The blue jewel, Chefchaouen the andalusia

Hugging mountains,And embellished by the artsChefchaouen is a Moroccan city floating about 600 meters above sea level.Chefchaouen is a word that means “Horn” because of the shape of the surrounding mountains. “Blue City”.

The city of Chefchaouen or Chaouen is ideal for rest, a calm and relaxed atmosphere drives people to relax, strolling down the sloping streets of the old city gives you pure joy, and blue everywhere moves with you from a place to another. It is also a city of weavers and craftsmen, encountering you at every step of the workshops.

Traveling to it is a unique experience that nourishes all senses. It is a painting painted in blue and white, from the walls of houses, buildings and streets, through the doors, windows and stairs, to the electricity poles and vases that decorate the doors of the houses. When the blue is mixed with the color of the sky and the fresh water of its waterfalls, the magic is complete and the visitor finds himself hiding in her arms and does not want to leave her.

According to the novels, the blue color is due to the fact that Andalusians and Moriscos who were displaced from Andalusia after being subjected to religious and ethnic cleansing against non-Christians. They wanted this color to be a symbol of peace and tolerance.

But its charm is not limited to its color only, it is also famous for its tranquility and the goodness of its people who, despite mixing with tourists from all over the world, clinging to their inherent mountain nature, whether in dealings with others or in their fashion or simple lifestyle. Adding to the magnificence of the scene is that the mountainous alleys branching throughout the small city are nothing without women or as they are named 'Jebliat' and that's mean womens of the mountains Wearing the region's traditional mountain uniforms, a traditional wide straw hat decorated with colors, a white striped red dress wrapped around the waist, and a colorful one placed above the shoulders.

men cloths are also eye-catching. They adopt a hand-made woolen robe with a hat that is essential for any 'Jebli' ans that's mean the men of the mountains. They usually offer homemade goods in the alleys for anyone who wants to try organic meals with mountain flavor, silver accessories or clayAnd others. The kindness and good treatment of the people of Chefchaouen, both men and women, both when selling their exhibits or when giving a helping hand to strangers; This does not make them feel strangealien or that they need to take caution,  Which must be used in some large tourist cities, to avoid fraud attempts.

The first question comes to mind any traveler, what places should not miss it? The answer in this particular case is that every step in Chefchaouen, whether intentional or unintentional, is a pleasure and a pleasant surprise. All its visitors need to have some physical fitness to walk through the alleys, up and down, because of its mountainous character.Otherwise, the city carries many beautiful surprises, whether a door or window decorated with flowers or features evoking the Andalusian architecture, such as «watering» drinking fresh water from the depths of the mountains, which the people of Chefchaouen was aware of its importance in giving beauty to their city and created it And decorated them in the Andalusian way with Moroccan mosaics,
And of course the adoption of blue and white. At the end of the road, upwards, the tourist will reach the top of the city and its highest point, called «water head», where the source flows from the inside of the mountain in the form of a waterfall in the middle of a large courtyard from which water passes. A wonderful retreat from the hardships of hiking surrounded by fig trees, cherries and olives.

Art lovers also have a share in Chefchaouen. Between one alley and another they will encounter a formation workshop that plastic artists have made it a refuge in which to breathe about their art. Remarkably, most of them love the blue color, so that they make the walls of old houses sometimes ground, or rather as a soul to paint paintings to increase the beauty and excellence. Her appeal has extended beyond plastic artists to caricature artists, from Morocco and abroad who have chosen her as the venue for their annual meeting for her calmness that helps creativity.

Not far from the spring of the water head was built the Kasbah, the first nucleus of Chefchaouen and its cultural and artistic center. Formerly the headquarters of the prison, the army and the warehouse, it is surrounded by a high wall with ten Andalusian-style towers, while today it is a space for traditional crafts, jewelery and ceramics. Its large garden, decorated with two large Andalusian basins, includes an ethnographic museum that displays paintings of the city's history and glimpses of the 

It is not possible to talk about a tour of Chefchaouen without visiting the square «Wata Hammam», which is located in the center of the old city. It is a favorite place for tourists, with its tree-shaded cafes and restaurants facing the Great Mosque, and its simple mountain décor;

The square was called «Wata hamam» and that's mean the land of peigons, this name because it was formerly dedicated to the stores and stores of grain seeds, and because of this was taking pigeons from the yard home to pick up the grain. The square is the only flat place in the center of the city, as every place in Chefchaouen is winding and wandering can only be up or down.

Of course we can not visit Chaouen without going to 'AKCHOUR', it's small village 30 kilometers from Chefchaouen, it is a dream-like area and a great location, with unspoilt natural beauty, but a place suitable for hiking enthusiasts, and wonderful fjords, including a bridge of magnificent rocks at a height of 25 meters above the river Oued Verda, This natural structure will also serve as a passage between the two edges of the groove.

will that's was all, we reached the end of the article, I hope that my information has benefited you and maked you feel enthusiasm to visit this charming city.

Note : Most of the photos were taken by me.