Chefchaouen, also known as the blue diamond!

Built on a mountainside, Chefchaouen (or Chaouen) is a city with a special vibe. Its unique charm gives an impression of unreality. With its blue-rinsed houses, the whole city seems to be bathed in azure blue. You walk around as if you were in a dream.
More than just an ornament, the beautiful Chefchaouen brims with attractions. Its heritage is rich. The inescapable Medina with its famous narrow winding alleys, is an opportunity to mingle with the local population, and to smell and taste delights: from freshly baked bread, to skillfully prepared tagines. There is also the Kasbah which stands in the middle of the old quarter: its lush gardens, located in the center of the city, are a haven of freshness. Its museum, which is home to a collection of old weapons, some photos of the city, and textiles, is a must-see.
Boasting its unique geographical position, Chefchaouen is a paradise for walkers. The paths of the surrounding mountains offer pleasant hiking activities. You’ll explore a new side of Morocco, that of the Rif mountain range, as you stroll them.
Make the most of your stay in the picture perfect Blue city !

History of Chefchaouen

The city was founded in 1471 as a small kasbah (fortress) by Moulay Ali ibn Rashid al-Alami, a descendant of Abd as-Salam al-Alami and Idris I. Al-Alami founded the city to fight the Portuguese invasions of northern Morocco. Along with the Ghomara tribes of the region, many Moriscos and Jews settled here after the Spanish Reconquista in medieval times. After eight years of the creation of the Spanish Protectorate in Morocco the Spanish Army could effectively take Chaouen, when General Dámaso Berenguer occupied the city on 14 October 1920.

Following the 1924 retreat of the Spanish army from the city, Chaouen was part of the Republic of the Rif (led by Abd el-Krim el-Khattabi) from 1924 to 1926.

In September 1925, in the middle of the Rif War, a rogue squadron of American volunteer pilots, the Lafayette Escadrille, including veterans of World War I, bombarded civilians in Chefchaouen. Colonel Charles Sweeney had proposed the idea to French Prime Minister Paul Painlevé, who "warmly welcomed the Colonel's request."

After al-Khattabi was defeated with the help of the French, he was deported to Réunion. The Spanish Army retook the city in 1926.
Chefchaouen has an important religious heritage: 20 mosques and oratories, 11 Zaouïas and 17 mausoleums. This is why it is also called “El-Madina Es-Saliha” (the Holy City).

Geography

The town sits at the foot of Jebel Mezedjel, with horn-shaped ridges from which it takes its name. Jebel Beni Hassan is opposite, on the other side of the valley, to the west, it extends further south and takes the name of Jebel el Akhmâs. Chefchaouen has taken advantage of its isolation sheltered from the mountains, far enough away from the coast and therefore from the Portuguese.

Crafts

Relax on the terrace of one of the many cafes in Outa el Hammam Square, the heart of the city, from where you can see part of the El-Masjid El-Aadam Mosque and the Kasbah. This houses a sumptuous garden as well as the ethnographic museum of Chefchaouen. It is a captivating museum but, even better than a museum, Chefchaouen allows you to discover a living craftsmanship. Many creations can be found nowhere else in Morocco, mainly for woolen clothes and blankets. The weaving workshops across the Medina of Chefchaouen also make djellabas extremely famous in Morocco. Sublime embroidered creations, carpets and jewelry are also found in Chefchaouen.
In addition to hikers, many travelers make a stopover in Chefchaouen especially for this craft.

Museums

The Kasbah Museum in Chefchaouen (Ethnographic Museum)
The Ethnographic Museum of Chefchaouen, Morocco is undoubtedly one of the best museums in the country, receives many tourists a year who visit Chefchaouen and decide to make a stop to enjoy all that it offers.
There is no doubt that a visit to the beautiful blue city of Chefchaouen should include a tour of this ethnographic museum and more if you are a lover of these sites. In this place you will be able to enjoy a quantity of representative objects of the culture of the region and to know closely the art of the inhabitants of the north of the country region.

Climates

At an altitude of 600 meters, Chefchaouen experiences mild summer but may sometimes be very hot with temperatures reaching 40°C, during the winter the nights can be severely cold.
The warmest month of the year is August and the lowest average temperatures in the year occur in January.

Tourism

The beauty of Chefchaouen's mountainous surroundings are enhanced by the contrast of the brightly painted Medina (old town). The main square in the Medina is lined with cafes and filled to the brim with locals and tourists mingling easily. Tourism in Chefchaouen is also driven by its reputation as the center of the marijuana plantations region in north Morocco. During the summer approximately 200 hotels cater to the influx of European tourists.

Top Things to See and Do in Chefchaouen, Morocco :

• Eat at Aladdin Restaurant
• Ras el-Ma
• Grand Mosque
• Plaza Uta el-Hammam
• Lina Riad and Spa
• Kasbah Museum
• Hike in the Rif Mountains
• Cascades d’Akchour
• Old City and Medina
• Enjoy a guided tour

The growing tourist industry is geared especially towards Spanish tourists, who are numerous during great Catholic feasts like Semana Santa and Christmas.

Culture

Organized by the Cultural Heritage Directorate of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, in collaboration with the Center for the Interpretation of Cultural Heritage at the Conservation of the Kasbah of Chefchaouen, this exhibition, which continues until the 20th November, aims to highlight more than a century of inventory of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Morocco.

This exhibition highlights the results of academic research in the establishment of the inventory of the civilization history of the Kingdom, the efforts of the Directorate of Cultural Heritage, as well as all the administrative measures taken to preserve and enhance the heritage of Morocco, in addition to the great achievements, from independence to the year 1988.