Cultural and Historical Significance of Chefchaouen
The blue-rinded houses scattered all over the hills of Chefchaouen are a sight unparalleled in Morocco. So many shades of blue, so many varied designs and the terracotta tiles of the roofs covered with patina aged by time and weather proffer captivating visual impressions. Travelers are always enamored with its blue streets and lanes bathed with faint blue light. Even the walls of the hills that surround the town exhibit a subtle bluish hue that combines beautifully with the greenery of the surrounding vegetation, producing an ambiance that calms and pacifies instantaneously.
But over the ages of colonization and independence that have marked Moroccan history, Chefchaouen has turned out to be the cradle for an idiom that offers an aura of fraternity, preservation of cultural uniqueness, richness of historical heritage, a union of Man and Nature, etc. This very richness of heritage inspires concepts of varied areas of life such as political organization, aesthetic sense, intercommunal relationships, ways of coping with the environment, traditional craftsmanship, folklore, religion, etc. due to the characteristics of this legendary area. The objective of this research paper, therefore, is to bring out the uniqueness of this town, as a setting and specimen for such historical and cultural richness.
Chefchaouen, located in a historically important fork of valleys of high planning and contacts between all the regions of the northwest of the present Moroccan state and mainly between the coast and the interior, has been able to maintain a particular authenticity and a vital uniqueness throughout the historical, to be the cradle of a rich and diverse intangible cultural heritage. This rarity and diversity of the Chefchaouen heritage offer within a limited space a wide and unique panorama of the richness of the Moroccan intangible cultural heritage. This is reflected mainly and essentially through its idiom.
2. Geographical Overview
1. Introduction 2. Geographical Overview 3. Historical Overview 4. Importance of the Cultural Heritage 5. Aesthetical Reason for the Significance Conclusions 2. Geographical Overview Chefchaouen is a small city located in the mountains of Morocco. It lies in the northwest of the country, and is part of the Rif mountain range. The city is geographically located in the latitude of 35′ 7.5” and in the longitude of 5′ 15.2”. The city is both a province and capital of Chefchaouen Prefecture. The population is around 35,000 people. It has a special significance in tourism. This is because it is popular for its blue medina. Tourism serves as the backbone for the economy of the city. While not very big, an airport is also located some 50 kilometers away in the city of Tetouan. The city is located in a mountainous area. It is surrounded by two mountain peaks called Jebel ech Chaouen. The top reaches around 2000 meters. However, the city is also easily accessible through the roads around it. The basis of the economy of the Chefchaouen comes from agriculture. The mountains nearby as well as the valleys play an important part in making agriculture work. The types of agriculture done are mainly cereal growing, and animal pasture. In conclusion, the city possesses a special significance in both winter and summer for being a traditional region. The medina is also the major attraction of the city which is highly sought for tourism.
3. Historical Background
Founded in 1471, Chefchaouen is a fairly recent city in Morocco. It was created as a military post by the sultan of Morocco as a means of protecting the region from incursion by the Portuguese and Spanish armies, who were already initiating a presence on the north Mediterranean coast by that time. The city was established to help keep those armies tied up while the sultan focused instead on developing the southern areas of Morocco, which for long had been ruled by the Abdalwadid dynasty of Algeria. It was the sultan Moulay Ismail who ordered the military post built, giving it the name of Chefchaouen, which means “look at the horns”, a reference to two mountains that border the town.
The city was founded out of necessity by military orders, and very few Moroccan people would choose to settle here as one of their first choices. The first colonizers were Spanish Jews and Berber tribes. Some of them occupied this part of Morocco that did not belong to them, in what we can only describe as an act of invasions, after Spanish and Portuguese troops were ejected from the coastal areas around Tangier and Ceuta. For a considerable time, Chefchaouen, the present capital of the province of the same name, was a haven for Moroccan spies in their battles against the centralized authority imposed by the sultan in Fez. It was not until the mid-19th century that the Moroccan sultan Moulay Abderrazzak would incorporate the area into the kingdom, in a tactic that en masse had for centuries been used to reunify the many different factions making up the Sultanate. Empirical controls had been established, but without the involvement of the central government to develop projects of integration where the region had for a long time been autonomous.
4. Cultural Heritage
Chefchaouen’s history and its unusual architectural style also imbue it with significance that extends beyond its aesthetics. The city’s rarity intensifies the meaning of solitude and picturesque isolation that defines so much of the town’s contemporary appeal. The Crown Prince established Chefchaouen, beginning a centuries-long tradition of using the town as a retreat from the heat of summer in the plains. The souks of Chefchaouen served as critical conduits for the waxing and waning influence of the Empire. The quiet of the mountains fostered in merchants a desire for privacy, and their overwhelmingly Jewish presence gave Chefchaouen a merchant character distinct from any other destination in Morocco. Restored by the protectorate, the whole town is now a national monument but retains the same importance and artisan craftwork that made it so attractive to king and traveler alike.
Chefchaouen not only boasts rustic charm, but also presents a viable successor to the cities, bolstered by a more tolerant social atmosphere and dazzling colors such as saffron yellow adorning the Kasbah Museum. Impressionist legends found their muses in motifs present in abundance, and the discovery of Chefchaouen’s blue incursion of winding hilltop alleys invited the modern world of tourism into an unimaginable Romanticism. Above all else, Chefchaouen stands as a witness to the days when humans venerated the universe and built towns to echo the divine work of creation.
5. Architectural Influences
Cultural and Historical Significance of Chefchaouen
5. Architectural Influences
Chefchaouen is an archetypical Moroccan city, with strong links with the rest of the country in terms of its architecture and cultural practices. The Moroccan architectural style is known for its use of bold designs, vibrant colors, geometric patterns, elaborate tile work, wood carving, low ceilings, and large ornamental wooden doors. It generally uses traditional local materials such as stucco, stone, cobblestone, and plaster, but with an endemic use of blue pigment to cover the external walls and ceilings of almost all buildings. In Chefchaouen, these architectural styles have taken the form of a modified mud-brick Alteza style, unique to the Berber region of Northern Morocco, enriched through subsequent influence of Spanish architecture.
The second architectural component of the city is the unmistakable Spanish influence over its urban development. Chefchaouen was founded as a fortified casbah and as such, its structure is distinctly military. It was constructed as a redoubt against the Spanish invasion of the rest of the Moroccan territory, to the West of Chefchaouen, and evolved over time into a defensive fortress. To this end, a system of ramparts and gates was built, making Chefchaouen a key stop on routes from the Atlantic coast to Fez, Marrakech, and the Sahara, as a defense against indigenous Berber tribes. Today, only the later jinis or holiday houses, originally used as military barracks, and the square inside the ramparts, still retain military features.
5.1. Traditional Moroccan Architecture
The architectural style of Chefchaouen illustrates a rich blending of Berber, Arab, and Jewish influences. Today, the town reveals mainly its Berber and Spanish influences. The Berber influence can be seen in the striped rugs for sale in the medina of Chefchaouen. Every rug maker tries to express his or her individuality through the colors and patterns in the rug; however, each ethnic group or tribe in Morocco has its own typical and distinctive designs. Today, the small family-based rug weaving businesses are being challenged by factory-made machine products and by cheaper imports. The artisans have resigned themselves to create hand-woven rugs only for tourists and exports. Keen-eyed tourists will notice that on the left side of the Plaza Uta el-Hammam a number of shops are dedicated to the making and selling of cedar wood crafts such as intricate collapsible tables, doors, and other products and souvenirs. Taking the street leading to the right of the Plaza el-Uta Hammam, visitors will find other small shops dedicated to selling djellabas, a loose long hooded outer garment, shirts, and the traditional pointed leather shoes called babouches.
