10 things we love about chefchaouen 

To say that we have been delighted and amazed by pretty much everything in the Chefchaouen area, would still somehow be understating it.

We arrived here  (read about our first impressions) weary and jetlagged after travelling across the Atlantic Ocean from Canada.  We had no idea what to expect, we hadn’t researched this place online, and we didn’t even know how to pronounce the name (it’s CHEF-CHOW-AN for those interested) before we arrived.  Of course, I had seen the odd picture on Instagram of its famous blue walls, which has created the monicker “The Blue Pearl”, but, of course, those pictures do not do this place justice!

We spent a week here before heading off to Fez and the Sahara Desert.  This gave us the time required to get over our jetlag, and allowed us a bit of time to get to know this beautiful city.  After our 7 days were up, we were sad to be leaving, but we vowed that we would be back.  This place has a sort of magnetic pull, once you discover the charm of it, you yearn for more.

After our trip to the desert, we decided that we wanted to head back to Chefchaouen to see what opportunities awaited us.  It felt like there were many, and we were eager to get back to turn them into something concrete.

We have now been back here for 4 weeks, and I have to say that we are as in love with it now as we were when we arrived.  We do want to see other parts of Morocco, but it is proving hard for us to move on!

For one, we have a great exchange going on with Riad Baraka right now.  We are painting pieces of artwork, in exchange for our accommodation.  This means that we can live here pretty cheaply, only having to worry about finding ourselves a few meals per day.

info@artisticvoyages.com 

We have fallen terribly in love with the tiny streets and alleyways of Chefchaouen.  Each and everytime we go somewhere, we try to turn down some street we haven’t been on, or down some set of stairs that beckons us.  Each time we are delighted and amazed by what we find, and we have realized that it could take many months to explore the intricacies of the little alleys that grace the hillside of this mountain town.

While staying at the Hotel, we have met many travellers that only come here for one night.  It is a real shame and I feel terrible for people who have planned such a tight schedule, that they have no flexibility to just stop for a few days to enjoy this peaceful town.  It is defnitely worth staying here for much more than one night!  Here are some reasons why:

The scenery is to die for

When I dreamt of what Morocco must be like, I had visions in my mind of vast desert landscapes and camels wandering too and fro.

So when we drove our rental car from Tangier, at sea level, up into the hillsides, I couldn’t have been more shocked and surprised to find towering mountains and drastic landscapes.

Chefchaouen sits in a bowl below towering cliff walls at it’s back.  From rooftop terraces (these are also one of our favourite things!), you can look down into the Rif Valley below, and just contemplate life.

Because we were here for a few days while we had a rental car, we were able to travel over to a neighbouring valley, and the views and landscape is breathtaking.  Emerald green farmers fields stretch for miles beneath the dramatic backdrop, donkeys and carts still doing the heavy hauling on the farms.

We have also taken the time to hike around the city, out of the walled in Medina, to take in some of the views from above.  The Spanish Mosque is a favourite sunset locale, and we highly recommend heading up there at that time of day, to sit and witness life going on far below.  You will be joined by many locals who also make this a part of their daily routine.

Hiking past the Spanish Mosque will take you out along hillside paths that criss cross and meander past farmers fields and more rural houses.  The people here are so friendly, and they will likely invite you in for a cup of famed mint tea.

Everywhere is safe and okay for anyone to explore, and just simply exploring the streets will demand more than a day in itself!

the air and water are clean

Don’t drink the water in Morocco!  We were warned about this before leaving Canada, and I have to say that here in Chefchaouen, it is a non issue.

Moroccans are very clever with how they direct their water, and there are numerous filling stations around the city with functioning taps where people just fill up their bottles if they need to.  This water comes straight off the mountains above, and is as clean as if it were in the Swiss Alps.  We never have to worry about whether or not our food has been cleaned with dirty water, it just doesn’t exist here.

Plus, the air is as clean and as crisp as any mountain air that you would hope to find in any country on earth.  It certainly is equal to the clean air that I breathed as a child growing up in the Rocky Mountains of Canada!

If you love places with clean air and clean water, I mean, who doesn’t (?), you will love Chefchaouen! 

