Chefchaouen Rif
3
Day Itinerary •
Morocco
Three days in Chefchaouen and the Rif Mountains gives the full experience of the most visually extraordinary town in Morocco. The blue medina, painted every shade from indigo to sky blue by the Andalusian and Jewish refugees who founded it in 1471, the Rif mountain walk to the waterfall and cedar forest, and the remarkable Andalusian medina of Tetouan all combine to make northern Morocco unlike anything else in the country. This route focuses on the blue triangle of the north: the extraordinary Chefchaouen medina explored properly across two mornings, a day in the Rif Mountains walking to the waterfall and through the cedar forest, and a half day in the extraordinary UNESCO medina of Tetouan before returning south to Fes or north to Tangier.
Best Time To Visit
March to June or September to November
Getting There
Fly into Tangier (TNG) or Fes (FEZ)
Getting Around
Walking in medina, grand taxi for Tetouan
Budget Per Day
Approx 60 to 120 euros per person per day
Difficulity
Easy to moderate, one mountain walk
DAY 1
CHEFCHAOUEN BLUE MEDINA
MORNING
THE BLUE MEDINA AT DAWN AND THE SPANISH MOSQUE
Wake before the tourists and walk the blue medina alone. Chefchaouen was founded in 1471 and every surface has been painted in extraordinary shades of blue and white. The cobbled lanes, the arched passages and the flower-filled staircases are most beautiful in the hour before the souvenir sellers open. Walk up to the Spanish mosque for the finest aerial view of the blue city between its two Rif mountain peaks. The mosque is unused and the view from its terrace extraordinary. Free. Drive: 20 min walk
MIDDAY
PLAZA UTA EL-HAMMAM AND THE CHEFCHAOUEN KASBAH
The Plaza Uta el-Hammam at the heart of the medina is the finest square in northern Morocco, its extraordinary cafe terraces, the remarkable 15th-century kasbah with its garden museum and the Grand Mosque minaret all surrounding a central space of extraordinary beauty. The kasbah museum has the finest collection of Chefchaouen crafts and historical photographs. The square at midday with the mountain backdrop is the most photographed view in the city. Entry kasbah approx 3 euros. Drive: 15 min walk
AFTERNOON
THE ARTISAN QUARTER AND THE MEDINA EVENING
The Chefchaouen artisan quarter has the most remarkable weavers, leatherworkers and Rif mountain fabric makers in northern Morocco. The extraordinary striped wool blankets, the remarkable djellabas and the handmade leather babouches are all outstanding. The evening in the Plaza Uta el-Hammam, when the lanterns are lit and the mountain air cools, is the finest hour in the blue city. Walk the upper medina lanes near the kasbah for the most extraordinary atmosphere. Free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The quartier Al Andalus below the main tourist lanes is the most authentic and quietest part of Chefchaouen. The extraordinary blue houses here have no souvenir shops and the residents live entirely normally. Walk here at any hour for the real blue city. Free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Riad breakfast Moroccan breakfast on the riad terrace before the dawn medina walk. | Lunch: Plaza cafe, Chefchaouen Kefta tagine and fresh goat cheese in the most beautiful square. | Dinner: Restaurant Tissemane The finest restaurant in the blue city. Extraordinary Rif mountain lamb.