The town’s medina, like many others in Morocco, contains narrow winding alleys and small squares, which lead to the town’s main square, the Plaza Uta el-Hammam; lined with cafés and restaurants, the plaza is considered the town’s social and activity center. On one side of the plaza lies the Grande Mosque, built in the 15th century, and backed by the Kasbah, originally built to defend the town but today housing small ethnographic exhibitions, and topped with a flower-filled garden. On another side of the Plaza Uta el-Hammam, three old unequally-threaded but attractive white and bluewashed “tarugots” which serve as bakeries, and whose many automatic ovens fill the air with the delicious wheaty smell of baked bread. Bakery ovens are located along every main artery of this urban medina area, the old town where houses reveal the characteristics of traditional Moroccan architecture model.
5.2. Spanish Influence
A profound influence on the architecture of Chefchaouen came from Spain, which moved south from its conflict over the Iberian Peninsula with the Moors, embodied in the Alhambra but also in religious reform and architectural development, into Morocco, culminating in the conquest of Tangier in 1471. Northern Morocco became the destination of choice for often impoverished Christian women seeking husbands and converting to Islam in the enclaves – which included Chefchaouen – of immigrant long-desks in the service and style of Cordoba and other Andalusian cities. Spanish and Islamic architecture here entwined: softening the sharpness of Islam with decorative features in far greater elements; adding terracotta and floral bricking; introducing the baroque style; painting church interiors as palaces in rich colors. They built minarets enclosing a tower or belfry; frequently refunding mosques with Christian altars during periods of Catholic dominion. Spanish architecture thus softened the severe minimalist characteristics of Chefchaouen’s houses, slowly shaping its present beauty. Its famous blue painting became alley staple in response to the demand of the Spanish colonialists who employed local masons to imitate their own decoration styles adorning houses from Granada in the architecture of Riads.
The Rif region siding in Chefchaouen and Tetouan was restored to the crown prince under the Spanish protectorate from 1911 to the Abdel Krim revolt of 1920-26, including the Spanish restoration of Tétouan in 1917 and repeated attacks on Chefchaouen. Work was commissioned from Antonio Gaytán de Ayala by General Franco to whom Chefchaouen is indebted for the urbanization of the Villa, both Spanish and Islamic influences being defined upon the Restoration. The influence of Spanish architecture, militarily and economically in Chefchaouen, ended but not its popular commercial aspects fueling architectural activity.
6. Religious Significance
Many have compared the Medina to the pages of an open book. The medina, definitely, represents the history, the melodies, the past images, the thrive traditions, culture, and civilization renowned for Morocco. A land of fruition where the Sharia, the way of Allah in all its forms, governs every moment of life; and the Prophet, the last envoy of Allah, shows each man, through his Tradition, the actual way to follow it, in the maximum of respect and devotion and in the acceptance of the Law (the Sharia) Above all, the Medina mirrors tranquillity and peace; hence its permanent and beautiful silence. But the Medina wants to whisper a secret message to the visitors: the message of a life of sublime research and struggle and the unimaginable victory every man will win in the paradise.
From the founding of the town in 1471 until the end of the 17th century, Chefchaouen grew as a small town presided over by a group of mulabbid, Muslim monks who inspired in the people the mediatory origin of the town, the cumulative notion of Khalfallah and charge them to respect the rules, the common laws and to combat with determination the enemies of the inspired struggle. The mulabbid instructed new Sufí colonists coming from the east to give a stronger support to the formerly founded brotherhoods as a thank to Allah for having cooperated to the re-establishment of the alliance of the Abu al-Alia. These Arabic colonists settled and were a basis and took charge of the want to settle and lay the basis of the holy shrines known in the area experienced a flourishing period and at the beginning of the 18th century established close diplomatic relations with the new-founded sharifian dynasty of the Alaouites.
6.1. Islamic Traditions
The Medina of Chefchaouen is one of the few examples of an Iberian or Andalusian qasbah that has retained its architectural integrity. Although closed to outsiders during the early years of its construction, the city became an important trade center, which attracted local merchants as well as those from the regions of Fez and Tétouan. As such, it is not surprising that, when it was taken by Rifa’a al-Tahtawi, the city became center of a growing trade, a situation which lasted until the early 1900s, when colonialists monopolized the trade routes. Over the years, but particularly between 1920 and 1930, several important monuments were constructed or restored: such as the Great Mosque, the Kasbah, and the cemetery of the Medina. In this way, Chefchaouen’s Kasbah Mosque preserves earlier architectural features and Arabic inscriptions that detail the role of Zawiyah al-Banū Sā’īdic. Such landmarks define Chefchaouen’s unique blended Iberian and Islamic architectural traditions.
The Medina also preserves the architectural characteristics of the Andalusian period, embodied in its whitewashed walls, flat roofs, balconies, and carved wooden doorways. In this respect, the Medina is considered a unique architectural landmark because of its open-air construction style, which is characterized by the colored niches of the Zawiyah, Qḍā’ houses, and roofless patio. As such, it provides insight into the traditional and communal Islamic architectural fabric. However, it is the monumental core of the Kasbah Mosque that preserves many of the earlier local architectural and Islamic traditions. It remains, therefore, a site of great cultural, ethnomusical, and religious significance for Moroccan nationals, and serves as an important pastime and source of enjoyment for the growing number of local and international tourists visiting the region.
6.2. Local Festivals
In Morocco, traditional festivals and religious observances shape the artistic season. Transmitted from generation to generation in the style of the people, these inherited forms and expressions are sometimes found integrated into popular celebrations and religious pilgrims that are local in character. This predominance of traditional forms and models is nevertheless shaken up over time with the adoption of some innovations. Impressive displays of wonder, fantasy and curiosity are common to the festivals of different ethnic groups, people distributing them in the common adventure of life, so as to obtain mutual blessings and fortune during the coming times. Group dance ensembles, masks, masks dancing in front of the musicians, feasting, singing, as well as roles of children, puppets and women attract the interest of travelers and authors from distant lands. Here are some examples of the major local festivals listed in the medina of Chefchaouen.
In spring, to celebrate the Yahmadi, the local population gathers in Mukhlah where a feast is eaten around the tomb of the marabout, a blend of somewhat special eggs, Rothis and bread. In summer, the famous Mouled al-Nabi, An-Nasr festival, wields Mauritanian, Andalusian and Moroccan music, whose origins are independent of the Mawlid, and are performed on Tuesday and Friday evenings with a flamenco touch. In winter, the inhabitants of Chefchaouen indulge in the circumcision ritual of their children known as the Boukhmani Chaouenis. In Moulay Bouseh Algicands Ahlilou chant prayers to bless the newborn child. During the en-Nassr al-Mahmoudi during the festival, the inhabitants will each serve a plate of peanuts or a dish of couscous to a small passerby. Finally, the party for the enemy of Jews for the sοmbilalouseh Ahlilou recalls pilgrims, leadership well known in the fight against the first disaster for the observance of Judaism in the Maghreb.
7. Economic Aspects
Chefchaouen’s economy relies primarily on tourism alongside traditional crafts production, although the latter plays a greater role locally compared to the overall tourist meaning. Transitioning from a predominantly agricultural economy, especially goat breeding, migration to cities sparked a coalescence of immigrants in Chefchaouen. Census figures in 1971 suggested that 12,653 visited the town compared with only 3,419 present; the respective figures in 1994 were 32,644 and 30,800. More recent numbers indicate that over half the town’s inhabitants were born elsewhere; many of the town’s more skilled citizens work or study outside to find better-paying jobs. Presently, the local economy is also experiencing a tourism boom due to increasing popularity of the “blue city.” Chefchaouen has witnessed investment in guesthouses, hotels, and restaurants, but the rapid expansion of tourism facilities is however raising questions regarding the capacity of the local socio-economic infrastructure to absorb and sustain tourist traffic. A lack of trained personnel hinders further tourism development. The rising facilities and equipment costs are also borne by a hotel occupancy rate that fluctuates between 50% and 70%.
