Chefchaouen: The Blue City Tucked into the Rif Mountains

Tucked into the Rif Mountains, just over an hour's drive from Tangier and Tetouan, Chefchaouen is world-famous for its indigo-washed alleyways — a setting that makes it one of Morocco's most photographed towns.

A fortress founded to resist invasion

Chefchaouen was founded in 1471 by Moulay Ali Ben Rachid, a local military leader, primarily as a stronghold to resist the Portuguese incursions then threatening Morocco's northern coast. After 1492, the town welcomed many Muslim and Jewish refugees expelled from Spain by the Reconquista, who enriched its crafts and architecture. As for the famous blue wash, while sometimes linked to local Jewish tradition, old photographs show it only became widespread in the 20th century, particularly in the 1930s–40s — the hue admired today is thus a more recent tradition than often assumed.

The Kasbah, the town's historic heart

Built from the town's founding, the Chefchaouen Kasbah overlooks Outa el-Hammam square at the heart of the medina. Its rammed-earth walls, reinforced with towers, now house a museum of regional archaeology and ethnography, with an Andalusian garden in its inner courtyard.

Continue the discovery

The Chefchaouen destination page brings together all the town's sites available to book online.

Practical information

Chefchaouen is easily reached by road from Tangier or Tetouan. The mountain climate is cooler than elsewhere in Morocco: spring or early autumn are best for enjoying walks through the medina and surrounding hills.