DAY 2
RIF MOUNTAINS AND CEDAR FOREST
MORNING
RAS EL-MAA WATERFALL AND THE RIF MOUNTAIN WALK
The Ras el-Maa waterfall at the top of the medina is the source of the stream that has supplied Chefchaouen since its founding in 1471. Walk up from the falls into the extraordinary Rif forest above the city, climbing through cedar and oak to a ridge with a panoramic view of the mountains. The path continues to the Spanish mosque from above, giving an extraordinary circuit returning through the forest to the medina. Free. Drive: 45 min drive
MIDDAY
THE TALASSEMTANE CEDAR FOREST AND BARBARY MACAQUES
The Talassemtane National Park east of Chefchaouen has the largest cedar forest in Morocco, its extraordinary ancient trees home to wild Barbary macaques. The forest at Ain Tissimane has remarkable walking trails through the extraordinary cedar canopy. The macaques are often visible at the roadside and the Rif mountain scenery throughout the park is outstanding. The contrast with the blue medina below is extraordinary. Entry free. Drive: 45 min drive
AFTERNOON
RETURN TO CHEFCHAOUEN AND THE EVENING MEDINA
Return to Chefchaouen for a final afternoon in the blue medina. The extraordinary contrast between the mountain silence and the medina lanes is one of the great transitions of northern Morocco. Walk the souks in the late afternoon light, take a mint tea at the highest rooftop cafe and watch the sun set behind the Rif peaks as the medina lights come on and the extraordinary blue of the walls deepens to indigo. Free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary natural rock arch of Pont de Dieu in the Rif above Chefchaouen is the most remarkable geological feature in northern Morocco. The walk through the cedar forest to reach it takes about 2 hours. Almost entirely unvisited. Free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Riad breakfast Early start for the mountain walk. Moroccan breakfast before climbing. | Lunch: Mountain tea house, Rif trail Simple Berber mountain lunch: flatbread, olive oil and fresh cheese. | Dinner: Chefchaouen medina The finest evening in the blue city. Tagine and the Plaza Uta el-Hammam.
DAY 3
TETOUAN AND FINAL EVENING
MORNING
TETOUAN ANDALUSIAN MEDINA
Drive to Tetouan for the UNESCO Andalusian medina, the finest in Morocco and far less visited than Fes or Marrakech. The extraordinary white-washed houses, the remarkable Moorish arches and the tiled fountains of the souks reflect the culture of the Muslims and Jews expelled from Spain in 1492. The Place Hassan II with its extraordinary Royal Palace facade, the remarkable Bab Rouah gate and the extraordinary medina crafts are all outstanding. Entry free. Drive: 30 min walk
MIDDAY
TETOUAN MUSEUM OF MOROCCAN ARTS AND CRAFTS QUARTER
The Tetouan Museum of Moroccan Arts in the 19th-century Dar Batha riad houses the finest collection of northern Moroccan crafts in the country. The remarkable embroidery, the extraordinary musical instruments and the outstanding traditional Andalusian-Moroccan dress are all outstanding. The Tetouan crafts quarter has the finest carpet weavers and embroiderers in the north, working in remarkable traditional workshops. Entry museum approx 3 euros. Drive: 1 hour drive
AFTERNOON
RETURN TO CHEFCHAOUEN FOR A FINAL EVENING
Return to Chefchaouen for a final afternoon and evening in the blue medina. Walk the extraordinary upper lanes near the kasbah one last time, buy the finest Rif mountain fabric and find a rooftop table for the final sunset over the mountains. The Chefchaouen medina at dusk, when the blue walls darken and the lanterns come on in the Plaza Uta el-Hammam, is the most beautiful hour in northern Morocco. Free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The ancient Phoenician city of Tamuda 5km from Tetouan is one of the most extraordinary and least visited ancient sites in northern Morocco. The remarkable Roman fort and the extraordinary finds in the Tetouan museum give remarkable context for the city above. Free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Riad breakfast, Chefchaouen Final blue city breakfast before the Tetouan drive. | Lunch: Tetouan medina restaurant Extraordinary Andalusian-Moroccan cuisine in the UNESCO medina. | Dinner: Final dinner, Chefchaouen Last evening in the blue city. The finest tagine and Rif mountain herbs.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Chefchaouen medina riad, all 3 nights Inside the blue medina. Approx 50 to 120 euros per night. Riad location tip Book in the upper medina near the kasbah for the quietest and most beautiful lanes. Tetouan day trip Day trip from Chefchaouen rather than overnight. Grand taxi 1 hour each way.
Top Tips
1. Chefchaouen at dawn before 8am is the most beautiful hour in northern Morocco. Set your alarm.
2. The Spanish mosque viewpoint gives the finest aerial view of the blue city. Walk up at dusk.
3. The Ras el-Maa waterfall walk into the Rif is best in spring when the snowmelt fills the stream.
4. Tetouan is only 1 hour from Chefchaouen and far less visited. The Andalusian medina is outstanding.
5. The upper medina lanes near the kasbah are quieter and more authentic than the main tourist routes.
6. Chefchaouen is one of the most affordable towns in Morocco. Riad prices are remarkably reasonable.
Total Budget
60 to 138 euros/day