Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen was founded in 1471 on the slopes of the Rif and over the centuries took in Andalusian families who brought their architecture and crafts. Today it is known for lanes and houses washed in shades of blue, and is one of the most photographed places in Morocco.

The heart of town is the Outa el Hammam square, with the Andalusian kasbah and its garden and the Great Mosque with its octagonal minaret. At the edge of town the Ras el-Maa spring runs down between the houses, and a short path climbs to the Spanish Mosque on the facing hill, from where you see the whole town at sunset.

Chefchaouen is small and quiet and is seen on foot; its shops sell woollen weaving and local goat's cheese. We usually plan it as a full day between Fes and Tangier: about three and a half hours from Fes, about two hours on to Tangier.