visit Chefchaouen : It’s been over 6 months since I published an article on Morocco … So I decided to share with you a blog post dedicated to Chefchaouen to give you some addresses and tips for visiting Chefchaouen.
This small town in the Rif is located in the north of Morocco. Many travelers come to visit Chefchaouen after having fallen under the spell of the narrow streets of the medina that can be seen in many photographs of Morocco.
This post, entirely dedicated to Chefchaouen, aims to make you want to visit Chefchaouen but also to share with you some addresses and tips to better discover the city and know what to do in Chefchaouen.
Visit Chefchaouen: What to do in Chaouen?
Almost all of Chefchaouen’s points of interest, also called Chaouen, are in the medina.
The medina is quite small and the alleys are very beautiful, colorful and pleasant to walk around. We are very far from the overcrowded medinas of Marrakech or Fez. Here, you can walk around calmly, at your own pace without having to dodge mopeds or donkeys loaded with skins!
You will, therefore, be able to take most of the streets of Chefchaouen’s medina.
In key points not to be missed, I will place at the top of the list the main square in the medina, the Uta el-Hammam square. The real heart of the medina, it is a meeting point, a place of discussion, and the place to rest in the medina thanks to the many cafes.
In this square, we find the great mosque of the city and the kasbah that can be visited. The gardens of the kasbah are very pleasant. When you want to visit Chefchaouen, it is a bit of a must!
To the northeast, on the edge of the medina, we find the Ras el Ma spring and we can see women washing their clothes in the old fashioned way. Very quiet, a soothing area with a nice little coffee, by the water!
Finally, every corner of the medina offers a magical view of the alleys of the city or of the mountains surrounding the medina. Visiting Chefchaouen also means taking your time and soaking up the lifestyle of the inhabitants of Chefchaouen, which is very different from the frenetic pace of the big cities of Morocco! As with all medinas in Morocco, visiting Chefchaouen is above all getting lost in the alleys of the city and strolling around aimlessly. Just open your eyes and wait for the meetings.
What to do in the surroundings of Chefchaouen
After completing your Chefchaouen tour, you might be rightly tempted to want to visit the surroundings of Chefchaouen. Several excursions can be considered.
As is often the case, it is best to have a rental car to be fully autonomous and avoid being constrained by bus schedules, especially if you are traveling for a short enough period. If you plan to travel by car in Morocco, at least for part of your stay, I recommend that you read my post entitled road trip in Morocco.
Another alternative to the rental car in Morocco, opt for a day trip by taxi but it will cost you more!
First possible visit, the Talassemtane national park. Ideal for a trek, the park offers magnificent mountain landscapes!
To the north of the park, do not miss the Akchour waterfall or the Pont de Dieu (natural arch in the rock).
The Medina of Tetouan is also very pleasant, with its houses and white alleys. You can spend half a day there. If you are going from Tangier to Chefchaouen by bus, the bus will stop at Tetouan, so you can easily stop there and take a bus the next day (or later in the day if possible, or even finish the trip by grand taxi). 
Finally, visiting Chefchaouen without going up to the heights of the city would be a mistake! In the immediate vicinity of Chefchaouen, you can walk in the surrounding mountains by starting your journey at the Chefchaouen water source (ras el ma). At the beginning of the path, you may be accosted by a few young people who will want to sell you locally produced resin. Do not be afraid, go on your way. If the season is the right one, you will find on your course many fig trees, something to enjoy on the course (September must be the ideal month for figs, during my last visit, I recovered with a shovel …) ! At the start of this path, turn around and admire the panorama of the medina! This walk can be done on foot from the medina of Chefchaouen.
Visit Chefchaouen: My Good Addresses
First of all, I will share with you an excellent place to sleep in Chefchaouen: Dar Echchaouen.
Located on the edge of the medina, it is possible to reach the heart of the medina in 5 minutes on foot (it goes up a bit for the return…). The reception is top-notch, the rooms magnificent and its location offers a magnificent view of the medina but also of the surrounding mountains. And the pool is nice! A real favorite in Chefchaouen! The address is in high demand in Chefchaouen, if you want to sleep there, it is recommended to book as early as possible …
Here are 2 other addresses tested, approved, and well located to visit Chefchaouen:
for more basic accommodation and for a mini-budget, I recommend the Hotel Casa Khaldi. Simple but clean, it is located on the edge of the medina. About 25 euros per double room.
A smaller budget and fancy a classy riad, meet at Lina Riad & Spa. It is located in the medina and it is a magnificent riad! Surely the most beautiful address in town. Count around 120 euros per night in a double room with breakfast.
To eat well in Chefchaouen, there are quite a few places! I recommend 2 to avoid turning this post into a long list of restaurants 
The first, the Al Mokhtar restaurant. It’s a sort of canteen. The setting is not great but the food is very good and for next to nothing! The restaurant is located outside the medina but accessible on foot in less than 5 minutes!
The second, the restaurant Casa Hassan, located in the medina this time! The setting is much nicer but the prices are higher. This is a fairly classic restaurant in Morocco, aimed at tourists but where the food is very good. You will find the great classics of Moroccan cuisine there, especially with a harira / couscous or tajine/fruit or pastries menu. An excellent address in Chefchaouen.
Finally, for a drink and a little break, do not hesitate to sit on the terrace of one of the many cafes on the Uta el-Hammam square, the true heart of Chefchaouen’s medina. The perfect place to sip a nice mint tea or a small glass of Hawaii while watching the activity of this square.
How To Get To Chefchaouen?
To get to Chefchaouen, several solutions are available to you.
If you have a rental car, you can easily reach Chefchaouen. Allow around 2 hours to drive from Tangier for around 110 km. From Fez, further away from Chaouen, it will take around 3h30 / 4 hours of driving to cover the 200 kilometers that separate the 2 cities.
If you have not opted for a rental car, you can of course reach Chefchaouen by using public transport. You should know that Chefchaouen is not served by train. You will, therefore, have to take a bus.
Fez and Tangier are served by train. It is therefore very likely that your route passes through one of these cities.
You can then reach Chefchaouen by bus:
From Tangier: allow around 2h45 / 3 hours by road. I recommend that you take the Supratours or CTM.
From Fez: allow 4 hours by bus to reach Chefchaouen. Likewise, you can go via Supratours or CTM, several departures per day.
Are you planning to visit Chefchouaen and want to go by bus? Book your bus tickets online! Ideal for not having to travel to avoid being confronted with a full bus once there! The CTM agencies are not necessarily always in the center of Moroccan cities, it is nice not to have to go there the day before to buy your bus ticket!
Do you know Chefchaouen? Have you been to Chefchaouen? Do not hesitate to share your feelings about Chefchaouen and its medina!
Read More :
- Tangier To Chefchaouen : The Complete guide to Chefchaouen
- FES TANNERY: IMMERSION IN THE CHOUARA TANNERY
- VISIT ESSAOUIRA : TOP 10 THINGS TO SEE AND DO
- VISIT FEZ IN MOROCCO : THE BEST GUIDE
- Rent a Car in Morocco – Everything you Should Know
- WHAT TO DO IN CASABLANCA: MY ADVICE FOR VISITING CASABLANCA IN MOROCCO!
- VOLUBILIS MOROCCO : THE ANCIENT ROMAN CITY
- Surf In Morocco – The Ultimate Guide to the Best Surfing Places