A PHOTO DIARY OF MY DAY IN THE BLUE CITY <> CHEFCHAOUEN, MOROCCO
Once I decided on Morocco, I knew I had to spend time in the blue city. I am sure you have seen it pop up on your instagram feed. If not Chefchaouen is also known as the blue city as every home (even some streets) is painted in a different shade of blue. It is a very lovely site as you approach the city. The blue city is located in the North of the Country. I booked a day trip tour with Morocco Trek Safaris and I enjoyed their service. This is a full day tour that started with pick up at 8 am and drop off around 6 p.m. (a lot of your day will be spent traveling but you will still get ample time in the Blue city);
Chefchaouen is about a 3.5 hour drive from Fes. By contrast the trip is only 2 hours from Tangier so that is another option of base city; if you don’t want to deal with a 3.5 hour trip. You can also opt for staying in the blue city for an extended period. The three closet airports are Tetouan which is about an hour away; Tangier and Fes.
The drive from Fes to Chefchaouen is very scenic and we made one coffee/bathroom stop along the way. I did not really tire from the drive as the tour guide was very engaging but I was also mesmerized by the scenery - the spectacular and the seeming mundane.
We arrived just before noon and had about 3 hours to explore. I did not have a plan sp I made up my itinerary on the go; which I thing is the best way to enjoy the city. Talk every path that is accessible and find where it leads - it is all beautiful. You will find restaurants; shops; art galleries and homes along the way. Before I share some of my favorite stops. A tip/warning - if you are going to photograph or film in residential areas - be mindful that people live here and be respectful of that. I saw one too many people blocking people’s access to their homes in an attempt to get content.
Since I only spent a few hours in Chefchaouen, this is less of a guide and more of how I spent my time which I can summarize as - allow yourself the freedom to wander down the narrow pathways . Every corner left me in awe; visit the market - there are a variety of products including food, art, spices; grab a meal - the blue city has some impressive restaurants. I dined at Restaurant Bab Ssour and throughly enjoyed my meal.
