The blue pearl of Morocco, Chefchaouen, is a small village on a mountainside. Its famous houses, whitewashed with lime mixed with copper sulphate, have produced the indigo colour that makes Chefchaouen so special. Highly popular with tourists from all over the world, Chefchaouen has managed to preserve its authenticity thanks to its inhabitants, offering visitors an incomparable stay, as if cut off from the world. Would you like to know where to stay in Chefchaouen?
The village, which offers accommodation mainly in the Medina, can be approached in 3 ways. To the west, you’ll be close to the locals and enjoy the peace and quiet of the narrow streets. In the lively historic centre, you’ll find accommodation close to the Kasbah, and to the east you’ll be totally immersed in Berber culture, where you can stay in some superb establishments.
Things you need to know
Before going into detail on each area to help you decide where to stay in Chefchaouen, here are some key things you need to know about the city. This’ll give you a better idea of the city.
Our favorite places to stay
If you’re in a hurry, here are our top places to stay in Chefchaouen:
- $ This hotel, ideally located in the centre, offers rooms at very affordable rates,
- $$ This hotel, with its rooftop offering superb views of the city and mountains,
- $$$ This luxury hotel is ideally located opposite the Kasbah.
Map of different areas to stay in Chefchaouen
Here’s a map which includes our picks of hotels and flats. You can also use this map to pinpoint the different areas we’ll cover in this guide.
We’ve used the following colour code: green for budget hotels, blue for mid-range hotels and red for luxury hotels.
Essentials to stay in Chefchaouen
Areas where to stay in Chefchaouen
Let’s get to the heart of the matter with a review of the main areas where we recommend staying in Chefchaouen.
Accommodation in the centre of the Medina: the beating heart
Chefchaouen is known for its extensive old Medina and the overall blue colour of the village. At its centre is the Kasbahand Place Outa El Hamman, where a large concentration of small restaurants, cafés and shops welcome visitors from all over the world. Considered the historic heart of the town, this square serves as a gateway to a number of different routes to the surrounding accommodation.
In the centre, numerous local craftsmen are on hand to show you all their ancestral and well-preserved skills , whether in leather goods, soap making or shoemaking, you'll have enough to bring back beautiful authentic souvenirs for the whole family.
Accessible from the avenue Hassan II that encircles the old town, the fortress can be reached from the south, so you'll find plenty of places to stay, most of which require you to climb to the top of the village. Prices are affordable overall, so you'll be able to stay in youth hostels, riads or more upmarket hotels, depending on your requirements, which remains an advantage for this village that is both popular and authentic.
There are several places to visit in this central area:
- Kasbah de Chefchaouen: an ancient fortress where you can discover local crafts and a small ethnographic museum. Beautiful view of the city from the tower. Prices for foreigners and locals.
- Garden of the fortress: Beautiful garden accessible by paying the entrance fee to the Kasbah.
Our selection of hotels and riads to stay in the city centre
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Very affordable, this monochrome hotel in the iconic Chefchaouen style offers classic, functional rooms. You'll love theview from the rooftop terrace, where you can enjoy breakfast in the sunshine.
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A little to the west of the central Uta El Hamman square is this small hotel with a sumptuous oriental decor, where you can stay in classic, traditional rooms. A shaded terrace high above the hotel offers a superb view of the city, from where breakfast is served.
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Beautiful hotel located opposite the Kasbah and offering a rooftop terrace furnished with oriental cushions for magical evenings. The bedding is excellent and you can stay in rooms decorated in a more modern style.
Choosing to stay west of Chefchaouen: peace and quiet
When you arrive in Chefchaouen, depending on where you are coming from, you could be arriving from the south or the west of the Moroccan city. Only one real road crosses Chefchaouen, and it is by arriving from the north that you will be taken to the west of the Medina. As the village is small, most places of interest, as well as accommodation, will be concentrated in the heart of the old town or just beside it. To the west, you'll find that there are two gates to enter: Bab El Ain and Bab Souk.
