CityCoordinates: 35.17° N, 5.27° W

Chefchaouen

شفشاونⴰⵛⵛⴰⵡⵏ

The Blue Pearl: blue-washed lanes

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Photo: Diego F. Parra Pexels License Original file

Recommended stay: 2 days
Best season: April to June and September to October
Elevation: 564 m
Population: 46,168 (2024)
Best for: Blue-washed medina photography · Spanish Mosque sunset views · Rif mountain trails & Akchour
Key landmarks: Outa el-Hammam squareKasbah and its ethnographic museumGrand Mosque with its octagonal minaretRas el-Maa spring and wash housesSpanish Mosque viewpointBab el-Ain gateTalassemtane National Park

The blue town of the Rif mountains.

Getting there

CTM coach or grand taxi from Tangier (2h30–3h), Tétouan (1h15), or Fès (about 4h15)

The Blue-Washed Medina of the Rif

Tucked beneath the twin limestone horns of Jebel Tisouka and Jebel Meggou, Chefchaouen blends Andalusian red-tiled roofs with indigo, cobalt, and sky-blue limewashed walls. Compact and relaxed compared to Morocco’s imperial cities, its stepped lanes lead down to the shady cobbles of Plaza Uta el-Hammam, where a 15th-century terracotta kasbah and octagonal minaret anchor the heart of town.

Morning Light, Mountain Trails & Local Crafts

Set out between 7:30 AM and 9:00 AM along Callejon El Asri and Sidi Bouchouka for quiet blue alleys and soft mountain light before day-trippers arrive from Tangier and Fès. Spend the afternoon browsing hand-woven Rif wool blankets, sipping mint tea by the cold mountain waters of Ras El Maa, and walking 30 minutes up to the Spanish Mosque for golden hour—or add a second day to hike the turquoise pools of Akchour.

Weather and climate

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Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0)

Climate by month

Average low and highRainy days

Climate by month
Month	Average low and high	Rainy days	Event
Jan	6°C – 14°C42°F – 57°F	9	—
Feb	6°C – 15°C43°F – 59°F	9	—
Mar	8°C – 17°C46°F – 63°F	10	—
Apr	9°C – 19°C49°F – 66°F	10	—
May	12°C – 23°C54°F – 73°F	8	—
Jun	16°C – 27°C60°F – 81°F	3	—
Jul	19°C – 32°C66°F – 89°F	1	—
Aug	20°C – 32°C68°F – 90°F	1	—
Sep	17°C – 27°C62°F – 81°F	6	—
Oct	14°C – 23°C57°F – 73°F	9	—
Nov	10°C – 18°C49°F – 64°F	10	—
Dec	7°C – 15°C45°F – 59°F	9	—

Source: Open-Meteo Historical Weather API (ERA5 reanalysis), 1991-2020 monthly averages. Updated November 6, 2026. open-meteo.com

Suggested itinerary

Checked by Morocco Insider Tips on November 6, 2026

Day 1 Day 1 — Blue Medina Alleys, Kasbah Museum & Spanish Mosque
Morning
Start at 7:30 AM to photograph the quiet indigo stairways of Callejon El Asri, Sidi Bouchouka, and Place El Haouta in soft morning mountain light.
Afternoon
Relax on Plaza Uta el-Hammam, climb the 15th-century Kasbah keep and Andalusian garden (80 MAD for foreign visitors, 10 MAD for locals), and browse hand-woven Rif wool blankets.
Evening
Cross the Ras El Maa mountain spring and follow the stone path 30 minutes uphill to the whitewashed Spanish Mosque (Bouzaafar) for sunset over the entire blue valley.
Day 2 Day 2 — Talassemtane National Park & Akchour Waterfalls
Morning
Take a shared grand taxi (about 30 MAD per seat, or 150 MAD for the whole car; around 30 minutes) from Chefchaouen to Akchour trailhead and hike along the turquoise Farda river pools to the Grand Waterfall.
Afternoon
Enjoy a riverside tagine cooked over charcoal at the trail cafés and hike up to the dramatic natural rock arch of God's Bridge (Pont de Dieu).
Evening
Return to Chefchaouen for a warm neighborhood hammam and a rooftop dinner of local Rif goat cheese and wood-fired bread.

Tips

Early morning (7:30–9:00 AM) has the best diffused light inside the blue canyon streets and zero day-tripper crowds.
Bring sturdy walking shoes with good grip: the painted medina cobbles can be slick and Akchour requires river-stone crossings.

Getting around

CTM buses connect Chefchaouen with Tangier (2h30–3h, via Tétouan), Tétouan (1h15), and Fès (about 4h15); book your onward CTM ticket 24–48 hours ahead.
Blue urban petit taxis charge around 10 MAD from the lower CTM bus station up to Bab El Ain or Bab Souk medina gates.

Etiquette

Many photogenic blue doorways and flower-pot steps are private family homes—keep voices low in residential cul-de-sacs and never block front doors.
Politely decline unsolicited street offers in the hills; stick to official trails and licensed mountain guides.

Sources, updated November 6, 2026

Getting here by train and bus

Direct rail, high-speed train, and coach routes connecting Chefchaouen.

Coach (CTM / Supratours)CTM
Arriving
Fès Chefchaouen
4h 30m(270 min)140 MAD
Schedule: A few departures a day; about 140 MAD to Chefchaouen's central bus station below the medina
CTM and Supratours departures on popular routes often sell out the day before, especially on weekends and Moroccan holidays. Book early if your dates are fixed.
Book on CTM site
Coach (CTM / Supratours)CTM
Departing
Chefchaouen Fès
4h 30m(270 min)140 MAD
Schedule: A few departures a day from the central bus station (no separate CTM station; luggage is tagged at the CTM desk)
Book on CTM site

Recommended trip plans featuring Chefchaouen

Curated multi-day itineraries connecting Chefchaouen with other Moroccan destinations.

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Photo: Fbrandao.1963 CC BY-SA 4.0 Original file
10 daysApr · May · Sep
10-Day Grand Morocco: Imperial Cities, Blue Rif, Sahara & Atlantic Coast
The ultimate 10-day route covering Morocco's highlights: Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, imperial Rabat, the blue medina of Chefchaouen, ancient Fès, the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi, Todra Gorge, Aït Benhaddou, Marrakech souks, and breezy Essaouira.
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