Chefchaouen Day Trip from Fes: Explore the Blue City of the Rif

Highlights

• Wander the blue-painted lanes and stairways of the medina
• Plaza Outa el Hammam, the Grand Mosque and the kasbah
• The Ras el Maa spring at the top of the old town
• Optional walk to the Spanish Mosque viewpoint over the town
• Scenic drive through olive groves and the Rif foothills
• Hotel or riad pick-up and drop-off in Fes

Itinerary

1. 1

   08:00 · Pick-up in Fes

   The day begins with a pick-up at your accommodation in Fes. Since cars cannot enter the old medina, riad guests are met at a nearby gate such as Bab Boujloud or Bab Ftouh, and the exact spot is confirmed the day before. The minibus then heads north over the Saiss plain and into olive country, on the road towards the green hills of the Rif.

2. 2

   10:00 · Coffee stop near Ouezzane

   After about two hours on the road, you take a short break near the town of Ouezzane to stretch your legs and have a coffee or mint tea. From here the landscape becomes hillier and greener as you climb gradually into the foothills of the Rif, and the road winds more and more, so take travel-sickness tablets now if you need them.

3. 3

   11:45 · Arrival in Chefchaouen

   You reach Chefchaouen just before midday. Before setting you free, the driver shows you the meeting point for the return and gives you a few pointers on the main landmarks and the easiest way into the old town, so you can make the most of your time. Most of the medina is car-free, steep and full of steps, so comfortable shoes are a must.

4. 4

   12:00 · Free time in the blue medina

   You have about three and a half hours to explore at your own pace. Stroll around Plaza Outa el Hammam and the kasbah, then climb the blue alleys to the Ras el Maa spring. Fit walkers can carry on for around 30 minutes to the Spanish Mosque viewpoint. Lunch is wherever you choose; try the local goat's cheese or a bowl of bissara.

5. 5

   15:30 · Departure from Chefchaouen

   In the mid-afternoon you meet your driver at the agreed spot and leave the Rif behind. The return journey follows the same route south through the hills and olive groves, with a rest stop on the way. It is a good time to look back through your photos of the blue lanes and rest after an afternoon of climbing stairs.

6. 6

   19:15 · Arrival in Fes

   You arrive back in Fes in the evening and are dropped at your hotel or riad, or at the medina gate where you were collected in the morning. The day is long but easy-going, with most of the effort being the steep streets of Chefchaouen. If you are travelling on, ask about combining it with our desert tour to Marrakech.

What’s included

Questions about this tour