Things To Do And See In Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen sightseeing – What to see in Chefchaouen?
Chefchaouen is a gorgeous city in northeastern Morocco. It is the main city of the province with the same name. It was founded by the Moorish exiles from Spain in 1492 and lies near the Rif Mountains. It is a relaxed city with affordable accommodation.
The finest part would be the look of the city with most of the buildings painted brilliant sky blue. The clear mountain light that falls on the city gives it a magical touch. The humble town and the picturesque medina with a splendid backdrop of the Rif Mountains make it truly stunning.
Though it known as the largest producer of marijuana and few tourists do come for the reason, it is not the main reason to visit the beautiful blue city of Chefchaouen.
It is a small fortress town that was formerly used by Chefchaouen to fight off the Portuguese entering Morocco. Chefchaouen is also referred as Chaouen by the Moroccans and derives its name from the towering mountain tops that tower over the town and look like two horns of a goat. The call to prayer that rings out from the mosques around the town is a very blissful experience. The word literally means look at the horns. It is in close proximity to Tangier and the Spanish border. Spanish language is widely spoken here. You can find most of the houses colored nice sky blue and it comes from the tradition started by former Jewish population. The Berber rebel leader Abdel Karim ruled the city from 1921 to 1926. He was defeated in 1926 by the Spanish troops and was imprisoned in the Kasbah. Spain ruled over the city for thirty year after which it was handed over to Morocco.
Things To See In Chefchaouen?
If you don’t only want to enjoy the aesthetics of the Blue city but also learn more about the history, customs, and art of the Chefchaouen region, you should pay a visit to the Kasbah Museum. This ethnographic museum is located in the center of the old medina, right near Plaza Uta el-Hammam and is surrounded by a beautiful lush garden.
Chefchaouen’s a beautiful city; the old medina is a maze of well-kept streets and white and blue painted houses. As you wander round you’ll find shops making and selling artisan products. Carpets, paintings, leather goods and novelty hats worn by often local, rural women. The shops sit alongside convenience stores selling food and daily household products.
To escape the narrow alleys of Chefchaouen’s medina, run for the hills! The Rif Mountains surround the city and there’s a terrific walk up to a tiny 15th century mosque on the hill overlooking the town. Dawn is a wonderful time to visit. Take some time to sit on the wall and watch the suns rays emerging from the shade of the mountains, bathing Morocco’s blue city of Chefchaouen in, well, blue.
Ras El Ma spring, the town’s primary water source, and find a quaint riverside café where you can pause to enjoy another cup of tea. You may even catch a glimpse of local women washing their clothes in the water. Then, follow the path up the hill for half an hour to reach the white Spanish Mosque. From this vantage point, you can savor one last view over the town as the sun sets behind the mountains.