Visitors mainly come to take in the ocher walls and blue doors; shop for wool, the local specialty food, or increasingly jewelry; eat the locally famous goat cheese; and—when weather permits—trek in the surrounding region. Trekking in the nearby mountains involves various problems connected to travel information and signposting, lack of facilities and tourist maps, and use of inexperienced guides. Various styles of crafts can be seen—shopping and bargaining are attractive activities that can be done easily from the medina areas. The picturesque squares of Plaza Uta el-Hammam with its café, restaurants, and Moroccan dancing help create the ambiance. Rich choices of local crafts can be found, including woven shawls, blankets, wool clothes, leather goods such as slippers and purses, and finely inlaid jewelry boxes. Smaller bargains can be made from sidewalk vendors.
7.1. Tourism Impact
Tourism represents a key pillar of the economy; however, its development is often considered to be more negative than positive. In the case of Chefchaouen, urban tourism has brought economic benefits in terms of employment and increased income for a part of the housing owners at the same time. In return, it has strongly affected the urban space, its structure and aspects. The main complaints from the citizens concern the imposition of the rhythms of a foreign daily space (tourists are present mainly during the day, while the night-time is deserted), and issues of security, especially noise and pollution linked to the presence of non-resident populations, the derogatory behavior of a certain type of tourist who exposes himself and inaccurately handles the assets of the mountains and the Medina, in general.
In another perspective, there are several residents who see tourism as an opportunity for the development of infrastructure and the modernization of economic sectors. These are the arguments frequently presented by the promoters of the acceleration of tourist activity around the city to attract rich tourism with safe incomes. And Chefchaouen, cozy and beautiful, was going to have all the chances to accompany Moroccans to European ex-pats who were nostalgically and singularly in the blue Medina, abandoned and without Latinos. Ski-akers heading from the mountains without their wives and kids were going to reverse on their way and emptied their pockets in bars and riads disguised to sell local hospitality.
7.2. Local Crafts and Markets
Craft and artisanal products in Chefchaouen represent a highly functional component of a visual geography that illustrates the mountain community through ornamentation and pure colors. The potters of Kelaa, the brass workers from Fez, the carpet weavers from the high plains of Beni Ayat build an art-based economy strongly imbued with a cultural and historical dimension, which is poorly developed. An environment endangered by fashionable and kitschy imitation threatens trade in artisan products of Chefchaouen and its region.
As a tourist destination, Chefchaouen is known for its handicrafts, particularly woolen garments, chiefly those of the Berbers and blue wool cloth, embroidered in black and red. In the Souk el-Hot, numerous stalls set up and lined with products become a must before leaving. The price of some products is negotiable, including gifts. Scouring the back streets lined with the whitewashed walls of terraces decorated with flower pots on entryway doors and shutters in blue and ochre, one also finds croissants filled with almond paste, specialty confectioneries served at tea ceremonies. Each July Chefchaouen organizes a festival that brings together artisans and artists of all kinds to celebrate the special role of crafts in the economic and social development of the region. The influence of Andalusian culture on the Chaouen derives from the pottery from Gharb and the leather slippers from Fez to the tabernacle-like wooden ceilings of certain houses and the panels of mother-of-pearl marquetry decorating windows.
8. Social Structure
Like many other cities in Morocco, Chefchaouen appears to have been formed from a core group of predominantly Berber settlers, who lived in the area before the arrival of the Arabs and the establishment of the first Muslim states in Morocco. However, the geographic proximity to Tangier and the subsequent development of Chefchaouen into a major trading post probably contributed to an acceleration of immigration to the town and its region and to greater ethnic complexity in Chefchaouen because of the Arab migratory groups, the Jews, and Europeans. It seems that Jews established what appears to be the first Jewish community in the 16th century, and by the 18th century, there were also “Sephardim who arrived from the Iberian Peninsula.”
While the social structure and the community life of Chefchaouen in particular and the region in general were similar to those of other Moroccan cities and regions, it appears likely that demographic changes occurred in the region and in the city after the 1950s. The social structure that existed in Chefchaouen from the 15th century to the 1950s was probably characterized by a sparse population living in the adjacent kasbah, medina, and agricultural areas; by economic interdependence and cooperation among the various local ethnic and religious groups; and by a mainly poor society divided into a small minority of rich and powerful families owning most of the wealth, and a general population of poor and powerless groups.
8.1. Community Life
It is easy to read about the history of Chefchaouen and view photographs of buildings in interesting tints of blue, yet there will still be questions as to what it would actually be like to be a member of that community. The people of Chefchaouen are an Islamic Berber people with their own customs and traditions, as well as a unique food, clothing, and architecture. It is a living example of Morocco’s ability to blend three different world influences: Middle-Eastern, Saharan and Mediterranean. The people of Chefchaouen, which numbered approximately 29,000 inhabitants in the 1994 census, uphold and practice the same religious values as the majority of other Moroccan peoples. About 80% of them refuse to eat pork or drink alcohol, believe in fasting during the Holy Month of Ramadan, and abide by the Muslim prohibition of engaging in sexual relationships outside of marriage.
Chefchaouen has many mosques and madrasas scattered throughout its roads. It also has a few museums, one of which focuses on the handicrafts of the people of Chefchaouen. The people have a handicraft industry that creates products out of goat hair, wool, silk, leather, cotton and wood. Among their products are woolen clothing, and embroidered and dyed cotton flat bed sheets. It is sellers of products like these that can most often be seen in public view as they are concentrated in the kasbah, the main square, and the popular transitory routes. Economic autonomy in this tourist town revolves primarily around tourism. The local people who own the hotels and related service industries derive most of their livelihood from the visitors.
8.2. Demographic Changes
The 1912 Census listed a population of just 600 inhabitants in Chefchaouen. Estimates show that this number increased to around 8,000 people in the early 1920s. The post-Berber war exodus led to an important demographic increase, with estimates of 22,000 people in 1943, 27,000 in 1959, and topping up to 45,000 in 1981. The first registered demographic decline seemed to be in 1971 – which the reports attributed mainly to emigration and demographic aging – whereas, in 1960, Chefchaouen was ranked second in the national ranking of home departure ratios. This demographic increase was visibly linked to the general stability of the city which acted as a real refuge for all those fleeing war.
Over the last forty years, the growth rate has seriously decreased, leading to problems of change in habits and lifestyle, resulting in an avalanche of crude rural exodus, without any of the normal economic or social transitions of a developing urban center. Although all cities in the region suffer demographic problems to a lesser or greater extent, the city of Chefchaouen is known for its unresolved urban issue. Currently, Chefchaouen cannot change its course mainly because of the absence of an official plan for its population. Such a plan would allow its population to reunite and centralize the center to offer visitors and tourists a real living area rich in traditional buildings, mosaics and artisan shops. Such an endogenous touristic development would without doubt allow the people of Chefchaouen to valorize their activities as crafts and trade in mint tea, while generating economic revenues.