These two gates will serve as landmarks and should be carefully memorised if you wish to find your riad or guest house, which are often nestled between the ancestral streets and are only accessible on foot. Bab El Ain is located to the south-west, and is the most accessible. Situated below the long, steep avenue Hassan II, it will be a convenient way to reach your accommodation if you choose it close by.
For the more sporty, the Bab Souk gate, named after the old market that used to take place there on Mondays, can be served by a number of taxis. They can drop you off right in front of the old gate, and from there it's easy to walk to your accommodation and wander through the blue alleyways, which will amaze you at first sight. This is a more peaceful place to stay than the rest of the village, where there are fewer tourists and you can find a few craftsmen.
We have chosen some interesting riads to stay in near these two gates.
Our recommended accommodation for staying west of Chefchaouen
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Near the Bab El Ain gate, you can stay in this riad-style youth hostel, which offers spacious traditional-style rooms. There is also a furnished terrace where you can enjoy breakfast.
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Very affordable, this simple hotel in the iconic colours of Chefchaouen can accommodate you in classic, fully-equippedrooms. You'll love its rooftop terrace where you can enjoy the view of the blue village and the sun from morning to night.
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This hostel offers double rooms decorated with traditional fabrics. The bathrooms are decorated in typical Moroccan style. A large rooftop terrace offers a magnificent, unobstructed view of the mountains and the city.
Accommodation east of Chefchaouen: the waterfall
To the east of Chefchaouen is an enchanting spot near the waterfall and its washhouse, lined with improvised cafés and orange juice makers. The place, which is very lively both day and night, is the most interesting in the village, where you'll find locals dressed in Berber costumes selling local handicrafts, giving you a total immersionin the folklore of Moroccan culture. Once a week, mountain women come down to the wash-house to wash their clothes, demonstrating an ancestral activity that has been preserved.
Note that the small cafés set up allow you to cool off directly in the water, which is very pleasant when temperatures peak at over 40°C. After a pleasant moment by the river and a cup of mint tea or fresh juice, you can then take the long paved Bouzaafer path up to the Spanish Mosque, which offers a breathtaking view at sunset. It's also on the Rif mountain range that you can take advantage of the wide range of hiking trails that criss-cross the valley, much to the delight of walkers. The East has the advantage of being so close to this activity. If you're a good climber, you can also try your hand at rock-climbing on the Spanish Mosque trail.
In this part of Chefchaouen, there are a number of multi-star hotels where you can stay and enjoy the best possible experience. We have selected for you the accommodation that will guarantee you a perfect stay after a good hike in the region.
Our recommended accommodation for staying east of Chefchaouen
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Situated a little further up the hill from the wash-house, this beautiful, traditional hotel offers comfortable, well-decorated rooms. There is a large terrace and garden where you can enjoy the famous breakfast in the sunshine.
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Situated to the east of the Medina, very close to the Kasbah, you will be won over by the omnipresent blue of this hotel, which compliments the exotic central garden where you can recharge your batteries while having breakfast. The rooms are pleasant and cosy enough to stay in.
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Overlooking the Chefchaouen valley, this magnificent hotel offers several tree-lined terracesand a swimming pool to make the most of the climate. In a traditional, well-kept style, you can stay in their comfortable, spacious rooms, sumptuously decorated for an enchanting stay.
Summary
You now have all the detailed information you need about where to stay in Chefchaouen! Whether you prefer to stay in the quiet west of the town, want to be close to the hiking trails or live in the beating heart of the Moroccan city, you’re sure to be won over by the preserved authenticity that can be felt throughout the town.
It’s a unique city, and one you’d be remiss to miss if you come to the beautiful African country of Morocco. It is in fact one of the most peaceful and pleasant villages in the country, thanks to the presence of the locals, who live in a truly ancestral way. A rarity in tourist towns, which often lose their lustre because of investors who have little regard for the preservation of traditions.
So it’s with great interest that we recommend a visit to Chefchaouen, Morocco’s blue city, which will leave you with an unforgettable, surreal and peaceful memory of your trip to Morocco.