- Marrakech, Morocco — starting of the Morocco segment of our 2026 adventure
- Essaouira, Morocco
- Ourika Valley and the Atlas Mountains, Morocco
- Errachidia and the Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp
- Fes, Morocco
- Volubilis and Meknes, Morocco
- Chefchaouen, Morocco
- Tangier, Morocco
- Casablanca, Morocco
- Rabat, Morocco
We changed our plans a bit in Fez. Originally, we were going to take the train from Fez to Tangier, but decided to get a driver and stop at Chefchaouen instead. This really only became an option in the past few days as the whole northern part of Morocco was hammered by heavy rains that led to devastating damage to villages and infrastructure in the area. Luckily, the roads were re-opened (ish) and we went to see. Today, the city is actually relatively large at almost 50,000 people, but we were here to see the Medina, originally founded in 1471, tucked into the foothills of Ka’ala mountain (part of the Rif mountain range). If you’ve never heard of Chefchaouen, you certainly would recognize it. It is called the “Blue City” as nearly all of the walls in the Medina are painted various shades of blue. Just to get this out of the way, why blue? There doesn’t seem to be an agreement on this point. Some say that the blue color keeps the mosquitos from the nearby forests away. That sounds ridiculous until you research and find that the color blue does, in fact, repel mosquitoes. Other theories suggest that the blue symbolizes the sky and a reminder to lead a spiritual life. However, the one I’m buying is that in the 1970s the walls were mandated to be painted blue to attract tourists. Yeah, that sounds right to me!
The history and culture of the city is actually pretty interesting. At the time of its founding, the “Reconquista” was busily taking back a good part of Andalusia from the Muslims. After the fall of Granada, a large number of people (including Muslims, descendants of Muslims, and Spanish Jews) fled to Morocco and this region in particular. A number of these people went to the large cities, but others went to the fortress of Chefchaouen that was fighting a war against the Portuguese. As they built the city around the fortress, it was no surprise that a lot of the architecture was done in the Andalusian style. The city really became a melting pot of the original Jebala inhabitants (a confederation of northern Moroccan Rif tribes) and all of the displaced Andalusian people. They developed their own culture of sorts, along with some unique clothing and hat styles.
We started out our walk at the Uta el Hammam Square, more or less the tourist center of the Medina. In the past, though, it was the training ground for riders and martial artists. Today, it’s surrounded by shops and restaurants, but it was a great place to get our bearings. Just off the square, we saw the Grand Mosque of the city. It dates back to 1471 but has been updated through the years. As an example, the minaret is from the late 17th century and has a somewhat unique octagonal shape. As non-Muslims, we couldn’t go inside for a look. Also off the square was the Kasbah, the strategic fortress for the city, also built in 1471. Over the years, the Kasbah has served as a military arsenal, a residence for governors, and even a prison. The Medina actually developed outward from around the fortress. Given the experience of the Andalusian people who came here, it’s no surprised that the design of the place has a decidedly Spanish style with a square plan, bastions, and quadrangular towers. We climbed the main tower (Portugal Tower) up three levels, providing an excellent view of the city. We also visited a mock-up of the old jail. Today, the Kasbah has beautiful gardens and both an ethnographic museum and a rotating art exhibit. It was a very quiet and comforting place. From there, we started walking through the city, admiring the beautifully decorated alleyways and the crafts that were for sale there. We stopped at El Haouta Square, somewhat of a wide-open surprise in the midst of all these crowded walkways. It was a lovely place to sit on one of the many benches and watch the world go by. In the center of the square was what was at one time a 4-sided fountain where people would get their water. No longer active, it is still attractive with its decorative tiles. I should mention that here, as well as all the other cities we have visited in Morocco is loaded with cats (many of them pregnant). While they are feral, the townspeople here take care of them. From there, we climbed higher up into the hills to the Bay Souk (or Market Gate). This was one of the primary gates to the old city, beyond which the weekly market takes place (luckily it wasn’t while we were there!). As I mentioned, there are numerous alleyways that have been decorated by the locals. In some cases they ask for donations for photos, but I think they just enjoy showing off their neighborhood. One alley, though, the Derb El Assri (Blue Alley) really took the cake and it is probably the photo you see when talking about Chefchaouen. Higher in the hills is the center of the Old City, where a wide variety of alleyways come together. If I didn’t have my maps app, I’m sure we would have gotten more lost than we did. The ultimate goal, though was the Ras el-Ma (Head of the Water). This is where the water coming down from the mountain flows down into the town. This is a big gathering spot for locals to do their laundry or just chat in the cool breeze. I understand that this is normally a gentle flow but, with the recent storms, it was an absolute torrent — even spilling over its banks and flowing down the sidewalks. Damp feet didn’t keep us from enjoying this top part of the city. From there, we retraced our steps and our driver met us to take us to Tangier. Definitely a fun day.
This entry was posted in Africa, Morocco, Travel
I am a traveler and sometimes clay sculptor, following a long career working in consulting. My work allowed me to travel the world extensively and I was hooked. Today, I travel with my wife/best friend to explore new places, meet new people, and learn new things.