9. Art and Music
Chefchaouen is rich in the arts and offers locally produced handicrafts as well as sought-after art forms. Numerous artisan workshops may be found at little streets throughout the medina. Many of the local artisans produce made-in-Chefchaouen artisan items. Goods made primarily for visitors that are of high quality. The artisans weaving the goods draw visitors’ attention as they take part in nearby or selected places inside the medina. These traditional crafts include woven blankets, woolen jackets and hemp carpets, as well as jalaba wool hoods. The goods the artisans create are exquisite, employing traditional patterns and colors that are unique to Chaouen.
Artisans weaving woolen rugs can be found in several areas of the town. Their goods are of high quality and weave thickness and represent the quality goods that have engraved Chaouen-made goods in the memory of tourists. Artisans produce some handmade items at some places inside the medina, such as small wooden handicrafts and mosaic items. Despite the outside appearance of some of these workshops or artisan stores, the rare and peculiar items that are available speak for their quality presentation. A major artistic aspect in Chefchaouen is the building facades in all shades of blue which provide an open stage for world photographers. The interiors of the kasbah, old mosques, old fountains, and those of the traditional local houses offer gorgeous sights that inspire imaginations and desires of most tourists.
Although Jewish emigrants do testify of the existence of Jewish communities in Chaouen even before the end of the 15th century, the history of the Chaouen Jewish community during the early 20th century was one of cohabitation with Muslims. The House of the Jews is a Jewish Kasbah dating from this period in Chaouen and today overlooked by the Kasbah Museum where was artistically placed the National Library. Various types of traditional music exist in Chefchaouen including Guedra, Ahidous, song Ayta, Rhythmes and Morrocan Gnaoua Music.
9.1. Local Artisans
Since its founding and for much of its history, Chefchaouen had a leading artisan center. The production of woolen garments was the most prolific artisanal activity in the city, and woolen textile clear still dominates the market today, including shawls, blankets, and djellabas. Because some of the products are relatively inexpensive and made by local common folk, they have been popular with tourists, especially the young backpacking crowd. Since tourists started visiting the town, the artisans have raised the prices of many of their wares in an effort to cash in on the tourist trade. Although this is often met by resistance, most of the shopkeepers have been able to make a lucrative living catering to tourist tastes. Therefore, the incentive to create and promote local talent has declined, and this has resulted in the dependence of many artisans on patterns and techniques derived from foreign influences.
Others complain that most of the native artisans are just merchants who purchase items crafted in other Moroccan cities or Western Sahara. Despite the apparent disparity between the two groups – those artisans producing for tourists and those utilizing artisanal crafts with the peculiar facets of local culture – reactions towards both areas are similar in their ambivalence. Many residents of Chefchaouen are ambivalent about the modernization that mass tourism has brought to the locals. Young people, especially those who are college-educated and have lived overseas, reject the “backwardness” of Chefchaouen’s Moroccan identity and seek alternatives to living in a close-knit community where their parents and grandparents still practice traditional lifestyles. They believe the traditional crafts of Chefchaouen exist to serve tourists and the benefits reaped by the local artisans while giving much back to the local community are marginal, at best.
9.2. Traditional Music Forms
The area and surroundings of Chefchaouen have retained old forms of music. In the region, like in the rest of the Maghreb, the musics were often transmitted orally between folks. Many poets sang the songs on special occasions, and these songs, which are often religious ones, are called madih. But also other verses are sung: we find tussna or narrative songs, and also ashal, which describe love stories.
The first singer, who publicly expresses himself, is Said El-Harcha, born in 1920. In 1945, he sings in times of the court in the andalusian cities and a decade later in Paris. He deploys a phonetic and aesthetic concern in his songs, which beautifully fit the musical structure. He uses the dialect of the Chaouen region and lyrics the themes of nature and love. He provides some of his appropriated poems with a special musical structure. Subsequently, other interpreters appeared: Hicham Er-Harcha and Bouhsine Er-Harcha participated in the ‘Chaouen show’ in 1970; Mohand Tarhata, who trained in Casablanca became captivated by two waters in 1974. In the 90s, Me El-Harcha appeared. In recent years, the successors of Hassad El-Harcha have emerged.
Besides er-harcha, vrais instruments are used to play a simple melodic line on collective occasions, holidays, weddings, circumcisions, comme les musiciens de l´l´jilali. In the local dialect, dekhla is a musical genre played with nkhlai, gdeifin, and dram. Mohand bustam has collected an example, played with a flute, of this autochthonous style, characteristic of the area around Chefchaouen, of a man and a woman, who could be lovers, singing alternately on a pentatonic style with two closely related tonal centers.
10. Environmental Factors
10.1. Natural Landscape
The environment within which Chefchaouen is located is a major contributor to the town’s cultural historical significance. The town is situated in the western region of the Rif mountains, which span over the entire northern portion of the country. Chefchaouen’s mountains are at average elevations of 1200-1800 meters, resulting in a Mediterranean climate. These mountains also lie adjacent to the Atlantic, which is approximately 120 kilometers to the west. Normally, there are no valleys between the mountains and the ocean, but a deep valley located to the south of the town separates these mountains from the ocean. Rainfall is abundant, generating water supplies that are necessary for agriculture, which plays an important economic role.
The mountainous environment of the town is a significant aspect of the settling of the natives and other communities. Due to its easy defensibility and the closure of natural routes, it is considered that the mountains have drawn several populations. The relative remoteness of the area also allowed for the preservation of natural resources, such as forests and water, which support both local economic activities and tourism. Historically, the area was not exploited excessively. The surrounding environment contributed to the settlement of goods such as wool, textiles, and food products, which enabled the town to become an important economic center. Agricultural products come from the hills covered with hazelnut trees or from the plains, where people cultivate wheat, barley, corn, tobacco, and pulse products. The forests are mainly made up of cork and holm oak, as well as some pines. The territory also provides beekeeping opportunities.
10.2. Sustainability Practices
For decades, wise management of renewable resources has been based on local traditional practices. Powerful pressures exist that risk modifying current systems, including the rise of tourism. Urban plans have not taken the environment into account. However, through ecological criteria, certain traditional handicraft practices can help to preserve the identity of the city by restoring its integrity and its traditional ornamentation, as well as the whole of the mountain landscape.
10.1. Natural Landscape
At the high southwestern edge of the western Rif mountain range, Chefchaouen lies perched dramatically atop a deep, narrow hollow that descends from the mountain shoulder of Djebal Bouhachem. Its sheer north face rises abruptly some 1,200 m above the lower elevations of the eastern Harcha Plain. This eye-catching position is complemented to the south, east, and west by a number of conspicuous twin-peaked summits of the Djebal el-Kelaa, Kelaa de Chefchaouen, and Djebal Tidghine, which screen the city from direct exposure to the driving winds of the Atlantic winter storms, and create an effective rain shadow. The result is a 1,375 mm annual rainfall, which is concentrated in the month of January. These spatial characteristics, combined with an elevation of about 650 m and a certain continentality, as indicated by the relatively low January mean temperature, determine a Mediterranean, yet temperate, dry environment.
The proximity of the eastern edge of the Atlantic Coastal region, whose monthly summer rainfall of less than 10 mm is not sufficient to meet crop requirements, creates a remarkable bioclimatic discontinuity, for a little distance to the east, crops must rely entirely on moisture received from the cooperation of annual subsoil drainage and summer fogs. In this area of utmost latitudinal and altitudinal diversity, an abundance of plants favour the production barrier, as indicated by the occurrence of the prized cedar arboreal form, whose currant yield is world famous and supports an important industry. With its striking overall topographical situation, the Chefchaouen region presents the visitor with an enjoyable sight, made particularly colourful and exotic in the late afternoon by rays from the largely cloudless Atlantic summer skies.
