The Blue City of chefchaouen

Forty miles south of Tetouan and just a few hours away from Tangier, Chefchaouen has a history of Spanish influence. It is located in the heart of the Rif Mountains, where surrounding trees, hills, springs, and wildflowers attract visitors looking for a calm getaway. In the 1600s, Moulay Ismail built Chefchaouen as an Arab fortress. In the centuries that followed, Chaouen saw itself transformed from a Spanish prison into what it is today. Chaouen, as it is known to the Moroccans, is a great place to explore one of the country's most interesting medinas (Old Towns). Walk along the main avenue and enter the medina through Bab l'Ain. In the springtime, in the Nouvelle Ville, you can sit in the Place Mohammed V Park and enjoy the view of the mountains in the background. The Old Town is a photographer's delight -- it is one of the few places in Morocco that has an octagonal minaret next to the Grand Mosque