Chefchaouen - "The Blue Pearl of Morocco"

If you ever have chance to travel around Morocco, please don't miss out on visiting The Blue City of Chefchaouen, situated in the Rif Mountains, in the north-east part of Morocco. 

I can reassure you, that you are going to fall in love with this quiet "mountain village" (as called by locals), covered in all shades of blue paint... all across the white buildings' walls, streets and stairs, giving the city such a stunning look.

Established in 1471 by Moulay Ali Ben Moussa Ben Rached El Alami, Chefchaouen served as a military base - from here military forces were being sent to fight against the Spanish and the Portuguese invasions of northern Morocco. 

In the following centuries, The Blue City became a place of settlement for Muslim and Jews refugees coming from Spain and, for half of the millennium, it stayed quite isolated from the rulers, making changes to the rest of Morocco. The city was then captured by Spain in the early 20th century and its gates have been finally opened to the outside world. 

The history claims that those Jewish exiles, who refused to convert into Christianity during the Spanish Invasion in the late 15th century and settled in Chefchaouen istead, painted every building in the old city in cool shades of blue, most likely as it is the colour of divinity in Judaism. Although other theories say that the colour supposed to repel the mosquitos.

This beautiful blue-coloured city definitely deserves a name of The Blue Pearl of Morocco". In my opinion it's heaven for traveller's eye :) I can not believe that the place remained shut off from the world for almost 500 years. We are so lucky that the city's labyrinthine streets covered in shades of blue are now open to visitors to admire it!!!

Chefchaouen is definitely one of my favourite places in the entire country. 

Today, the city is an absolute dream for wanderers, adventurers and photographers. You will be blown away by picturesque landscapes and specific architecture in these amazing blue shades, all the handicraft - good quality leather products, handmade carpets and blankets, colorful scarves, pottery and unique jewellery, antique shops, little stores full of beautiful candles, lamps and other relics. The gorgeous smell of freshly grounded spices....

I could walk all around this breathtaking city for days....
And, while wandering around medina's streets, don't forget to treat yourself with a glass of traditional Moroccan mint tea and delicious tagine! Heaven in a mouth :)

Chefchaouen is fortified with two peaks of the Jebel Mountain in the shape of goat's horns Ech-Chaouen (Mountain of Horns), which the name of the city derives from.

The city enchants with its appearance. So impressive land of beauty...

It is said that it is the quietest place in the Northern Morocco.

Have you also been in Chefchaouen? How did you like it? And if you haven't, I strongly recommend you to pay a visit to this gorgeous blue city in the Moroccan mountains.

Hope you enjoyed it!

See you soon,

Martita :)