City guide · شفشاون · Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen
A blue labyrinth in the Rif valley — Andalusian refugees painted a whole town blue
Set between two peaks of the Rif Mountains in northern Morocco, at about 560 metres above sea level. Founded in 1471 as a mountain fortress against Portuguese expansion, it later received the Andalusian Muslim and Jewish refugees expelled from Spain. Today the walls, steps and doorways of the whole old town are painted in varying shades of blue — and the reasons for the blue are many and disputed. In the deserted hours of early morning, the blue lanes carry only the sounds of spring water and brooms; it is Morocco's most photogenic and quietest small town. The whole town is small, easily measured on foot, and time walks very slowly here.
History
How the city came to be
In 1471, Moulay Ali Ben Rachid founded the Chefchaouen fortress in the Rif Mountains as an outpost against the Portuguese occupation of Ceuta; the town's name in the local language means "look at the two horns", referring to the two peaks that embrace the small town. After 1492 and 1609, large numbers of Andalusian Muslims and Jews expelled from Spain moved in, bringing Andalusian architecture, gardening and handicrafts, and the old town expanded layer upon layer up the slope. In 1920 the area was incorporated into the Spanish protectorate in Morocco, and during the Rif War it was at one point retaken by the forces of the Rif Republic. It was restored after Moroccan independence in 1956. The custom of painting exterior walls blue is generally thought to have begun with the Jewish community in the 1930s, and the whole population followed suit afterwards. From the 1980s, backpackers arrived following the word of mouth, and this mountain town was transformed into the world-famous "Blue City".
- 1471Moulay Ali Ben Rachid founds the Chefchaouen fortress
- 1492Andalusian refugees begin to arrive
- 1609The Moriscos are expelled from Spain, and many settle in Chefchaouen
- 1920Incorporated into the Spanish protectorate in Morocco
- 1930The custom of blue painting arises (said to have originated with the Jewish community)
- 1956Moroccan independence; Chefchaouen is restored
- 1980Backpacking takes off, and the Blue City's name spreads far and wide
Must see
Places you shouldn’t miss
Local life
Food and local daily life
Chefchaouen
Must-try
- Tagine
- Moroccan salad
- Bissara (bean soup)
Tagine (goat's-cheese tagine is a local speciality), Moroccan salad, bissara (split-pea soup), skewers, mint tea with local goat's cheese (jben)
| Where to eat | Cafés and restaurants around the main square (Place Outa el Hammam), family restaurants in the old-town lanes |
|---|---|
| Dining etiquette | The town is conservative — drinking in public is inappropriate, and ask before photographing locals (especially women) |
| Typical price per person | MAD 50–100 ≈ CNY 35–71 |
| Tips | Claim a sunset seat on a terrace over the square early; the hill town has many steps — an after-dinner stroll helps digestion. |
Prices are typical rates as of October 2026, not exact quotes; CNY equivalents are approximate where exchange rates fluctuate.
Ruby Josephine Smith · CC BY-SA 4.0