has many secrets, and while discovering them is part of the fun, a photoshoot with a local will help you see the Blue Pearl with a photographer’s eye. I loved booking a shoot with a local named Soufian, to find insider secrets to iconic spots in Chefchaouen. Photos from your travels can be the best souvenir.
 
It’s best to start photographing early in the morning before tourists arrive and shops open, many of them covering the blue walls with their souvenirs.

3 Kasbah

Built in 1471, the Kasbah now museum was a fortress against the Portugese. The interior courtyard is beautiful, full of the music of birds and cooing doves with soft rays of sunshine pouring over the Kashah walls. It’s the perfect place to spend a quiet morning or enjoy a peaceful moment, away from the bustling Plaza Uta el Hamman outside.

4 Breakfast at Cafe Clock

Before 12pm, grab their breakfast special for 55 dirhams with a variety of eggs or a fluffy stack of pancakes, orange juice, and coffee or tea. Marvel at the hundreds of shades of blue from their rooftop terrace, make friends with their resident cats, and plan your day in the Blue Pearl.

Cafe Clock also has cooking classes and on some nights, live music.

5 Sunset at Casa Aladdin

They have a full menu for 120 dirhams with an appetizer, entree, and dessert.

6 Place El Haouta

Not as popular as the touristy Plaza Uta el Hamman, this is my favorite square in Chefchaouen. Mornings and lazy afternoons are best spent here, having coffee or tea with the locals and watching Chefchaouen go by. It’s a fantastic place to rest and reflect at peace away from the business of the Plaza.

7 Have fresh-squeezed orange juice

The fresh-squeezed orange juice from this spot is amazing!  You’ll love the contrast of bright oranges and indigo walls from this Instagrammable spot.

8 Buy a Moroccan rug

There are many dishonest rug sellers in Morocco, but Dar Chefchaouen is one you can trust to sell you a quality rug and be honest about the material you’re buying. Even if you don’t buy a rug here, you’ll leave with a greater appreciation and new eyes for assessing quality rugs in Morocco.

They’ll tell you what most rug shops in Morocco won’t—that there is no such thing as camel wool in Morocco, that some rugs are made with dead wool (taken from the hides of the sheep, much coarser, and tainted with chemicals), some with live wool (sheared from the sheep), and that some rugs are even made with other materials like velvet.

How to Plan Your Trip to Chefchaouen

Where to Stay in Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen has a range of accommodation from budget to luxury to suit every budget. For budget stays, we liked Dar Antonio in the heart of the medina.

How to Get to Chefchaouen

There are no trains to Chefchaouen, but you can book a bus with CTM. Reserve your tickets online here, especially in high season (April to October). The bus takes about 4 hours and includes a short break. From the CTM station in Chefchaouen, a taxi to the medina should cost 20 dirhams, but you’ll have to haggle to get there.

How to Get Around Chefchaouen

Besides arriving and departing, you shouldn’t need transport during your trip to Chefchaouen. The most popular sights are all close together and within walking distance.

Harassment in Chefchaouen

Although it’s a fantastic country to visit, verbal sexual harassment in Morocco is unfortunately very common and a deterrent to a “perfect” holiday. Especially if you’re a woman traveling solo or with other women, you’ll be inundated by comments, sounds like “psst” or “sss”, and looks by men. As tiring as it can be, don’t let catcalling stop you from visiting this beautiful country. Just be aware before booking your trip.

When I first visited Morocco (solo with other women), I learned how to say “Shame on you,” pronounced “Ha-shoe-ma a-leek,” and it can be helpful in the worst situations.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t a fantastic country to visit, but you should be aware when planning your trip.

Drones in Morocco

Drones are BANNED in Morocco. You need to declare them at the airport, and they’ll be confiscated until the end of your trip. If you’re not flying out of the same airport, you’ll have to ask Customs to ship it to the airport you’re flying out of.

Health in Chefchaouen

As always, you’ll want to travel prepared with a probiotic, Imodium (for traveler’s diarrhea), and cold & flu medicine.
 
If you’re allergic or sensitive to hair dye, DO NOT let anyone give you “black henna”; it’s not real henna but actually hair dye.

Travel Insurance for Morocco

Whatever you do, don’t travel without travel insurance. Whether it’s sickness, theft, or lost luggage, something WILL go wrong, and travel insurance is your only way of lessening costs!