The blue medina
Lanes painted entirely blue, on the flank of the Rif mountains.
Duration
3 hrs – 5 hrs
Best time
Early morning
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
Chefchaouen was founded in 1471 as a stronghold against the Portuguese, and took in Muslim and Jewish refugees driven out of Spain. The blue probably comes from that: the Jewish tradition of dyeing walls with indigo is the commonest explanation, though others suggest mosquito repellent or simply tourism.
Whatever its origin, residents repaint every year, and that is what keeps the colour. The medina is small, entirely pedestrian, and is walked by climbing towards the kasbah and then the ramparts.
Getting there
No railway: CTM bus from Tangier, three hours, or Fez, four. The medina is pedestrian; taxis stop at the gates.
What to bring
- Walking shoes
- Reef shoes
Rules on site
The lanes are steeply pitched and paved with uneven cobbles: shoes with grip. Photographing residents, women especially, must be asked — many refuse, and persisting is badly received.