10.2. Sustainability Practices
Cultural Landscape Restoration: The restoration of markups, which occupy a large part of the traditional markets of Chefchaouen, we carefully select the painted lime-color, in order to restore and conserve the cultural landscape. We follow the procedures proposed by the study: these are shell lime with colors oxides, sugar molasses and rabbit hair. We are restoring with the same mixtures as those exploited from the pastel painters of the blue Medina, is an extraordinary collation of the painter’s work and the local culture.
Local Materials: We are particularly sensitive to the choice of construction material, we use local suppliers and traditional materials (such as mainly rocks), for walls and ceilings, Piemonte stones for floors, transom windows, wooden frames using local lamb’s wool for comfort, candle odors, the warmth of a wood fire and all that perfume of consuming local mint tea, above all, the simple life and charming atmosphere that characterize the Spanish-Algerian style. In this way, we can combine our need for ecological construction with the demand for a cultural restoration of the locally colored buildings. Our architectural choice looks more traditional and local than the other hotels or riad, found in Marrakesh or traveled.
Biodiversity: Chefchaouen is in fact the base point of the richest natural biodiversity of the northern part of Morocco, from the Tamautt / Pana region which is known for the production of the best argan oil, to the southern gorges of the Moroccan Atlas famous for the production of the best saffron globular. Our goal is to develop and learn together with the local shepherds, who still keep alive a culture of sheep and goat husbandry, with medicinal and aromatic herbs for colorings and for typical teas.
11. Culinary Traditions
Chefchaouen offers a diversity of different dishes. Its authentic cuisine, mostly Berber, is characterized by simple and natural ingredients such as legumes and vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, peppers, etc.) which are used to prepare traditional dishes, as well as fine pastries. The best-known dish remains the Tajine which is mainly made from chicken and goat and cooked with vegetables, created with nuts, sesame, and honey. Chefchaouen’s specialty is couscous Jnane, the traditional Berber dish prepared with a special fine flour, which gives it a lighter flavor. Chefchaouen has a culinary tradition of its own, which is made up of refined and tasty dishes with origin from all the regions of Morocco. The distinguished dishes can only be found in Chefchaouen, especially those in the Medina, which offer delicious Moroccan couscous (as well as Berber specialties), Tajin, Harira, Zaalouk, Berber Pastilla, Jajik, and spicy Moroccan Salads.
Chefchaouen is one of the rare cities to manufacture the traditional Berber corn bread, called Kichra, along with many pastries made with almonds and sesame. We can also find in Chefchaouen Berber specialties, such as Aserdoun, a type of pancake made from meat and lentils, and Berber sweets made with almonds and sesame seeds, such as ghribas and kaab el ghazal, but also pastilla filled with fish stuffed with a rice or noodle mixture and various vegetables. Visitors can discover other dishes such as tajines of goat, trout stuffed with herbs, chicken with lemon juice, Berber pizzas, and couscous, as well as various excellent local pastries such as kaabd lghazal and ghribas made with almonds.
11.1. Local Cuisine
The gastronomy specific to the town of Chefchaouen derives from different culinary traditions belonging to neighboring regions. Therefore, Moroccan Berber, Andalusian, Muslim, and Jewish traditions intermingle and enrich each other. The resorts of Chefchaouen had built their fame on the quality of their culinary products, highly prized either for their distinctive flavor or for their taste. However, local cuisine is in the process of disappearing and becoming impoverished due to a significant influx of exterior tourist consumption based on fast food.
Meat is high in fat. Their way of cooking it camouflages the taste and makes it bland. The only difficulty being that of burning the dough and the use of very strong spices. Lamb, goat, and poultry tagines dish with both sweet and savory flavors like prune, almonds, honey, figs, apricots, dates, and a mixture of sesame, saffron, and then the combination of sweet with sour, lemon, and olives, orange, lemon, and cumin. These are specialties outside de season in Chefchaouen. It is often lamb tagines dish in Chefchaouen with lemon and olives, and then fish tagine with chard of the lagoon.
Most of the time, the dishes are salted with various spices: cumin, cayenne, ginger, etc. Many dishes are dipped in oil or fried in the oil of the refinery. Sauce, olive, and pepper accompany the cooked dishes. There are also had raw dishes, parsley and tomato salad, peppers, and preserved olives – and beans with very spicy sauce, or flatbreads stuffed with fava beans, chickpea, and sesame. For breakfast, we prepare thick pancakes prepared with semolina flour, or a burguig for a stranger, served on special days.
11.2. Culinary Festivals
Moroccan culture is full of culinary richness; this richness is expressed through the celebration of several dishes, but also with festivals celebrating food. It is in this perspective that Chefchaouen is organizing a cuisine festival. Ethnocultural enrichment is more than ever on the agenda and à la carte. This culinary event aims to preserve the Imazighen culture, intangible heritage, promote regional cuisine, develop a new tourism product through cultural and heritage circuits connecting Chefchaouen and the municipalities of the Souss-Mass and the two National parks, and strengthen the bonds of fraternity and hospitality between the Soussi mountain people and the Chaouen mountain people. While waiting for the approval, the chef of the Chefchaouen gourmet restaurant was in charge of organizing the liaison office, reception, and exchanges on site.
This journey began with a joint discovery circuit, starting from what the two regions already have in common; sprigs of mint, olives, oil, tomato, and peppers, which are then encapsulated in a tajine of a goat, lamb, or chicken stuffed with nuts and dried fruits. As for the spices, it is cumin, coriander, and saffron, and the butter used with saffron nuts are provided from the Souss region. This mini culinary journey then makes tacky and fragile couscous. In the Souss region, couscous preparation techniques differ from those of the Chaouen region. Couscous is then accompanied by vegetables, capers, and an intro of Imazighen sahariennes grilled lamb with clay, followed by chorba with flour, and finally the ancestral pancake rousted with mountain honey.
12. Tourism Trends
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the tourism sector in Morocco has experienced significant growth and has also undergone several changes during this period. After having gradually been affected by the Arab Spring but also by the financial crisis in Europe, Morocco has since experienced a new growth in the arrival of international tourists. It thus offers new tourist attractions at the local level while concentrating more on the promotion of cultural tourism. The majority of visitors are European, but a new clientele from emerging countries is becoming increasingly important. To attract a clientele searching for authentic and different experiences, Morocco has understood that it had to put the spotlight on the traditions that have shaped its identity.
The city of Chefchaouen, located in the north of Morocco, has become a major tourist destination in the country. Tourism in Chefchaouen contributed to the transformation of the city both socially and economically. From a small village, it became known for its two weekly souks, and then experienced a strong development after the opening of a national road in the 1950s. The establishment of several Moroccan Jews in the area, the magnetism of the Arabic-speaking speakers, as well as the discovery of psychedelic drugs, have placed this small town in spontaneous, secret and residential tourism in the 1960s, for hippie communities. Subsequently, it turned into cultural tourism, marked by the inscription of the medina on the UNESCO list in 1997. Currently, tourists visiting Chefchaouen are mainly North Americans, Dutch, French and Portuguese.
12.1. Visitor Demographics
In addition to being a significant historical site, Chefchaouen holds an equally important function as a popular tourist destination. Although the town is most visited during the summer months by international tourists, with the largest proportion coming from Western Europe, this relatively distant Moroccan oasis also attracts a number of visitors year-round. These include Arabs from neighboring countries and Morocco itself, who come to escape the heat of the summer months in their homeland; Americans who are searching for that elusive ‘authentic’ experience; international volunteers who come to town for short periods; intrepid solo backpackers exploring the Rif; and Moroccans on holiday.
