Magical City of Chefchaouen, Morocco

Dare to Experience Your Life off the beaten path and you will be rewarded with amazing moments! Experience Your Life team members travel all around the world and this post is live from the city of Chefchaouen Morocco. This city can only be described as MAGICAL. Many people visit Spain but few take the short boat right to Morocco that is filled with wonderful bazaars, legendary hospitality and hidden gems like the blue city of Chefchaouen. You really feel that you have stepped into a magical wonderland! Every corner holds a beautiful blue surprise – a decorate door – twisted alleys and hospitality that exists in its very authentic form even today!

Official introduction “Chefchaouen is a city in the Rif Mountains of northwest Morocco. It’s known for the striking, variously hued blue-washed buildings of its old town. Leather and weaving workshops line its steep cobbled lanes. In the shady main square of Uta el Hammam is the red-walled casbah, a 15th-century fortress and dungeon with ethnographic and art exhibits. The octagonal minaret of the Great Mosque rises nearby.

Tips to get there from Spain:

• We started this trip in Seville. Your trip starts with a 3 hour bus ride to the coastal town of Algeciras which cost 19 Euros.
• From Algeciras, you have the option to take the boat to either Tangier, Tangier Med (cargo port 40 km each of Tangier) or Cuenta (a small city that is still part of Spain but in North Africa). We took the boat to Cuenta and had a very smooth experience. The cost is around 34 euros.
• After docking in Cuenta, pay around 6 euros to the local taxi to take you to border. You will then cross the border on foot which was a very smooth experience. The Moroccan authorities were very friendly and we crossed over in minutes.
• From here, you can walk over to the taxi stand and negotiate a price to go to Chefchaouen. We payed 40 euros which is an amazing price for a 2 hour drive.
• After Chefchaouen – the whole country is open to you! We are enroute to the imperial city of Fez and finally going into the Sahara Desert.

Key points to remember:

• The flight from Montreal to Casablanca (in Morocco) in under 6 hours! It is incredibly accessible!
• Most of the accommodation is very economical. We stayed in a Riad (traditional Moroccan house that is converted to a guest house) for 25 dollars for two people with BREAKFAST! We even had a sitting space in our room. You can book through mainstream websites like Expedia and Hotels.com
• Validate your hotel/riad selection with TripAdvisor.
• Do your research on do’s and don’t. It will take you Moroccan experience to the next level. We were welcomed in homes, shops and parties by demonstrating respect.
• Please, please, please do not judge Moroccan hospitality by the overly aggressive sales people in certain bazaars in Marrakesh. This is where you research will come in on how not to engage – Moroccan’s are in general very friendly and amazing people with traditions of hospitality that goes back thousands of years.
• Be ready for lots of questions you will get from your Facebook (and real J) friends once you post your pictures!

Magical cities filled with moments are waiting for you – all you need is to act on your desire to experience these amazing places. Good luck on your adventure!