Chefchaouen, Morocco – I love the Blue Pearl!

Chefchaouen is in northern Morocco. It was established in 1471 by Moulay Ali bin Rashid, to harbor Andalusian Muslims who were expelled by the Spanish.

The Drive from Casablanca to Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen – the Medina

Chefchaouen was my first impression of smaller-town Morocco, and I was smitten! The medina – the old town – in Chefchaouen is so picturesque, so exotic, so blue! My senses were completely overwhelmed; I loved it, especially interacting with the people, and I would wander for hours. You won’t see many people in my photos; most did not want their picture taken, and I was respectful of that.

The city was founded in 1471. The blue walls of Chefchaouen are dyed, not painted, and there are several theories about that. One is that in 1492, Jews escaping the Spanish inquisition arrived here, and brought a tradition of blue buildings. Another theory is that the blue keeps mosquitos away. Blue is said to symbolize the sky and heaven, and serves as a reminder to lead a spiritual life.

Chefchaouen – the Lodging at Dar Chaoen

Dar Chaoen is the name of the beautiful guest house where I stayed, above the medina, against the hills called “The Horns”. The Horns made my lodgings easy to find from anywhere in Chefchaouen, as they’re visible from all around. It is a gorgeous, friendly place to stay, with a pool, lots of outdoor gathering spots, a restaurant, and spectacular decor.

Chefchaouen is picturesque, unique, friendly, charming, and relaxed. One of my favorite things was wandering the medina in the late afternoon, eating fresh buttered snails from a street vendor there for supper, and people watching. I truly loved being in Chefchaouen, and would definitely return.

Chefchaouen Wrap-Up

I stayed in Chefchaouen for almost a week. Have you ever experienced a hammam? A hammam is a bath house, with attendants. My skin was nearly scraped off after soaking in hot water! I found a couple of geocaches. A private driver enabled me to see more of the countryside, and, at a rural souk, a friendly woman invited me to her house for lunch – quite an experience, and one of my favorite things about traveling: meeting local people.

Stay tuned for those stories, and much more! Have you read my overview of Morocco? Next stop in Morocco…Tetuon, a UNESCO site.

If you’d like to travel Morocco solo, the way I did, this guide book, or others like it, might help. If you’d prefer not to go on your own, this tour of Morocco is small and personal. However you go, I’d love to hear your experiences!

Though I didn’t use it, I found these Chefchaouen experiences you could book – they look great!

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  1. Morocco has always intrigued me since my father lived there a few years while grandpa was in the military.

  2. Wow! I love all your photos. What an amazing place to visit. All that blue is something else and I’m so glad you shared the theories about why they choose blue so frequently. Very interesting!

  3. One thing I love about all your photos from Morrocco, are the vibrant colours. I am sure the culture and flavours are just as vibrant! I can’t wait to visit someday.

  4. What a gorgeous little town! I love all the blue. Morocco is high on my travel list.

  5. Hey, Suzanne. Just getting started reading your website. Great project! I’m off to Morocco next week as you’ve inspired me to travel.

  6. I almost booked a Morocco trip a year ago and your pictures and descriptions make me wish I had. I will get there!

  7. I love your pictures and the blues!! They are gorgeous! You make me want to go there! I can’t wait for more!

  8. I love seeing the various places in our world. One day I will be able to travel and explore these places. Seeing pictures of how the culture is different from my own is a great way to appreciate the world in which we all live.

  9. I agree, travelling off the beaten path has been what we’ve always been drawn to as well. And I must say, how brilliant was that blue? Beautiful!

  10. This place looks beautiful and your pictures are amazing! Thank yiu for sharing.

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  11. Great photos and information! I LOVE that you used the “dyes” photo to capture our attention! Don’t know if I could have handled such hot water (or buttered snails)!! Looks like a great adventure!

  12. I have the same mindset – I don’t want to just visit all of the touristy places, I want to really dig in and experience the city/country like a local. It’s also a way for us to learn about other cultures. And your pictures are amazing.

  13. I always wanted to go to Morocco! It looks like you all had a great time šŸ™‚

  14. This place looks beautiful! I have always wanted to go to places like these! I think I need to had this place to my bucket list!

  15. This looks like an awesome trip. I also love getting off the beaten path to really explore hidden gems when I travel. And my favorite color is blue, so I love the color of the town!

  16. I enjoyed this article and not sure how far you drove from Casablanca, but you must have seen some pretty countryside. I also find that the people at each destination are part of what makes the trip so fascinating.

  17. I love experiencing local cultures when I travel. So cool that you were invited to lunch!! Iā€™m sure I would get lost in all the small blue alleys, but they are beautiful.

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