Tourism revenues in the country have increased dramatically since the mid-1980s. Suitably ‘exotic’ sites, such as Marrakech, Merzouga, Fes, and Essaouira became popular in the West and the government began developing areas of natural beauty like the beaches of Agadir and the ski resorts of Ifrane. Although Chefchaouen was known to a small circle of travelers during the 1960s and 1970s, it was not until the early 1990s that major tourist traffic began flowing into town. What had begun with Moroccan expatriates residing in France and Spain visiting Chefchaouen on holidays soon branched out into an increasing number of foreign tourists, especially backpackers, who started flocking into this oasis town hidden in the Rif mountains.
Today, Chefchaouen receives over 1 million visitors each year, prompting one to remark that the town was being developed into a version of Morocco. Westerners traveling by public transportation cherish the town like a little brother of collection of places that have been affordable and accessible to independent travelers for decades. As one of the few remaining low-cost traveling destinations operating on that original backpacking model, it has been established as a center for those interested only in the visual aspects of travel.
12.2. Cultural Tourism
While trekking remains popular, an increasing number of visitors travel to Chefchaouen for what might be termed cultural tourism. They primarily wish to experience the old medina and, more specifically, the distinctive architecture and ambiance of the town. The number of visitors arriving in late spring and summer in particular is substantial, and the most popular times of the day are early morning and late afternoon when the light casts a special quality on the buildings’ surreal palette of blues. These visitors experience what local people have termed the “gentlelihood” of culinary tourism; strolling the town’s streets, sampling its patisseries and sitting cafes to observe the atmosphere, they are like those who visited towns before WWII to view the strange-blue and -white wooden synagogues. These cultural visitors to Chefchaouen often have the companionship of a local man or two who act like tour guides, willing to explain about the history of the village’s former inhabitants and, increasingly frequently, of its notoriety as a centre of marijuana production. A little older and more discreetly dressed are visitors to specific neighborhoods of Chefchaouen, ethnological tourists interested in the local way of life and affiliated customs and rituals, in the use of birth and marriage issues to establish bonds, and in the place of women within small-scale Berber society. These latter tourists are normally French, and unlike the cultural tourists, they have an actual objective and aim, making their study a more conventional aspect of ethnological tourism activity.
13. Challenges Facing Chefchaouen
The allure of Chefchaouen, with its rich culture and aesthetic beauty, belies the fact that it is grappling with several challenges that threaten its invulnerability. Rapid urbanization is diverting traditional merchants and craftsmen from the medina towards the new, vibrant commercial center, threatening not just the medina’s economy but also its cultural uniqueness. Young Chaouenis are becoming increasingly disinterested in their cultural heritage and traditions and opting for commercial and technical careers rather than traditional crafts. The encroachment of mass tourism is also placing undue pressure on the local population and creating a seasonality in the labor market. The town can no longer cater to the inordinate increase in visitor numbers, which has exploded from 72,000 in 1998 to 260,000 in 2009; by 2020, it’s expected to double.
In spite of its designation as a World Heritage Site, this polis is not protected against the inexorable aggression of the odorless and subtractive real estate market. The atmosphere and glamor that once attracted tourists is slowly disappearing. There are a little over 10,000 inhabitants living at a considerable distance from the old city, in contemporary concrete buildings. An increasing number of tourists visit the town for a series of reasons and not just to discover and admire a beautiful city. Photographers, hikers, retired persons come out from the mountains, in but above all the desire of the backpackers is to observe the authentic aspect of the Sayya, the vivid blue color, and if they can, to converse with the friendly local people.
13.1. Urbanization
Chefchaouen has undergone rapid urbanization, with more than 90% of its urban population moving there from the surrounding rural areas. Many of the latter now have the status of “lost villages”, due to the migration of their inhabitants in search of better living standards. The urbanization process in Chefchaouen, as throughout Morocco, which has a youthful and ever more urban population, is closely linked to economic aspects. With the rise of the tourist economy, Chefchaouen has become the “shopping center” for the rural areas of the Northwest, where the artisanal “souvenir” products stored in the shops of the old medina are still fashioned, while other modern businesses respond to consumers’ needs. This development of services has entailed the dislocation of some of the traditional modes of land use and economic activities in this area. However, agricultural activity is still one of the area’s mainstays; the considerable irrigated lands produce fruit and vegetables: tomatoes, thistles, asparagus. Orchards have been laid out with diversified, but not particularly appropriate, crops of subtropical fruits.
However, those present changes are still only slight compared to those taking place in many other Moroccan cities. The state of low density of the different households, the data about surplus amounting to three or four times that of other Moroccan towns of equivalent or larger size, the high unemployment rate, the decline of some services, the small number of workers in the tourism sector, reflect the poverty of large sectors of the population. The agrarian economy does not include that of a relative privileged group. As a result, its rural exodus has started to reach the level of saturation, and urban structures are beginning to offer insufficient and unattractive services. The creation of productive activities capable of attracting the resident or external labor force, is an urgent necessity and a fundamental challenge, which in a tourist town like Chefchaouen or the areas surrounding it, might focus on the artisanal production of the items sold in the shops or in the towns’ tourist facilities.
13.2. Cultural Preservation
The preservation of Chefchaouen’s traditional architecture, unique local communities, and cultural landscapes is of huge importance to many residents and public administrations. From the spatial point of view, the architectural and urban unity of the medina with its fluid and narrow alleys under the blues is an attractive visual characteristic. The most important built components that have remained unchanged over the years, in contrast with those pieces of architecture that do not add meaning to the urban set, are the mosques, the madrasahs, the fountains, the houses, the workshops, and the palace. From the social point of view, the harmony of the local population’s cultural traditions and activities is another important authenticity factor that attracts visitors. Some are interested in celebrating the quality of their house atmosphere by temporarily renting it to tourists at great prices and with little risk. Others warn of the risk of addiction to this lucrative branch of income, which destabilizes the entire fabric of community life and the support of local traditions. At the citizen movement level, the Friends of Chefchaouen Association coordinates local participants in the conservation of their cultural heritage while investigating the conservation policies of the medina. The Association organizes creative workshops introducing traditional crafts.
The conservation of the architectural and cultural heritage of the medina is traditionally the responsibility of the Moroccan government. Due to financial constraints, property owners are now demanded to assume greater responsibility for the maintenance of their houses. The liberalization of the Moroccan specialty has resulted in economic restrictions that risk compromising the sometimes very low, sometimes very high tourist industry and its socio-economic and socio-cultural impacts on the local populations. The concentration of tourists in the most attractive zones leads to a segregation of the tourist economy compared to the rest of urban life, which, coupled with the absent owner, necessarily leads to negligence in the conservation of closed houses. Heritage is thus both more and less present: the urban beauty attracts tourists who mistakenly think that thanks to their stay the local population will have financial means to maintain their homes.
14. Future Prospects
14. Future Prospects Sustainable Development
Conclusion
Conclusion
14.1. Sustainable Development
While Chefchaouen’s tourism industry has the potential to stimulate investment and create new jobs, it also carries the risk of harming the natural environment and changing the Berber culture thereby making sustainable development necessary to mitigate these potential negative impacts. Sustainable development represents a concept of development that combines several essential principles. The first principle is related to the focus of the development strategy on meeting the basic needs of the population. The second principle involves an integrative approach to all aspects of development. The next principle requires that development promote participatory local governance and the capacity of local authorities. The fourth principle asserts that development must take into consideration the preservation of the cultural heritage and the natural environment. Sustainable tourism must also be a perfect bearer of the principle of preservation and protection of culture.
