Morocco's Best-Kept Secret Is This All-Blue Village

Tucked high in Morocco’s Rif Mountains, the all-blue town of Chefchaouen is a calming respite from the overwhelming frenzy of Marrakech and Fez. Photographer and writer Lucy Laucht takes us on a tour of Morocco's hidden gem.

By Lucy Laucht

August 21, 2015

Photo by Lucy Laucht
Painted in a palette of mesmerizing blue hues, Chefchaouen's ancient medina (old quarter) offers a thousand photo opportunities, and the souks brim with undiscovered gems. Photographer and writer Lucy Laucht explains why Chefchaouen should be next on your travel list.
Chefchaouen's medina is beautiful, peaceful, and easy to explore. The Jewish refugees from Europe who lived there during the 1930s first painted Chefchaouen blue (either to symbolize heaven or as a mosquito repellent, depending on who you ask), and now the town is known as "The Blue Pearl." The town still keeps the tradition alive: Each year, the terracotta-tiled houses are washed with new coats of paint.

Relative inaccessibility keeps Chefchaouen one of Morocco's best-kept secrets (travelers can drive or take a bus—the trip takes about four hours from Fez and six from Casablanca). After hours of winding along narrow mountain roads, the town appears like a mirage.
Blue walls, blue sky, blue stairs, blue flowerpots: You will find yourself surrounded by the color in various shades when in Chefchaouen.

Along the maze-like medina streets artisans and craftspeople sell a variety of wares, including beautiful hand-woven blankets and rugs, brass teapots, and colorful pottery. The best part? How easy it is. Browsing and shopping come with much less of the hassle that you typically find in the larger Moroccan cities.
Brightly colored henna dyes line the streets. The dyes are used to decorate hands and feet during weddings and other celebrations.

Colorful flowerpots clash against blue walls, making it the perfect Instagram backdrop.
Orange pops against Yves Klein Blue at a fruit vendor’s stall in one of Chefchaouen's many cobblestone squares. You can pick up a fresh orange juice for just a couple of dirhams.

The air in Chefchaouen is heavy with the scent of spices, particularly Ras el Hanout, a heady blend containing cardamom, turmeric, clove, chili, cumin, and more.
Chefchaouen’s small and uncrowded medina is dotted with quiet corners like this.

Laucht found the ancient city using very modern means. "I actually discovered Chefchaouen through someone I follow on Instagram—I ended up going down a total geo-tag rabbit hole," she says. "I was planning a trip to Morocco at the time and considering all the big names like Marrakech, Fez, Casablanca. I'd never heard of Chefchaouen and was so intrigued by this little town painted entirely in blue. I have a thing for blue hues, so it was a kind of a match made in heaven!"