In Northwest Morocco, there is a town that serves as one of the best places to see history, religion and the Moroccan people, outside of the major cities.

The name of the town comes from the shapes of the mountain tops near the town, which look like two horns, hence chaoua, or goat. Chef Chaouen more or less means “look at the goat”.

Situated in the Rif Mountains, inland from Tangier and Tetouan, the city was founded as a small fortress in 1471 by exiles from Spain, let by Moulay Ali Ben Moussa Ben Rached El Alami, to help fight the Portuguese invasions of northern Morocco.

The fortress, which was built 500 years ago, exists to this very day.

In 1920, Chefchaouen was seized as part of Spanish Morocco, with Spanish troops imprisoning Abd el-Krim in the Kasbah until 1926 after defeating him with aid from the French.

Upon the independence of Morocco in 1956, Spain returned the city.

In our present day, it has proved to be a very popular tourist destination due to its proximity to Tangier and the Spanish border.

Despite being a popular tourist destination, the town has kept its old-world charm, resulting in only a few modern sights. Most come to enjoy the mountainous location that provides a relaxing atmosphere for any visitor to the city.

The popularity of this, however, is easy to see by the nearly 200 hotels that are apparently available in this town, which capitalize on the summer swarm of European tourists.

One aspect of this town that helps it differ from many of the others in Morocco is the blue and white-washed walls that dominate the city. This tradition comes from the town’s former Jewish population.

It is of little surprise that the town is also popular for shopping considering the amount of tourists who come to the area. Many of the handicrafts here are not available elsewhere in Morocco. Some of the items include wool garments and woven blankets.

The entire town also has a very strong religious feel to it, which is evident in the large amount of mosques that exist in the town, including the beautiful Place Uta Hammam in the medina.

As well, there is a mosque that is dedicated to the patron saint of Northern Morocco’s Jebalah region, Moulay Abdeslam Ben Mchich. His tomb is only an hour’s drive from the town.

Chefchaouen is also home to Islam’s only octagonal minaret.

As with many Moroccan town and cities, the medina is a sight to behold. Here you will find the real hustle and bustle of the town, complete with merchants plying their wares in a truly unique Moroccan experience.

If the medina is not really your style, you can check out the Rif Mountains and take a hike, which can run for longer than nine hours, up the mountains to explore the breathtaking scenery of the countryside.

As well, east of the Medina is a waterfall that many locals go to if they need to cool off. A café is also located close to the waterfall, offering excellent coffee at a slightly inflated price.

Where to Stay

Probably the best place in Chefchaouen to stay is the Casa Hassan, which offers a guest house with eight rooms, sitting areas and a chimney. As well, on the roof you will find a terrace that gives you an amazing view of the city.

A restaurant in the hotel offers Moroccan cuisine, including spiced chicken, pastille and couscous.

In Chefhaouen, houses look very simple and the streets are very clean. Contrasted with the blue and white walls, the mountains and the valley that has a water source that provides some of the freshest water in the world, it is a sight to behold for any traveler to Morocco.

Since it is much smaller than other cities in Morocco, including Tangier, Fez and Marrakech, it is an excellent place to go to if you need to step off the beaten path to enjoy a slower pace of life in a truly beautiful part of the country.

Perhaps because of the atmosphere, or the small town feel, people in Chefchaouen are very nice and friendly and will always be ready to have a conversation from someone visiting from a far off land.

Also, if you want to try Moroccan dishes that are not ‘westernized’ this is the place to go. Many of the town’s cafes offer quality Moroccan dishes that cater to the taste buds of everyone, not just tourists.

The town is also an excellent jumping off point for visiting many of the big attractions and cities in northern Morocco. With its excellent road connections, you can visit Tangier (120 kilometres to the northwest), Tetouan (65 km), Al-Hoceima (215 km), Fez (210 km), Rabat (185 km) and Ksar el-Kebir (85 km).

If you are going anywhere in northern Morocco and you want to visit a place that has a unique history that includes wars and occupations, mountains that shelter the city and provide amazing hiking opportunities, friendly locals, a relaxed atmosphere and some of the most beautiful scenery the country has to offer, then this is the place to visit.

The hustle and bustle of Marrakech is not for everyone, and for those who want to sit back, drink a coffee and watch the people walk by in the medina, Chefchaouen is the perfect place to be.