Chefchaouen: The Blue Pearl (And Yes, It Really Looks Like That)

The Blue City

You've seen the pictures online and probably thought, 'Okay, they definitely edited that.' I thought the exact same thing until I got here. Nope. It's actually that blue. Every wall, door, and staircase.

Why is it Blue?

People will give you ten different reasons. Some say it keeps mosquitoes away, others say the Jewish refugees painted it in the 1930s to represent the sky and heaven. Honestly? Nobody knows for sure anymore, but it looks incredibly cool.

What to Do

Unlike Marrakech or Fes, Chefchaouen is super chill. There's no pressure here. The whole vibe is just walking around, taking photos, and drinking coffee. It's built on a mountain, so be ready to climb a lot of stairs.

You have to hike up to the Spanish Mosque for sunset. It takes about 20 minutes from the edge of town, and the view over the entire blue valley as the sun goes down is unreal. Also, eat the local goat cheese (Jben) for breakfast with olive oil and honey. It's ridiculous.

A Quick Warning

Because it's deep in the Rif Mountains, it takes a long bus ride to get here (about 4 hours from Tangier or Fes). The roads are winding, so if you get carsick easily, take a pill before you get on the bus. Trust me.