Chefchaouen

Explore the blue-painted lanes of Chefchaouen’s walled Medina, visit its historic Kasbah and Uta Hammam Square, and look out toward the Rif mountains.

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Chefchaouen, also called Chaouen, is a city in northwest Morocco between Tétouan and Ouazzane. Its blue-painted buildings have earned it the names Blue City and Blue Pearl. The walled Medina is the historic center, set in the foothills of the western Rif range about 600 metres (2,000 feet) above sea level. Chefchaouen began as a fortress in 1471. Andalusi Muslims, Moriscos, and Spanish and Portuguese Jews later settled here, and their cultures blended with that of the local Ghomara people.

Uta Hammam Square is a useful starting point: the Kasbah, Great Mosque, shops, and cafés line the square. The Kasbah, the oldest part of the Medina, now holds archaeology and ethnography displays around a garden courtyard. In Souika, one of the city’s oldest districts, find the Aïn Souika Fountain behind an archway. Ras al-Ma’, east of the old walls, was the city’s original water supply; the Spanish Mosque on a hill east of town is a lookout point. The city also has a newer district outside the former walls. Blue walls are sometimes said to deter mosquitoes or to symbolize the sky and heaven, though these are explanations rather than established facts.

Chefchaouen in five

Stay a nightDay trips from Fes are long. A night lets you walk the lanes early and late, when they are quiet.
Plan the busThere is no train. CTM buses run from Fes and Tangier; book a seat a day ahead in busy months.
Walk up to the Spanish MosqueThe path east of the medina climbs about 30 minutes to the mosque for views over the town at sunset.
Photograph with carePeople live behind the blue doors. Ask before photographing residents and do not block doorways.

Things to do in Chefchaouen

See all attractions in Chefchaouen

Sight · ChefchaouenRas El Ma

white and blue-painted concrete structure

Historic site · ChefchaouenKasbah Chefchaouen

Historic site · ChefchaouenChefchaouen Medina

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Need to know

Airport: Tangier (TNG) or Fes (FEZ), both several hours by road
Getting there: CTM bus from Fes (about 4 hours) or Tangier (about 3 hours)
Getting around: On foot; taxis for Akchour and the bus station
Best base: A guesthouse inside the medina
Time needed: 1–2 nights

Weather by month

Rainy days

Best
Good
Mixed

JanuaryClear8 rainy daysHigh16°Low10°Cold, wet
FebruaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh16°Low10°Cold, wet
MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh17°Low11°Cool, green
AprilPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh19°Low13°Mild
MayClear5 rainy daysHigh22°Low15°Warm, clear
JuneClear3 rainy daysHigh26°Low18°Warm
JulyClear1 rainy dayHigh29°Low20°Hot, busy
AugustClear3 rainy daysHigh29°Low21°Hot, busy
SeptemberClear5 rainy daysHigh26°Low19°Warm
OctoberClear8 rainy daysHigh23°Low17°Mild
NovemberClear8 rainy daysHigh19°Low13°Cool, rain
DecemberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh16°Low11°Cold

Average daily high and low in Chefchaouen, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Chefchaouen

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 11°
Humidity: 84%
Wind: 7 km/h
Chance of rain: 0%

Chefchaouen

10:37 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT+0

Today27°9°0%Monday: Fog. High 27°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 0%.
Tue21°11°48%Tuesday: Rain. High 21°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 48%.
Wed17°15°88%Wednesday: Rain. High 17°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 88%.
Thu20°14°28%Thursday: Cloudy. High 20°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 28%.
Fri25°12°0%Friday: Cloudy. High 25°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 0%.
Sat25°11°4%Saturday: Cloudy. High 25°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 4%.
Sun24°18°40%Sunday: Cloudy. High 24°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 40%.

Updated 10:21 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 9.842 MAD

Amount

Converted to

MAD · Moroccan Dirham

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

Day trips by train

Before you go to Chefchaouen

Akchour and Rif hiking daysGuided waterfall and mountain walksCompare tours

Guesthouses in the blue medinaSteep lanes and roof terracesCheck availability

eSIM for the Rif mountainsDownload maps before the gorge trailRead the guide

Insurance for Rif hikesCover for trail falls and bus delaysRead the guide

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Rules for Chefchaouen, checked

Check current visa and entry requirements for your passport with the Moroccan embassy or consulate before travel.
For current identification requirements, check with the relevant Moroccan authorities before your trip.

Plan around Chefchaouen

All of Morocco

Cities, coast and desert, with entry and money basics

Read the guide Fes

The big medina, about 4 hours by bus

Read the guide Tarifa

Spanish port with ferries to Tangier

Read the guide Best time to visit Morocco

Mild months for walks in the Rif

Read the guide Transport planning

Buses, trains and ferries in Morocco

Read the guide Visas and entry

Check your passport rules before you fly

Read the guide Tangier

Strait city, a common start of the northern loop

Read the guide Talassemtane National Park

Rif forests and waterfalls close to town

Read the guide

Chefchaouen FAQ

Is Chefchaouen worth an overnight stay?

Yes. The town is small but the long bus ride makes a day trip tiring, and the lanes are calmer in the evening.

How do I get to Chefchaouen?

By CTM bus from Fes or Tangier, or by private driver. There is no train station or airport in town.

When is the best time to visit Chefchaouen?

April to May and September to October are mild. Winters are cold and wet in the mountains.

Can I visit Chefchaouen from Fes in a day?

It is possible but means about eight hours on the bus round trip. A night is easier, and the lanes are calmer after the day-trip groups leave.

Do I need a guide in Chefchaouen?

Not for the medina, which is small and easy to walk. A local guide helps mainly for the Akchour waterfalls or longer walks in the Rif.