Chefchaouen through my eyes— Uncover hidden stories with me, blue-washed secrets, and the soul of Morocco. 🇲🇦.
1. The Blues That Whisper History
As Moroccans, we call it Chawen, and we all know the stories about this blue city, resting like a hidden gem in the Rif Mountains. My first real memory of it wasn’t the beautiful blue walls. It was the smell of freshly baked Msemen coming from a small oven near Ras El Maa. There, an older woman in a striped Rifiya dress smiled at me and said, “Eat it before it cools.”
Everyone thinks Chawen has always been this bright blue. But my grandfather would say the first color was softer, like the sky just before dark, mixed with lime and natural colors. The Jewish area’s deep blue tells one story, while the Andalusian area’s light blues tell another. And if you have ever walked the medina at 3 AM during Ramadan, when the lights cast moving shadows on the walls, you would see why we say this city doesn’t sleep—it glows.
2. The Overlooked Places Where Time Stopped
I know that if you visited Chawen before, you have passed by the Kasbah, but have you ever gone through one of those unmarked wooden doors in the Andalusian area? Inside, artisans hammering copper under a single light bulb, just like their great-grandfathers did. And the old water channels? They still flow with mountain springs—if you follow them uphill, you’ll find women washing wool the traditional way, beating it against the rocks like a drum.
3. The Journey There: A Moroccan’s Shortcuts
By Bus? CTM is a good choice. However, if you are coming from Tangier, a shared grand taxi (80-150 MAD) will get you there more quickly. Be prepared for the curvy roads on Rif. You may hear the driver say, “Yallah, yallah!” as he tries to fit in one more passenger.
Driving? Take the beautiful path through Oued Laou. The cliffs drop down to the sea, and you can find roadside sellers with wild honey that smells like thyme.
4. Do you know where to stay? Sometimes, skip the fancy riads
Yes, Lina Ryad is beautiful, but my best memory is a 20 MAD stay with a Berber family close to the Spanish Mosque. We enjoyed mint tea on their rooftop while the sunset made the whole medina look violet. For something in between, Dar Chawen feels like your wealthy aunt’s home—warm, nice, but still ours.
5. The Real Taste of the North
Forget about the expensive tagines by the plaza. The best Bissara (fava bean dip) is served early in the market. Here, older men dip bread and talk about the harvest. If you are lucky, a shopkeeper might ask you to try Khlii. This is sun-dried meat made with spices and oil. It’s a recipe that Andalusian refugees brought back long ago.
6. Secret Spots Even Locals Forget
Bouzaafar Hill at sunrise is a special place. Here, shepherds still graze their goats, and the view is even better than the crowds at the Spanish Mosque.
The dye pits behind the mosque are abandoned now. They were once used to create the city’s famous blue colors from indigo and pomegranate peels.
Hammam Dar El Bahr smells like eucalyptus. The Kess scrub will make you feel new again. Try it out.
7. The Living Traditions Tourists Rarely See
Last Eid, I found a weaver’s coop near Bab El Ain. The oldest man, Hajj Mohamed, let me try the loom. My hands were not skillful, and he laughed, “This craft isn’t learned quickly, my son.” They still use walnut shells for brown dye and saffron for gold.
8. A Local’s Plea: Visit Like You Belong
- You can greet people properly. A “Salam alaykum” can take you farther than a camera lens.
Buy Jben (goat cheese) from the women in banana leaves. Don’t buy from the pre-packaged stalls for tourists.
Leave the drones at home. The magic here isn’t in the sky shots. It’s in the wrinkled hands kneading dough, the kids playing kora in the alleys, and the call to prayer echoing off blue walls.
Final Thought: The Chefchaouen We Know
The true Chawen isn’t only blue. It is also the green of olive trees at the edges. It has the golden glow of a lamp shining on shiny cobblestones. You can hear the joyful laughter of children chasing footballs down steep streets. This city showed me that beauty isn’t just for pictures. It’s in the tales shared among its walls.
Next time you go, can you take it slow? Spend some time with the tea sellers. Allow the city to show itself to you, one moment at a time, just like it did for me?
Mohammed M — A Moroccan Who Still Gets Lost in Its Alleys