The beauty of Chefchaouen awaits you in every corner. All the houses are painted blue, it is a beautiful contrast to the green hills around. The air is fresh, the people are very friendly and there are many things to do in Chefchaouen to discover this wonderful place.
This small mountain town in North Africa is one of the most famous cities in Morocco, and its fame is well deserved because Chefchaouen is one of the most beautiful and nearby places to know the Moroccan culture.
Chefchaouen is a holy city located in the middle of the Rif mountains. It is one of the most magical places in Morocco. It was founded in 1471 from a Berber settlement and until 1920 was a forbidden place for non-Muslims.
Fortunately, now people of all faiths can enjoy its wonderful blue medina surrounded by nature. Now, about 40,000 people live in Chefchaouen, most of them in the most modern area of the city.
Practical Information
Where To Stay in Chefchaouen
Things To Do in Chefchaouen
Where to Eat in Chefchaouen
A One Day Chefchaouen Tour
The Weather
Between the months of January and February the weather is passable, but still good. The record temperature of this month is 24°C and it rains in February about 92mm.
Between the months of March and April the climate is favorable. On average, in the morning it is 13°C and in April, 8 days of rain are expected.
From May to July the weather is very good. The record temperature of this month is 40°C and it rains in July about 3mm.
In the month of August the weather is splendid. At midday, it is 31°C on average and you can expect to have 5mm of rainfall/month during this period.
From September to October the climate is very good. At midday, it is 25°C on average and it rains about 16% during October.
Between November and December the climate is splendid. For example 18°C is the maximum temperature in December and you can expect to have 84mm of rainfall/month during this period.
Places of Interest
Kasbah
Akchour
Riad Assilah in Chefchaouen
The Kasbah Museum in Chefchaouen (Ethnographic Museum)
How to get there
Chefchaouen is located in the north of Morocco in a mountainous and somewhat isolated area. Most people travel to Chefchaouen from Fez, which is about 4 hours away by car. A long and tiring trip if done as a day trip, but still worth it. It is also possible to arrive from Rabat, Tangier or Tetouan.
Below I will explain all the options on how to get to Chefchaouen from Fez and Tangier.
How to go from Fez to Chefchaouen
There are basically two ways to go from Fez to Chefchaouen: by public transport or with a day trip. If you have time to spend a night in Chefchaouen, I recommend going by public transport. This option is cheaper and you will have more time to explore the city at your own pace.
However, if you don’t have time and want to visit Chefchaouen in one day, you can take a day trip from Fez. Keep in mind that the trip is long (8 hours between going and coming back) and you will only have a few hours to visit Chefchaouen.
Here I explain more about the two options:
Going by public transport:
As I mentioned before, if you have time to spend a night in Chaouen, I recommend going by public transportation. It is much cheaper than making the trip and you will have more time to explore Chefchaouen at your own pace.
The price of the one way ticket is 75 DH (about 7 EUR) and the trip takes 4 hours. There are 6 buses that leave daily from Fez bus station at: 8:00, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:15 and 23:45.
Take a day trip:
If you don’t have time to stay one night in Chefchaouen and you prefer to go and come back in one day, you can take an organized excursion. The truth is, it’s a pretty heavy trip and you’ll only have 3 or 4 hours to see Chefchaouen. Therefore, I only recommend it if you don’t have time to go otherwise.
On the organized tour you leave Fez at 8:00 in the morning, arrive in Chefchaouen around 12:00 and leave again for Fez at 16:00. That’s why you spend twice as much time on the road as in the city itself. The price is 400 dh (about 40 EUR).
How to get to Chefchaouen from Tangier
If you visit Tangier, you can easily travel to Chefchauen. Chaouen is only 115 km from Tangier, so the journey is much easier. You can go by bus, with a day trip or by cab.
Go by bus:
The bus is the cheapest way to go to Chefchaouen from Tangier. The ticket costs 50 dh (less than 5 EUR) and the journey takes two hours. Currently there are two daily buses: at 12:15 and 20:15.
Make a day trip:
If you prefer to have everything organized, you can hire a day trip to Chefchaouen from Tangier. This excursion is a little more expensive, but it has transportation to and from the place and it also includes a guide in Chefchaouenen.
Go by taxi:
This option is not recommended if you travel alone, as it will be very expensive. But if you travel with friends or you organize yourself with other travelers, you can always negotiate the price of a private cab and divide the price between the passengers. This can be as low as 7 EUR per seat (depending on the number of people and your negotiating skills).