Over the last decade or so, Morocco has become an international hotspot for travelers.  It caters to the wealthy and the no-so deep pocketed. Culturally it has a little something for everyone. Everywhere you tread, a prayer call rings out.  Beautiful tiles line mosques.  And the smells, whether of traditional tajine or from the famous dye pits, dot your every step.

But there is a hustle and bustle to much of Morocco.  Marrakesh has one of the busiest market squares in the world and Tangier can be more than a little seedy.  The centers are ripe with life and open-air restaurants.  Street-hustlers and vendors sell their wares and with-alls.  It’s not for the timid.

But tucked in the northwest corner of Morocco is a little town called Chefchaouen.  The entire city is washed in a light blue color that makes you feel as if walking through clouds.  The blue is a remnant tradition of the cities previous Jewish population that sought refuge after the medieval Spanish Reconquista.  So if Marrakesh is the “Red City” then Chefchaouen is most definitely the “Blue City.”  And for good reason. Everything moves a little slower in Chefchaouen. And for some travelers this is a welcomed pace.

The picaresque blue town is nestled in between the Rif Mountains. There are over 200 places of accommodation to meet any price point, and mint tea is served fresh from morning to night. Alcohol however is hard to come by.  This is a city to relax in. 

The locals are friendly, and for a small price will happily take you on a tour of the medina or on a breathtaking hike up the Rif Mountains to the beautiful Ras el Maa waterfall.   But unlike other Moroccan cities, you can feel comfortable getting lost amidst the blue wash. 

-Arianna Schioldager