The Coolest Soap Shop

This soap shop is located just off the main plaza, and is very understated from the outside.  I mean, it really does look like any other soap shop that is in the town.  That is, at least, until you go inside, climb the stairs, and breathe in about a thousand different natural scents and behold a visual spectacle that is like nothing you have ever seen.

The little bundles of soap that hang from the ceiling, or any other spot that things can hang from, are all made with 100% natural ingredients.  There are baskets of small blocks that look like soap, which are actually little perfume blocks.  They are small cubes, about 4 sugar cubes worth, that have the most amazing natural scents added to them somehow.  You simply rub the small block on your skin, and you are instantly covered in the nicest smell!

They also have perfume oil that is again made with natural ingredients.  I tell you, when I rub mine on my hands or face, the smell sends me into pure euphoria.  They also carry natural teas, spice mixes and other body products!

If you go to the main plaza and ask anybody about the soap shop, they will point you in the right direction. If you only shop in ONE store in Chefchaouen, please make it this one.  It truly is divine.

There are cats everywhere

I mean, this really wouldn’t appeal to people who aren’t fond of cats, but this is a real highlight for us!

It is decreed in the Quran that you should be nice to cats, in fact, it is decreed that you should be nice to all animals, but somehow cats seem to be treated better than the rest.  So, although they aren’t necessarily taken care of, as in brought into homes and cuddled at night, they are fed with leftover food scraps that people put outside, plus they are free to roam restaurants, waiting patiently for food to drop from the tables.

At night people have to make sure that doors and windows are closed, so that the cats don’t go into places that they shouldn’t be.  You can hear them out in the alleys, fighting, screaming in heat, and just walking around announcing their presence to whomever will listen.

I don’t know about you, but we find them quite entertaining to say the least.

And of course, there are kittens!  Lots and lots of kittens.  

The terrace is where it’s at

Moroccans don’t really have yards, at least not the ones that live in towns and cities.  If you live out on a farm, great, but most places don’t have room for a yard as buildings are built onto each other, leaving no room on the ground.  Instead, Moroccans have terraces.

Terraces are the top level of the building or home, and it is usually open to the elements.  These are places where people hang laundry and those sorts of things, but they are also places where people might set up a whole second kitchen and dining area, or even a cozy extra living room space.  In the summer, we are told that the people of Chefchaouan basically live on their terraces.

It seems to almost be a contest between restaurants as to who has the best terrace.  You climb up thru multiple levels of the building, normally at least 3, just to arrive to the best part, the open air terrace with a great view.  And I have to say, sipping coffee high up on a terrace, while overlooking life going on below , is a pretty great way to spend some time.

(Sunset view from the Casa Aladdin terrace.  In our opinion, the best view in town.)

The People are Amazing

The vibe here is very slow and laid back, which we love.   I’m thinking it has to do with the amount of hash and keef that is smoked since Chefchaouen is THE place in Morocco for the best of both.  Keef, a mix of tobacco and marijuana leaves, is what the men in Chefchaouen put in their long pipes.  It is a standard of life here, and you see all ages sitting around coffee shops and in parks smoking their keef.  Tourists can be sure that they will be offered whatever they need from sometimes pushy salesman who just want to give you a good time.

But I have to say, these guys are about as pushy as it gets, and really, they aren’t that pushy after all.  In fact, I was pleasently surprised when we arrived here at the lack of agressiveness that we experienced from the shop owners.  In the cities, like Fez and Marrakesh, they are hasty and aggressive and will pull out all stops to get you to buy something.  While here in Chefchaouen, they mostly just let you look, will aid you if you need help, and are fine if you politey decline and move on.

The people here are as friendly and helpful as anyone could hope for, in fact, I do beleive that they are the most kind people (as a general population) that I have found in all of my travels.  We have experienced many a kind gesture, and this is quite often with no hope of us giving them anything in return.  Moroccans truly beleive that when each individual is doing better, the collective population does better.  And this transfers into fellow businessmen, family members and even tourists.  We are all in this together, and you can truly feel it when you are amongst the people of Chefchaouen.

