THE TRUTH ABOUT MOROCCO’S BLUE CITY, CHEFCHAOUEN

If you’ve ever gone on Pinterest or Instagram, then you know about Morocco’s famous blue city, Chefchaouen, nicknamed the “blue pearl of Morocco.”

Before ever visiting Morocco I was well acquainted with those gorgeous blue alleyways and blue-washed buildings. But I also always wondered about the blue city in Morocco – is it really so blue? Does the whole city look like that, or just a few streets? I was so curious!

Guys, this is the truth about Chefchaouen:

Chefchaouen was founded in 1471 in the Rif mountains by Jews and Moors fleeing Spain. I heard a lot of different (some quite unbelievable) theories about why Chefchaouen is blue. Some say it was painted blue by the Jews who settled there after fleeing Hitler, others say it’s to keep the mosquitos away, while some just said it represents the color of the sea.

I’m not sure which version is true, but it seems to have worked out well for Chefchaouen, as it sure looks good blue!

Before visiting, I hadn’t realized that Chefchaouen is up in the mountains – the Rif Mountains of northern Morocco. The surrounding landscape is truly amazing.

It was also really, really cold. Like, if you’re heading to Morrocco’s blue city in March bring some sweaters, just in case.

. The first day in Chefchaouen was actually so cold and rainy that Danielle and I had to escape underground into a local hammam, or bathhouse.

There’s nothing like getting scrubbed raw by a stranger to warm you on a chilly day.

. I love how quiet and relaxed the city is, and it really is just so ridiculously pretty. This is absolutely the sort of place I could have happily escaped to solo for a couple of weeks.

Chefchaouen is a perfect place to wander and take photos. As it’s a little far from the bigger cities which means prices are higher, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for shopping (though you won’t be hassled as much here as in the cities!) – mostly it’s just a perfect place to relax. Even the color of the blue town is peaceful.

We didn’t worry too much about seeing any particular sights – instead, we just wandered aimlessly and took in the beauty of this blue city Morocco had just introduced us to.

Chefchaouen is one of the most touristy places I visited in Morocco so two days there definitely felt like enough, but it’s so beautiful and unique that it was still worth the journey up into the mountains to see Morocco’s magical blue city.

We had dinner one night at Chez Hicham, which was amazing. We sat upstairs, where they have a lovely outdoor terrace, which is probably nice in good weather, but since it was so cold and rainy we sat inside next to the fireplace. It was super cosy, and we enjoyed having a fancier meal in the town.

This might sound weird, but I highly recommend the “cheese salad.” It’s a salad topped with tons of goat’s cheese, walnuts, raisins, and all sorts of yummy stuff. Danielle and I both secretly admitted to each other that it was probably our favorite dish in Morocco. And since sharing that people have written saying they took my advice and agree – it really is an amazing dish.

And if you’re wondering what to wear as a female traveler in Morocco, you basically want to keep your knees, shoulders, midriff, back, and chest (and elbows and calves in conservative areas) covered. You can find more information about female travel in Morocco and what to wear in Morocco here.

Ref: THE TRUTH ABOUT MOROCCO’S BLUE CITY, CHEFCHAOUEN (heartmybackpack)