Hotels in Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen: The Rif Mountain Blue City

Chefchaouen sits at roughly 600 metres elevation in the Rif Mountains of northern Morocco, about 110 km southeast of Tétouan. Founded in 1471 by Moulay Ali Ben Moussa Ben Rachid El Alami, the medina is famous for its blue-washed walls — a palette deepened by Jewish refugees in the 1930s who associated the colour with the sky and heaven. Today the old medina, a UNESCO-listed candidate, draws photographers, trekkers, and travellers crossing between Spain and sub-Saharan Africa.

Where to Stay

Most hotels cluster inside or just outside the medina walls, particularly along Rue Targui and around Plaza Uta el-Hammam, the main square anchored by the 15th-century kasbah. Riads here tend to be smaller than Fez or Marrakech equivalents — typically 6–14 rooms — and fill quickly from March to October. A secondary belt of guesthouses lines the hillside above Ras el-Maa, the natural spring at the medina's eastern edge.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: CTM and Supratours buses connect Chefchaouen to Fez (4 hrs) and Tangier (3 hrs); no train station in town.
• Best months: April–June and September–October for mild temperatures and manageable crowds.
• Currency: Moroccan dirham (MAD); most medina guesthouses are cash-only.
• Altitude: Pack a light layer for evenings even in summer — temperatures drop noticeably after sunset.