There’s a saying that goes: “Morocco is the closest furthest away place” because in just under four hours from London, you can be in the middle of medinas and riads so bustling and charming, you’ll feel worlds away from your desk and Pret sandwich. But, just when I thought Yves Saint Laurent’s Majorelle Garden (think lush greenery against Yves Klein blue coloured buildings) in Marrakech was the most photo-worthy place in the country, I stumbled across Morocco’s best-kept secret: Chefchaouen.
Situated in the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen literally translates to ‘The Blue City’ as every building in the old quarter has been a shade of blue since they were first painted in the 1930s. Affectionately known as ‘The Blue Pearl’, residents will happily tell you that the tradition first came to be because Jewish refugees wanted the city to symbolise heaven, or because the colour blue is meant to ward off mosquitos – it depends who you ask. And every year, new coats of paint made from local blue henna dye are washed over the houses to keep the heritage going.
You can get there in about two hours from Tangier (which is what I did in a shared six-people taxi for 600 dirhams/£43), four hours from Fez and six from Casablanca, so go off the beaten track and expect some serious geotag stalking on Insta.
In contrast to somewhere like Marrakech, which can be busy and frantic at times, Chefchaouen is peaceful and quiet (probably due to its modest 40,000 inhabitants) which doesn’t only mean a tamer experience but also countless opportunities for an epic (and empty) Instagram backdrop. This #ootd was taken in a residential street dotted with colourful potted plants.
The exteriors are what dreams are made of. With all the buildings in the ancient medina painted a palette of blue hues and whites, every street corner is another wanderlust-inducing picture prospect. And because there’s not one obvious route to the city, it still remains a hidden gem. For direct flights to Tangier (the closest airport route to Chefchaouen), check out Air Arabia and make sure to stay hydrated and awake for the winding mountain road drive, although it’s possibly not an ideal journey for the faint-hearted or car-sick.
At the time of writing, the Instagram hashtag #doors had almost 850,000 posts and I guarantee you won’t find door porn like this anywhere else. This particular door belongs to a market stall run by a local old man, where I bought a leather wallet for the equivalent of £3. Thanks to the city’s slightly off-grid status, the prices are much lower compared to big city markets.
With only a few hotels to choose from, stay in a riad (a traditional Moroccan house with an interior garden/courtyard) where you’ll drink fresh orange juice and eat sfenj (Moroccan doughnuts) for breakfast. Casa Perleta has a roof terrace that makes the perfect setting for an afternoon cup of Moroccan mint tea. And just around the corner is restaurant Casa Hassan which serves up classic cuisine like tagines and harira soup but, remember, alcohol is barely served in the city, so if you’re in dire need of a glass of vino, you’ll have to venture up Atlas mountain to the comically old-school discotheque (that word makes sense when you see it) in Hotel Atlas where a beer will cost you the equivalent of £7.
Ready for a micro history lesson? Although the city was founded in 1471 as a small fortress to defend itself from Portuguese invasions, it was seized by the Spanish in 1920 and eventually given back to Morocco in 1956 – which explains why the locals there largely speak a mix of Arabic and Spanish. Today, one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions is the old Spanish Mosque which sits a 20-minute hike away from the old quarter and has amazing views of city. Just make sure to only bring flats with you for the cobblestone streets and mountainside walks.
The city isn’t all blue. Bags of brightly coloured henna dyes – used for everything from painting houses to decorative body paint for celebratory events – line the maze-like streets and are sold alongside hand-woven rugs, pottery and maxi dresses. And, make sure to enjoy the sensory overload that is walking into a spice shop or pharmacy stocked full of argan oil.
Finally, I can’t not mention the cats that make up a quarter of the population in Chefchaouen. If #catsofInstagram is your thing, you’ll have enough fodder for weeks. They’re all adorable, obviously, and happily live among the locals and around the souks. Speaking of shopping, browsing and haggling is a surprisingly peaceful venture with every stall owner more chilled out than the last – which may be due to the lesser-known fun fact that weed is widely smoked and sold in Chefchaouen – and since the city is based up the mountains with an influx of sheep, another specialty of the city is wool so stock up on knits.
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