Morocco Series Part 3: Chefchaouen’s Blue Medina, Volubilis’ Majestic Quietness, and the Frenzied Maze of Fes

Chefchaouen — The Town That Blue Itself Is Chefchaouen Worth Visiting?

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Day 4 started with a short 1.5 hours drive from Tangier to Chefchaouen, a small, picturesque town nestled in the Rif Mountains. Its claim to fame? Blue. Lots of it. The old town is drenched in every shade of blue imaginable—like someone let a Smurf loose with a paint roller.

If you’re wondering whether Chefchaouen is worth visiting, the answer is yes — especially if you love photography, blue walls, and mild uphill cardio.

Why blue? Depends on who you ask. Some say it’s a Jewish tradition carried over from Spain. Others claim it keeps homes cool. Or repels mosquitoes. Or just looks good on Instagram (probably the most honest answer). One thing’s sure, the locals started painting their houses in blue in the 20^th century and whatever the reason, they keep painting—and the authorities help by handing out money or free buckets of blue, because tourism is good business for the town.

View of Chefchaouen from the hilltop

Exploring Chefchaouen’s Blue Medina

What to Do in Chefchaouen in One Day

The medina is charming and car-free, which sounds romantic until you’re dragging luggage uphill. We hired porters with carts again, paid double the “recommended” fee, and didn’t argue, especially that we were faced with the amount after the luggage was already in the hotel.

This is a small town but perfect for a one‑day Chefchaouen itinerary, especially if you enjoy wandering, shopping, and pretending you hike regularly

Fun fact: many locals here speak Spanish instead of French, thanks to Northern Morocco’s colonial history.

Shops in Chefchaouen Medina

Chefchaouen artisanal shop

Chefchaouen Viewpoints & The Fastest Orange Juice in Morocco

We spent the day strolling through the medina, browsing shops selling artisanal crafts made of leather and wool. We admired the Mendil—traditional red-and-white striped blankets worn by Rif women—and watched silk and wool being woven on looms that looked older than some of the ruins we’d later visit.

Washing the Mendil, the traditional blanket of the Rif Mountain region

We hiked up the hill for a panoramic view, took the obligatory photos, and drank orange juice from a guy who squeezed it faster than we could blink.

Us and Chefchaouen

I know it looks like I recorded at high speed. But no. This is how fast this guy’s hands really moved.

Where Not to Stay in Chefchaouen

Staying at Dar Meziana. It’s a small riad with questionable cleanliness (or should I say unquestionable uncleanliness?), claustrophobic and uncomfortable rooms, and heating that’s more symbolic than functional. Even for Canadians, winter nights in the mountains are not the time to test your tolerance for cold. Verdict: Chefchaouen is a must‑see, but Dar Meziana is a must‑avoid.

Volubilis and Fes — How to Visit Volubilis from Chefchaouen + Riad Redemption, and a Couscous Coma

Volubilis: Morocco’s Best Roman Ruins (not so Good Tour Guide)

Next day, we hit the road for Fes, with a stop at Volubilis—an ancient Roman settlement that’s both massive and impressive. After three hours of driving, we needed a break anyway.

The ruins? Stunning.

Our guide? Less so. He delivered his lines with the enthusiasm of someone reading cereal ingredients. The site deserves better. There probably are better guides, but we didn’t get lucky.

If you’re planning how to visit Volubilis from Chefchaouen, it’s an easy stop on the drive between Chefchaouen and Fes—and absolutely worth the detour.

The Basilica of Volubilis, a key Roman administrative structure used for legal and civic proceedings

One of the Mosaics at Volubilis still well-preserved

Arriving in Fes: Sunshine, Coffee, and a Much‑Needed Upgrade

Back in the car, another 1.5 hours later, we arrived in Fes. The weather was beautiful, so we dropped our bags and wandered the neighborhood. Found a cozy café, ordered coffee, and let the late afternoon sun remind us why we travel.

Gate to the Fes Medina. We enjoyed the mild weather and a coffee at the coffee shop on the right

Where to Stay in Fes: Riad El Yacout

We stayed at Riad El Yacout—a majestic hotel with spacious rooms and excellent staff. February is low season, so we scored a great deal. It was the perfect antidote to our Chefchaouen lodging trauma.

