Chefchaouen is as blue as the photos suggest. It's also busy in the middle of the day. With a little timing, you can have it almost to yourself.
Stay the night
This is the single most important thing. Day visitors arrive late morning and leave in the afternoon. If you stay overnight, you get the evening and the early morning — the soft light and the quiet streets that make the place special.
When to walk
- Early morning: the best time for photos. Empty alleys, cats, bread being delivered.
- Midday: the busiest. A good time for lunch in the main square or a rest.
- Late afternoon: walk up to the Spanish Mosque on the hill for sunset over the town and the Rif mountains.
Photographing Chefchaouen respectfully
People live in these streets. A few simple rules go a long way:
- Ask before photographing anyone, and accept a no.
- Don't sit on the steps of people's homes for photos.
- Keep the noise down in residential alleys, especially early.
Beyond the blue streets
If you have a second day, the river trail at Akchour leads to waterfalls and a natural rock arch, a short drive away. It's the green side of the Rif and a good balance to a day in town.
Getting there
Chefchaouen is about two and a half hours from Tangier and around four hours from Fes. It fits naturally at the start of a trip from the north, like The Blue North, or on the way from Casablanca to Fes.
See the Chefchaouen page for more, or message me to fit it into your route.