The blue city of Chefchaouen is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Morocco. This unique little mountain town has entire streets painted in shades of blue.
You can go to Chef Chaouen on a day trip from Fez or Tangier, or there Hotels in the city If you want to stay longer. I went there on a day trip from Fez and enjoyed it, even though it took a full day to get there and back.
This travel guide will explain how to get to the Blue City (with or without a tour), what to see there, and everything you need to know before you go!
The best tourism company in Morocco
For my visit to the Blue City, I booked a tour online through them Get your guide.
My day tour to Chefchaouen from Fez cost just $26 USD and included transportation in a minivan with a small group, 4 hours in the Blue City, and a local guide to guide us around the area.
This is the same tour I used on my own visit to Chefchaouen, and I had a great experience with them. You can book this day tour at the link below!
Book now: Day trip to Chefchaouen from Fez / Tangier
How to get to Chefchaouen
• From Fez
From Fez, if you do not want to use a tour, you can also reach Chefchaouen by public bus or private car.
The bus journey from Fez to Chefchaouen takes just over 4 hours. It is cheap, safe and convenient. This route is served by CTM and another bus company, and there are at least 5 departures daily.
You can check their schedule and book tickets online hereOr you can buy tickets in person at the bus station.

CTM Bus

Bus seats
Another option is a private chauffeur car, which will be faster and more convenient than a bus.
This is the most expensive way to get to Chefchaouen, but it can be somewhat economical if you are traveling with friends to split the cost.
You can arrange a driver with your hotel in Fez, or you can book it online here.
• From Tangier
The closest international airport to Chefchaouen is Tangier Airport (TNG), which receives flights from all over Europe.
If you are coming from Tangier, the drive to Chefchaouen only takes about 2.5 hours and you can do it by public bus, private car or shared tour. The roads are a bit winding, but generally in good condition.
The bus route from Tangier to Chefchaouen is serviced by CTM and has 5 departures daily. This is the cheapest way to get to the Blue City from Tangier. You can check schedules and book tickets online here.
If you want to go by private driver, this can be arranged with your hotel in Tangier, or you can book it online here.
And last but not least, GetYourGuide does just that Shared day tours to Chefchaouen From Tangier.

Street managers
Visiting the Blue City: What to expect
Once you arrive in Chefchaouen, the city is small enough to get around on foot.
If you come by taxi or take a tour, it will drop you at the main gate, from where you can easily walk into the Blue City and start exploring.
If you come by bus with luggage, you may want to hire a taxi to take you the rest of the way from the bus station to Bab Al Ain, the main gate to the city. This will save you 30 minutes of walking uphill.

The main square of the city

Souvenirs
Like all cities in Morocco, there are some touts in Chefchaouen who may try to bother you or sell you things, but overall it is quieter and quieter than places like Fez or Marrakesh.
I will say that the streets in Chef Shawn are narrow and steep, with a lot of stairs to climb, so if you don’t have good mobility, you may find this a bit difficult.
However, it’s a fun place to walk around, and there are plenty of great cafes and restaurants if you want to stop for a bite to eat along the way.
• The best photo sites
There are a bunch of good photo spots in Chefchaouen, but these are my favorites:
- Colorful pots alley. This is perhaps the most famous place to take photos in the Blue City. On Google Maps, the approximate location is marked with “Modern trailYou can use this pin for orientation, although GPS doesn’t work best when you’re navigating the narrow streets of Medina.
- Orange juice shop. Attractive little spot with plastic oranges hanging on a vine. They make fresh orange juice here, so you can buy a drink and take some photos. Draw a map here.
- Solid blue alley. This is another great photo spot with pure blue walls and doors, which you can see in the photo above. It’s a short walk west of the orange juice store.
- Al-Hota Square. One of the main squares in the Blue City, with a water fountain and a beautiful view of the mountains. Draw a map here.
- Mural Street. A winding street with Santorini murals in Greece. Draw a map here.
- House of Aladdin’s magic lamp. This restaurant has a wonderful rooftop view of Chefchaouen. Go to the upper balcony for the best view. Draw a map here.

Orange juice shop

Al-Hota Square
• More things to see in Chefchaouen
If you have extra time, here are some other things in the area worth seeing:
- The reed. This was the original fortified city of Chefchaouen, built in 1471 to defend against the Portuguese. It is now a museum and you can climb the tower for great views of the city.
- Ras Elma Waterfall. It requires a bit of walking up since the waterfall is outside of town, and it’s not pretty, but it can be a nice place to relax if you want to get away from the tourists.
- Bouzaafar Mosque. Also known as the Spanish Mosque, this place has amazing views of the entire city from above. You can hike there in about 30 minutes from town, or some tours stop here to take photos on your way into town. This is what we did.

Lots of colours

Rainbow stairs
• How long to stay
To stay or not to stay? This is the big question with Chefchaouen. Is the daily commute long enough?
there Hotels in the city If you want to stay longer, some people may prefer to do that, but I was happy with a day trip. There’s really not much to see or do if you stay longer than a day.
Yes, it’s a long day trip from Fez with a lot of driving; You’ll spend at least 4 hours on the road each way, so 8 hours of driving total, plus 4 hours walking around the city itself.
However, in my experience, spending 4 hours in the city was enough time to see the highlights, take lots of photos, and even have lunch at one of the cafes there. A day trip from Tangier will give you more time.
In my opinion, it is not necessary to stay overnight in Chefchaouen.

Near the top of Medina

Another very blue entrance
• Is it worth it?
Is Chefchaouen worth the long detour or not? Yes, I think so.
I have to admit I was a little disappointed by the Blue City, but maybe my expectations were too high because of what I saw on Instagram and travel calendars.
There were stray cats and dogs everywhere, and you constantly saw feces in the streets. I have been photographed many times by animals defecating or urinating in the middle of the street when I am trying to take a photo of something.
I love cats, but this was too much. There was a fair amount of dirt and rubbish on the floor in Chefchaouen as well, and in general it could really be cleaned up.
Don’t expect it to be like the all-blue version of Santorini in Greece. I think that’s what I had in mind. Chefchaouen is certainly not as clean or impressive as Santorini’s famous streets, although there are a few pretty alleys.
I still think Chefchaouen is worth a visit, but keep your expectations realistic. It’s a fun city to explore, but I don’t think it’s quite as picturesque as it looks in some pictures.

Mural Street
• Why is it blue?
No one knows for sure why the city is painted blue. One theory is that it was made to try to keep mosquitoes away, or that it is meant to look like the sky or the Mediterranean Sea.
Others believe it was intentionally painted blue to attract tourists. If so, it looks like their plan has worked, because this unique little town has become one of the most famous places in Morocco!

Colorful pots alley
More travel guides to Morocco
Thanks for looking! I hope you enjoy this guide on how to visit the blue city of Chefchaouen on a day trip.
Don’t forget to check out my other Morocco travel guides before you go!