There is a beautiful waterfall nearby

Akchour Waterfall is definitely worth the hype!  The walk is 2-3 hours in, and about 1 out.  You will be doing some scrambling, so bring some good walking shoes, but there is nothing that the average person in decent shape couldn’t get up or down.

The actual falls at the very top, were not running very strong when we were there, (video here) but the valley that it is in is absolutely breathtaking!  We call it Fern Gully on steriods, but realize that there is only a certain dempgraphic of people who will understand what we mean when we say that.  Just go!  It’s seriously epic!

Depending on the time of year, you may want to dress in a few layers as we found it very cool at the top, and weren’t able to stay for long as we didn’t have enough clothing.  That being said, in the summer there is tons of swimming, so bring your bathing suit!

Bring money as there are numerous food vendors cooking up mean tajines and mint teas along the way.  You will also find a guy right at the falls, so you can enjoy the stunning beauty while having a fresh cooked meal.  You will also find fresh squeezed orange juice (the only way they do it in Morocco!), and lots of different goodies to purchase.

Maybe bring a garbage bag and consider taking some garbage out with you.  Unfortunately, the Moroccans have little concern if they litter, and the valley really could use a good clean up.

The alleyways and archways are adorable

I remember landing in Tangier, then exploring the old medina, and thinking, ‘these alleyways are so cute’.  Little did I know what was waiting for me in Chefchaouen, because these alleyways surely must be pictured in the dictionary next to ‘cute’ or ‘quaint’ or ‘adorable’!?  

As stated above, we spend much of our time wandering up and down these teeny tiny streets, each time absorbing a little more, and seeing something different.  When we first arrived, we felt like we had come to some sort of adult Disneyland or something.  I mean, it’s so friggin’ adorable, that you can’t even believe that people actually live here.  

But alas, they do, and thankfully, they are happy to share their home with us as we wander around gasping in amazement at each and every corner.  I’m telling you, you have never seen anything like it!  Make sure that your phone or memory card has ample space available because you DO NOT want to miss taking about 100 photos per day! 

The Arts Scene is alive and well

Thankfully, upon arriving in Chefchaouen, we were introduced to a group of artists that has given us an insight into the town a little more than we would have found on our own.  They have a really great studio and gallery, but they aren’t the only ones.

Paintings of all sorts line the walkways as you meander through the medina, however, they aren’t the only items that represent art in this country.

The people of Morocco, for the most part, are still very steeped in tradition when it comes to their creations.  Most handmade items, (and let’s be honest, most things here are handmade in general), are created using traditional methods that go back hundreds, if not thousands of years.  They are very proud of their traditions that have been passed down from their elders, and they quite often have no desire to use the more modern methods that have become available with technological advances.

It’s a beautiful thing to witness how dedicated they are to their crafts, and how much time and attention to detail they employ to make sure that what they make is well made and will last for years to come.

The schedule is just right

I’ll never forget our surprise when on our first morning in Chefchaouen, having been woken by jetlag at 6:00 am, we were not able to find one coffee shop that was open.  We walked and walked and felt certain that SOMEWHERE must be catering to the early morning crowd in this town.

But alas, there was nary a person to be seen, and certainly there were no businesses or coffee shops open at that god awful hour!  In fact, it wasn’t until 8:00 that we finally passed the first person of the day who was slowly making their way down the alley.

After spending 2 years in Central America, we had become accustomed to the hustle and bustle at even 5:00 in the morning.  But here?  Oh no, this quiet and laid back mountain town doesn’t even get going until 10:00, and many businesses won’t even open their doors until 11 or 12.

We have been pleasantly surprised by this considering the fact that we generally run on artist hours, staying up until 2:00am, then sleeping until 9 or 10 in the morning.  It seems that our schedule fits in just perfectly here, and quite often we are still astonished when we walk by a business that is still going strong at 11:00 at night!

Yes, the schedule here suits us just fine!

So yeah, do yourself a HUGE favour and plan AT LEAST 2 nights here!  There are so many things to see and do, and if nothing else, it is a great place to just put your feet up, relax a little, and just take in the chill vibe of this beautiful mountain town.  

Trust me, you will thank me later!