Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen sits on a mountainside in the Rif, in the north of Morocco, its houses washed in blue. It was founded in 1471 by Moulay Ali Ben Rachid around a small fortress, the kasbah that still stands at the heart of the old town.

What to see

• The medina's narrow blue lanes and Outa el-Hammam square.
• The kasbah and its garden, in the middle of the old quarter.
• The Spanish mosque on the hill above town, for the view at sunrise or sunset.
• The Akchour waterfalls and the rock arch called 'God's Bridge', about 30 minutes' drive away in Talassemtane National Park.

Getting there

Chefchaouen is 110 km from Tangier (about 2 hours) and 194 km from Fes (about 4 hours), but far from Marrakech. It fits best into a tour of the north. Our 10-day northern Morocco tour spends two nights here, with a day at Akchour.

Good to know

• The walk to Akchour is a few hours on uneven paths: bring good shoes.
• The town is a paradise for walkers, as the national tourist office puts it, so plan time to wander rather than tick off sights.