Prior to visiting Morocco, one of the cities we had on our list as a must visit was the city of Chefchaouen. It is truly one of the country’s most beautiful cites but getting there is a little more difficult than we imagined. From our GuesttoGuest home near Martil on the northeast coast of the country, we were looking at a 1.5 hour drive over some fairly uneven terrain. We did manage to find a taxi for hire in the area through, at a pretty good rate, and so we spent a beautiful afternoon exploring exploring Morroco’s “blue” city.
No one is sure why most of it’s buildings are painted blue (though there are theories), but Chefchaouen’s colourful facades are a beautiful site to see. The city is not very large, and so we found that we had ample time to explore, grab lunch, and browse all of the artisan goods that we had no space for in our luggage. The drive into Chefchaouen from Martil was a little rocky, and the kids did get a little car sick, but it was worth the trip.
Click here to read about our adventures in Morocco.
Later on our trip to Morocco, we visited the cities of Fez and Marrakech, and even rode camels into the desert. Chefchaouen was our introduction to the beauty of Morocco. Here are some of the best pictures we captured in Chefchaouen.
Entering Chefchaouen
The drive into the city gave as a taste of the amazing sites to come. The blue shade of its buildings as they rested on a hill made it seem like the city was painted onto the hill. We were excited to see more.
The Streets of Chefchaouen
Like in the medinas we would later visit in Fes and Marrakech, the streets of Chefchaouen are too narrow for cars, but watch out for small motorbikes. They occasionally make their way through the alleys with reckless abandon.
Merchants of Chefchaouen
We were a little surprise to discover that not all areas of the city are blue. Just as we were getting used to the ocean-like feel of the city, we found the city centre, which contains a number of restaurant options. Along the way to lunch, we passed a photo opportunity with an Ostrich, lots of local produce, and, to our kids delight, a number of cats.
Posing for Pictures
The backdrop of the streets and houses gave our family the chance to snap a few family shots. The kids were more than willing to sit down for the break.
Making our way home
We passed more scenes of life in the city as we made our way back to the car. On the drive home, we passed a cloud formation that was as frightening as it was beautiful, as the clouds surrounding the mountain appeared to form a giant tidal wave.
Click here to read about the food and drink of Morocco. Be sure to check back each week for a new picture post from one of the 35 cities we visited in Europe and Morocco. Click here For a complete summary of posts from our 148 day journey or here for our adventures in Morocco.
Click here to read about where we ate in Chefchaouen with kids.
This is the fifth post in our series. We recently posted our favourite pictures from the Spanish cities of Málaga, Ronda, Granada, and Seville.
kristen visser
November 24, 2017 at 6:09 pmwow the colors are absolutely stunning! and the nature surrounding it. As if there is just an ostrich walking around LOL
Shirley O
June 16, 2021 at 11:28 amYour photos are beautiful, they really capture the feeling of the city. I liked how the ostrich was there to greet you, so cute!