Roughly halfway between Tangier and Fes in northeastern Morocco, Chefchaouen is said to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The 15th-century city is best known for its summer-sky-colored buildings, labyrinthine streets, and mountainous landscape. While you can visit on a day trip, you'll want to stay a night or more to experience the best things to do in Chefchaouen; these include climbing up to the Spanish Mosque for sunset and experiencing the buzz of Plaza Uta El-Hammam and the illuminated Kasbah after dark.
Weather-wise, the best time to visit Chefchaouen is between May and September. Although the summer months are hot, the cool blue buildings provide some relief from the sun—though not from the crowds, who flock to the city during the European summer. While winters are typically cold and wet, October, March, and April can be milder and quieter (depending on when Easter falls) if you visit outside of school holidays.
Chefchaouen is small and easily walkable—although it’s all so picturesque that a quick stroll through the medina (Old Town) can easily turn into an hours-long meander. Walking—in particular, the walk up to the Spanish Mosque for sunset—is one of the best things to do in Chefchaouen. However, if you want to head out further afield or don’t want to walk, you can also take petit taxis (the blue ones), or rent a bicycle.
While most travelers come to Chefchaouen to marvel at the azure buildings, the blue city has plenty more to offer than its painted streets, ornate doorways, and mosaic-studded fountains. Chaouen—as it's known locally—is one of the most laid-back, creative, and welcoming places in Morocco. After dark, the siren call of the city is especially strong, when the lantern-lit Plaza Uta El-Hammam comes to life, Mediterranean al fresco style, under the ever-watchful eye of the 15th-century kasbah.