Riad el Yacout, the main lobby

What to See in Fes: A Full-Day Guided Tour

Fes is one of Morocco’s largest and most exciting cities, and it delivers. We took a six-hour guided tour that started with ruined forts on the surrounding hills, offering a stunning panoramic view of the city and an excellent way to understand Fes’ size and history.

Panoramic view of Fes

The Pottery Quarter: Beautiful Ceramics We’ll Never Use

We watched artisans create Fes’ famous blue pottery and intricate mosaics. The craftsmanship was so impressive that we felt we had to buy a tagine. It is totally unusable for cooking (our friends tried; it cracked), but it looks great in our growing collection of decorative kitchenware we’ll never use.

Ceramics are one of the most tempting answers to what to buy in Morocco—even if they end up purely decorative.

Each small piece of mosaic is made by hand in this Fes pottery

Making a tagine in a pottery in Fes

The Mellah (Jewish Quarter)

A historic neighborhood with preserved architecture, cemeteries, and synagogues. Fes’ Mellah is one of the largest in Morocco and a testament to the enduring relationship between Jewish and Muslim communities in the country.

Old Jewish Cemetery in Fes

The Royal Palace Gates

Grand, golden, and completely inaccessible. You can admire them, but don’t get any ideas.

Things to Do in Fes Medina (When Google Maps Gives Up)

A sprawling labyrinth where even Google Maps throws up its hands. We were warned not to explore alone, and we listened. Our guide led us through artisan quarters where metalworkers, dyers, woodworkers, and silk weavers still practice their crafts. The tannery was a highlight—equal parts fascinating and pungent. They try to convince you to buy.  The quality is excellent, and we left with leather gifts we actually use.

The leather is processed in Fes the same way as it was done centuries ago

Inside a shop in the souk

Weaving a carpet with a loom in Fes Medina

Lunch at Palais Lahlou: Couscous for a Battalion

By midday, we were starving, so lunch at Palais Lahlou was a welcome pause. It was Friday, so couscous was mandatory. The restaurant was a bit touristy, but the couscous was excellent and served in quantities that could feed a small battalion. We skipped dinner…

Palais Lahlou Restaurant

This is brought to the table even before the couscous arrives… there was no room in the frame to show the pitas.

Final Thoughts: Two Cities, Two Vibes, One Very Full Stomach

Chefchaouen and Fes offered two very different flavors of Morocco—one painted in blue and the other full of history, chaos, and the occasional olfactory challenge.

We climbed hills, bought pottery we’ll never use and the odd leather gift that is already in use, and learned more about Moroccan culture than we ever expected. From the freezing riad in Chefchaouen to the royal gates we couldn’t enter in Fes, it was a journey of contrasts, color, and couscous. And while not every moment was comfortable, every moment was memorable—which, in travel terms, is basically the same thing.

Highlights

• Chefchaouen’s Blue Medina – It’s blue, it’s charming, and it’s aggressively ready for photography.
• Orange Juice Guy – Peeled and squeezed faster than we could say “vitamin C.”
• Riffi Blankets and Artisan Shops – Wool, leather, handmade textiles – the temptation to buy things we don’t need.
• Hilltop Viewpoint in Chefchaouen – Best panoramic view of Chefchaouen, mild cardio, and pretending we hike regularly.
• Volubilis Roman Ruins – Impressive relics, underwhelming guide, excellent excuse to stretch our legs.
• Riad El Yacout (Fes) – Majestic rooms, warm staff, and actual heating (not so needed anyway). Strongly recommended. Chefchaouen, take notes.
• Pottery Quarter in Fes – Gorgeous ceramics and mosaics we’ll never use but absolutely had to buy.
• Fes Mellah (Jewish Quarter) – Rich history and architecture.
• Fes Medina – A maze of artisans, markets, and sensory overload, so confusing even Google Maps gave up.
• Lunch at Palais Lahlou – Friday is Couscous Day… plus other food for a battalion, but tastier.

FAQ — Chefchaouen, Volubilis & Fes

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