Medinas & craftsEditorial pick · go independently
Chefchaouen’s blue medina, then sunset from the Spanish Mosque
Wander blue-washed lanes below the Rif mountains, visit the kasbah on Outa el Hammam square and climb to a hilltop viewpoint at dusk.
- Best timeSpring and autumn; the hike is hot in summer and can be muddy after winter rain.
- How it worksGo independently: nothing to book through MoroccanPlans.
Why go
Chefchaouen’s medina is famous for its lanes and stairways painted in every shade of blue, stacked against the slopes of the Rif. At its centre, Outa el Hammam square is lined with cafés, and the walled kasbah, with its garden and small ethnographic museum, offers views over the town from its tower.
Just beyond the north-eastern gate, the Ras el-Maa spring runs down from the mountain. From there, a path climbs for twenty to thirty minutes to the Spanish Mosque, built in the 1920s and never used for worship, whose terrace is the classic place to watch the sun set over the blue town.
What to expect
Steep lanes and steps throughout the medina, and a dirt path up to the Spanish Mosque. Residents live in the photogenic lanes: be considerate when taking pictures of doors and homes.
Our advice
- Visit the kasbah in the morning and keep the walk up to the Spanish Mosque for the last hour of daylight.
- Bring a torch or use your phone’s light for the walk back down after sunset.
- Ask before photographing people.
Advice from our editors, not official rules: check opening times and conditions locally.
Where it is
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Sources
The facts on this page were checked on 25 October 2026 against reputable sources, but not all against an official one: confirm practical details before you go.
- Chefchaouen — sights — Lonely Planet · checked 25 Oct 2026
Descriptions are our own words. Opening hours, prices and access can change: the official website is the reference.
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