Photo: Fbrandao.1963 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Founded in 1471 in the Rif mountains, Chefchaouen is painted entirely in shades of blue. Small, peaceful and photogenic at every corner, it's the perfect antidote to the bustle of the imperial cities.
Don't miss
The blue medina
Every alley is a painting: indigo walls, flower pots, carved doors. Get lost without a map.
Uta el-Hammam square
Cafés under the plane trees, a 15th-century kasbah and the octagonal-towered Grand Mosque.
Ras el-Ma
The spring above the town: washerwomen, small waterfalls and the trailheads into the Rif.
The Spanish Mosque
A 30-minute walk for the sunset panorama over the whole blue city.
What to eat
Rif goat cheese, kefta tagine with eggs, and fresh orange juice on the square. Family-run restaurants beat every big name here.
The Veyama tip
Stay overnight: between 8 and 10am, before the day-trippers arrive, the blue city is yours alone.
Where to eat
Our favourite tables — renowned addresses picked by the team. Want a reservation? Tick “restaurants” when booking your hotel.
Bab Ssour
A tiny cult local spot: goat tagines and Rif-caught fish.
Casa Aladdin
Three terraces above Uta el-Hammam square, looking at the kasbah.
Restaurant Morisco
On the square — perfect for couscous while watching life go by.