In addition to this certified tourism, we can also mention the greening of traditional tourism for a more sustainable tourism development in the region. In this sense, the applicant for the tourist license will be required to have implemented an environmental policy aimed at reducing the ecological impact of the accommodation unit. It can be managed symbiotically, for example by isolating it from the urban mosaic by creating natural green corridors, or through an environmentally friendly approach, which will consist of recovering the archaeological variable from the tourist to the present, integrating it into the tourist offer and creating a win-win synergy between conservation of monuments and development of the area.
14.2. Cultural Exchange Initiatives
Despite the problems between the local Berber and the Arab populations, some initiatives for cultural exchange between different ethnic and social origins were created notably by some local associations. In the case of Youth Hostels and recently by the municipal team. These initiatives are considered by their promoters as instruments of fight against the tourists’ distancing of the local populations while breaking with the dysfunction in the relations between the tourists and the natives.
14.1. Sustainable Development
Tourism, an activity often viewed as a two-edged sword in the context of heritage conservation, is a frequently explored moment, both in the field of tourism research and in terms of the etymological node of touristic act – the act of visiting and contemplating the otherness. The creative-destructive dilemma has inspired an array of thoughts and endeavours intended to bring tourism at the heart of the sustainable development goals. The emergence of sustainable tourism has paved the way to a larger acceptance of criticized activities like Mass Tourism, not necessarily for their negative externalities, but more for their inability to contribute to the betterment of the visited areas, of the residents’ lives, of the global community. While in most of the less developed countries Mass Tourism is still in its “baby phase”, and in some areas, it creates jobs, brings revenue and funds actions to preserve the tourism resources, in the traditional areas of tourist interest, the future of those destination but also of the tourist phenomenon itself, depends much on the ability of the hosts to shape a tourism that can transcend its triviality and communicate and share the local culture and identity. The slowing down of tourism-related momentum brought by the health crisis has shown yet again the close relation between tourism and the tourist destinations. There are a myriad of internal and external factors that shape a tourist destination, constantly on the edge of change. If tourism is left to grow on its own natural course, only to fulfil the desires of approximately three billion travellers per year, the survival of a great number of tourist destinations is severely jeopardized at least in terms of attractiveness and authenticity. The identity of host communities is under a permanent threat of dilution.
14.2. Cultural Exchange Initiatives
Cultural exchange initiatives and projects planning to be created in Chefchaouen or to include Chefchaouen in their planning might be presented in various types of expressions of cultural production. As cultural expression mechanisms are many and varied, we might look at other spaces and cultural scenes across the world, through their artists and artistic and cultural openness, with the goal to take Chefchaouen closer to them, or invite those scenes to visit and share their particular interests and expressions of cultural openness, with the Chefchaouen local scene and region. Giving those previous affirmations, we start proposing ideas with which to reflect upon, but mostly, to nourish the universal spirit and the curiosity in analyzing the different expressions of the “other” on the other scenes worldwide. Then, this process will be reciprocal, so we would like to invite local cultural producers and logistic participants to organize events that share those geographical distances, such as by creating an artistic festival where the interest and the will to build bridges and share a proximity feeling and surpass the different geographical distances by using artistic language. This artistic festival would need to make an effort to go for a collaborative architecture and work as a town. Then, we would consider that the key factor to a successful activity would be the collaboration of the local agents in Chefchaouen with the artists carrying out the event. We also express the wish that this special artistic festival be a transversal one, with different artistic and cultural expressions, such as music, dance, theatre, visual arts, open-air cinema epicentre and expression or any other that could enrich that series of festive activities. The only requirement would be the desire to share knowledge, techniques, learnings, and to discover other ways of sharing body and space while being and working together.
15. things to do in Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen is primarily an attraction for its laidback atmosphere rather than any particular sights. The town is small and completely walkable, with many of the main attractions — the plaza and kasbah, the big mosque, and shopping streets of Rue el-Ma and Souika — all located in a small area. Plaza Uta el-Hammam — Chefchaouen’s main square, Plaza Uta el-Hammam, is flanked by restaurants, rooftop cafes, the kasbah, and a big mosque with a striking octagonal minaret. There are wi-fi hotspots all throughout the square. Kasbah Museum — Built by the town’s founder in 1471, this kasbah was used to protect the city and its inhabitants during the Spanish Reconquista of the surrounding area. Now a museum, the kasbah houses an ethnographic museum displaying local artifacts, weapons, and clothing, and is surrounded by beautiful gardens. It’s a nice site to visit if you need to kill some time, but not a must-see. Great Mosque — Founded by the town’s founder Ali Ben Rachid in 1471, the Grand Mosque of Chefchaouen is renowned for its unusual octagonal minaret. The mosque itself is lovely from the outside but only Muslims are allowed to enter. Note that the aforementioned plaza is surrounded by restaurants and guests openly drinking and ignoring prayers during the five-times-daily call. Ras el-Maa — For a scenic view of town and the mountains beyond, head up to Ras el-Maa, a small waterfall just outside town. It’s a lovely site to visit in the early morning hours. The best walking route is up the steep hill past the kasbah or via the road circling around the hill; both take around 30-40 minutes. The waterfall area has a few cafés, and the trail leads towards the fewer-visited area of town, where people still wash their clothes in the river.
16. travelling to Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen is situated in northern Morocco, about two hours from Tangier and two-and-a-half hours from Fez. There are no direct services from Tetouan, though hired transport is available. A small bus passes the turnoff to the town. Although Chefchaouen is not on any of the primary coastal bus routes, it would be easy to take a bus to one of the towns, and hire a taxi to Chefchaouen. From Tangier, buses leave the bus station at half-hour intervals, while buses leave from the bus station in the port area about every four hours. There is a direct bus service to/from Rabat and a bus to the popular beach resort of Assilah. You can also take a taxi collective, which is much quicker and only slightly more expensive.
If you are traveling independently, you may stop off at the Casbah in Tetouan or at one of the harbors between Tangier and Chefchaouen. Ceuta is a Spanish enclave and the security is pretty tight. If you are in your hiking gear, forget about having to look any more plump – that even includes your shoes. It’s also possible to visit Chefchaouen as a day trip from Tangier or Tetouan. There are tour companies which include Chefchaouen as part of their excursion. Getting into Chef is simple – park out front and walk about 100 meters to where it narrows down to one lane. There are no sand dunes, beaches, camels or Berber tents here – just a big, white-washed mountain town that is on quite a few lists about the prettiest little place in the world. Situated at the base of the mountains, Chefchaouen is the sort of place you think about when your travels would eventually take you to Morocco – a city that draws you in.
from Tangier(our tours can include to visit Chefchaouen)
From Tangier, it is possible to reach Chefchaouen for a one-day or multiple-day tour. With one day, the visitor will make a summary visit, consisting of visiting the square “Outa Hamam”, the kasbah, the cobbled blue streets, the most famous blue houses, the arrival of the river that gives life to the town, two of the shops of artisanal products, and lunch at a Moroccan restaurant. With several days, besides doing the circuit that is done in one day, you can enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery surrounding the town, do some trekking, visit other neighborhoods, observe how to make some artisanal products with cement and how to dye wool with natural dyes, and visit the museums available. The possibility of carrying out the circuit of one day or several days is what motivates the traveler to visit Chefchaouen, which goes beyond enjoying a magnificent enclave, since when the Moroccan is in a hurry, it makes that enclave lose charm. It can be a town with a lot of charm, even if just to enjoy its blue alleys. If you have the opportunity, you should spend the night in Chefchaouen to observe the sunset and sunrise from the viewpoint in its upper part, but come any day and at any time.
