Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Chefchaouen
POP 45,000
Beautifully perched beneath the raw peaks of the Rif, Chefchaouen is one of the prettiest
towns in Morocco, an artsy, blue-washed mountain village that feels like its own world.
While tourism has definitely taken hold, the balance between ease and authenticity is just
right. The old medina is a delight of Moroccan and Andalucian influence with red-tiled
roofs, bright-blue buildings and narrow lanes converging on busy Plaza Uta el-Hammam
and its restored kasbah. Long known to backpackers for the easy availability of kif
(marijuana), the town has rapidly gentrified and offers a range of quality accommodation,
good food, lots to do and no hassles to speak of, making it a strong alternative to a hectic
multicity tour. This is a great place to relax, explore and take day trips to the cool green
hills. Families take note.
Chefchaouen is split into an eastern half (the medina), and a western half (the
ciudad
nueva,
or new city). The heart of the medina is Plaza Uta el-Hammam, with its unmistak-
able kasbah. The medina walls have recently been repaired, with Spanish funding. The
principal route of the new city is Ave Hassan II, which stretches from Plaza Mohammed V,
a leafy square designed by artist Joan Miró, past the western gate of Bab el-Ain, around the
southern medina wall and into the medina itself. Here it dead-ends at Pl el-Majzen, the
main drop-off point. The bus station is a steep 1.5km hike southwest of the town centre.
The falls of Ras el-Maa lie just beyond the medina walls to the northeast.
DON'T MISS
SPANISH MOSQUE
Looking east, you'll easily spot the so-called
Spanish mosque
on a hilltop not far from the medina. It's
a pleasant walk along clear paths and well worth the effort. Start at the waterfall
Ras el-Maa
OFFLINE MAP
,
just beyond the far northeastern gate of the medina. It's here, where the water comes
gushing out of the mountain, that local women come to do their washing. The sound of the water and
the verdant hills just beyond the medina wall provide a sudden, strong dose of nature.
Continuing over the bridge, you can walk to the Spanish mosque following the hillside path. The
mosque was built by the Spanish in the 1920s, but never used. It fell into disrepair, but has been newly
restored (by the Spanish, again) and there are plans for it to open as a cultural centre. From the hilltop
minaret you'll have a grand view of the entire town sprawling over the green hills below. The mosque
is a popular destination, but women may not feel comfortable there by themselves.