Taking as a reference the “outa Hamam” square, we find that the “Alkasa” kasbah is located at one end, and the rest of the buildings are local restaurants, shops or hotels, on the left side, and the minaret of the Great Mosque of Chefchaouen in the opposite corner, the facade of the kasbah and the opposite corner, the facade of the kasbah and the opposite corner, the facade of the kasbah and the opposite corner.
From Casablanca(our tours can include to visit Chefchaouen)
We offer private day tours to the enchanting blue pearl of Chefchaouen that depart from Casablanca to enjoy a sampling of the town’s extravagant natural beauty and local cuisine. When deciding where the best tour location is for you, it’s important to take into consideration the following. If you are on a Friday and Saturday flight to Mohammed V Airport, I would recommend booking all of your first night stays in Casablanca. When you begin your adventure on a Sunday, a recommendation would be to fly in from the U.S. via Spain and take a 1 1/2 hour taxi to Tangier and stay overnight there. After falling in love with Morocco on our Tangier tour, we would pick you up the next morning from your hotel and take you to Chefchaouen before going through the Tetouan neighborhood in the foothills of the Rif mountains. Our Chefchaouen township tour would last 1 – 3 hours. After a tasty local lunch, we take a walk through the Medina, where you can find the famous blue walls and streets that can take your breath away. We drive rapidly back to Casablanca that afternoon so as to arrive on time for your flight back to the U.S/Canada. This would take approximately 5 to 6 hours. Remember to ask about our 2-3 nights Tangier + Chef tour. There is a reason that the travel industry has taken Chefchaouen and created tours to take clients there. It is a special place, no question. Why not explore this beautiful city on your own terms? With 250,000 visitors a year, Chefchaouen is a popular tourist destination. With our private tours, you can control what your walk through this calm town is like.
from Fes(our tours can include to visit Chefchaouen)
The blue city of Chefchaouen is one of the most captivating and photogenic cities in Morocco. It was founded in 1471 as an Andalusian settlement and was used as a base to fight the Portuguese occupation of Tangier. Over the years it became an exile refuge for Andalusian Jews, who painted their home blue. Many people believe that this color symbolizes the connection between God and earth and that it helps to control mosquito population. There are fewer mosquitoes in the blue neighborhoods. Today, tourists continue to arrive from all corners of the world to visit its narrow blue alleys and stunning views. During the day you can photograph the local women in the community dressed in their traditional clothes and bringing bread and products from the daily shopping. Watching this daily activity is like contemplating life from another time that we have lost in the big cities. If you are really lucky, you will encounter a local person with uncommon faces and eyes, or a whole family dressed in their homeland clothing. It is certainly a piece of art of the living nature of the world.
From Fes, the blue city of Chefchaouen is approximately three hours by car. The charming and steep ride through the Rita hills, skirting the cedar forests of the natural park will introduce you to a landscape contrast. From the town of Ouazane, you will begin to see the peaks of the Rif Mountains. The proximity to the Mediterranean Ocean and its views toward Spain remind you that you are really in the northernmost tip of Africa. The blue houses are located at the foot of the mountain Jebal el-Kelaa, at an altitude of 600 meters. From the tower of the Kasbah, you can see the whole town surrounded by mountains and observe some of the products handcrafted by the people. As in most Moroccan towns, take your time sipping mint tea offered by a local person. Skip the antiques and wool/dress shops. Later on, if you want to climb to the top of the mountain Teksam peak where you will be rewarded with beautiful views and a rustic place of Berber food, enjoy your lunch and relax before checking out your descent.
from Rabat(our tours can include to visit Chefchaouen)
from Rabat
Indeed, Chefchaouen is not a castaway city. It is within reach of the principal sites of Morocco. It is easily approachable from Rabat. You only have to choose the mode you like best: the bus, the taxi or the splendorous railway that leads to Tangiers or to Fes by the northern littoral and that approach its base. In Chefchaouen, it is like a puppet, on a stage, within the glass frame of the Tisouka. Then, when coming back towards the busses, there is always a motive for taking that last look towards the city, stretched on the flat plain, bathing within the scarlet sun. Upon going up you take with you some painted memories full of light of the bluer shades. They are on the white walls, colored in blue by the brush of sun and the moon, blue, on the blue doors, blue like the gates of the sky, blue on the blue pans painted by the blue hand, blue on the flower pots painted in blue upon the light walls.
The main square is bustling with soft murmurs and timid light during the day. The tikki-tika of the looms and the chants of the women are mixed with the laughter of the children, their shouts of joy and fun. Some foreign tourists photo them. The older men are dressed in the white jalabia. The Bockhuz, sometimes observed, covered with the toups, just pass by and smile pleasantly. They smoke oblivious of everything. The peasants come down from the mountain, holding the breasts of the ass and of the mules, laden with brooms, chestnuts, dry tongues, nitres. A band of goats cross the square and scatter in all directions, attracted by the smell of food. Some chickens or fowls start from here or go to no place.
from sahara desert(our tours can include to visit Chefchaouen)
The blue pearl of Chefchaouen is waiting for you in the Morocco north. Imagine being in the Sahara and visualizing making this route south and meeting the blue city for several days. Berber villages, valleys, rivers, the last hills of the Rif Mountains before reaching the Mediterranean and Chefchaouen .. are some of the things you will discover in this route from the Sahara Desert Morocco.
If you want to know the route from the Sahara to Chefchaouen without having to do it on your own, guided tours are the solution. You can choose the duration, the way, the places you want to see… and we will create the route that best suits you. These are some of the highlights of this route from Sahara to Chefchaouen according to the experience of guides.
The route from Merzouga to Chefchaouen is one of the most beautiful routes in Morocco. You will leave the Sahara desert to cross the Anti-Atlas Mountains and the Rif Mountains. Along the way you will see spectacular landscapes: valleys with palm trees, Berber villages with ocher houses on the hills, rivers…
In guided trips from the desert to Chefchaouen, you can see the Valley of the Rose, the Garriguette of Skoura, the Gorges of Todra, the Gorges of Dades… Here are some of the most beautiful landscapes in Morocco that we will show you in a personalized way. We can also add a hike in their valleys. In addition, if you have more time and want to do 3 days or more, we can also offer you the option of visiting Merzouga for 1 or 2 nights and returning by truck or camel to the dunes. This route is also interesting if you want to go to the North to see places like Fes or Tangier.
from Marrakech (our tours can include to visit Chefchaouen)
Are you planning to travel to Chefchaouen, Morocco’s blue town, but are you still deciding how to include it in your travel itinerary? You have a few different options for how to get to Chefchaouen from nearby Marrakeck.
There are buses available from either Marrakeck or Fes, as well as options for private transport. The bus ride will take the longest at around 10.5 hours for the bus option that includes a transfer in Tangier. The private car ride will take approximately 6 hours and usually costs around round trip. Other options include minibus tours that leave from Marrakeck and usually include a local guide.
While the mode of transport is usually the bus or car, the two cities are somewhat far apart. As such, many people traveling to Morocco actually forego visiting Chefchaouen because of the time it takes to travel between the two cities. So this begs the question — what about day tours? One of the main reasons a day tour may be the best option to visit Chefchaouen is that it is a one-stop-shop. You don’t have to worry about your transport logistics. Plus, you will probably get to spend more time in Chefchaouen than if you traveled there yourself.
What’s even better about going with a tour company? You’ll actually get to enjoy the ride! Headquartered in Marrakeck, we have created great guided tours of Chefchaouen for you — tours that will not only get you to Chefchaouen but also include the special touch that only experienced tour guides can offer.
