Northern Morocco – Where you can discover a blue town and a city of the White Dove

Tetuan – the city of the White Dove

Why was Tetouan, just 10 kilometres from the Mediterranean coast, founded at the southern foot of Mount Haouz? Well, there were several reasons. The Spaniards drove the last Moorish ruler from Granada in 1492 and many Muslims and Jews fled to Morocco, namely Tetouan, where the city flourished; the Andalusian heritage is also strongly reflected in the city’s culture.

Andalusian refugees brought with them their own architectural, artistic and musical traditions, which gave Tetouan its unique character. The town is therefore nicknamed ‘White Dove’ for its whitewashed houses and Moorish architecture. It was also important for its strategic location, its topography providing natural protection against possible invasions by the Spanish and Portuguese. The city’s history has been closely interwoven with the links between the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa, and it still preserves its Andalusian, Arab and Berber traditions.

The main attractions of Tetuan: The Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The medina of Tetouan is one of the most authentic in Morocco, with some 130 sacred buildings and monuments. The medina’s core was shaped by the Andalusian Moors who fled here in the 16th century and by immigrant Jews. Only fragments of the city wall have survived. The Royal Palace, summer residence of King Mohammed VI of Morocco. The mosques, one of the most beautiful of which is the Sidi Essaidi Mosque, and the kasbah.

Proximity to the coast – although the city is 10 kilometres from the Mediterranean, Tetouan is close to some of Morocco’s most beautiful Mediterranean beaches, such as Martil, Cabo Negro and M’diq. These places are excellent for relaxation and water sports.

Authentic gastronomy – the city’s gastronomy also reflects Spanish and Moroccan influences. It is worth trying the local fish dishes, tagine, couscous and sweet Moroccan pastries.

Tetouan is a centre of Moroccan art. It is home to the National Institute of Fine Arts, one of the most prestigious art schools in the country. It also boasts several museums, including the Moroccan Museum of Art.

All in all, Tetouan is a hidden gem in Morocco that will appeal to lovers of history, culture and natural beauty. If you’re exploring the north of the country, it’s worth including it in your itinerary.

 The Rif Mountains – green forests and blue cities 

On our way from Tetuan to Safsáuen we passed through the stunningly beautiful Rif Mountains. Once a pirate hideout, the lush green hillsides of this stunningly beautiful region are dotted with neat, locally built houses and dreamlike waterfalls. Many people think the Rif Mountains belong to the Atlas Mountains, but they don’t. Although it is also in Morocco, geologically it is closer to the Iberian Peninsula and the European mountain ranges, especially the Betic mountains in southern Spain. It formed together with this mountain range as part of the Gibraltar Arc, the result of the collision of the African and Eurasian plates. At the same time, the Atlas Mountains are a mountain range of African origin, which has risen as a result of continental movements. It is therefore interesting that it is not only a Mediterranean region in terms of its appearance and climate, but also in terms of its geology. It has a rich fauna and flora, especially in the Talassemtane National Park, where it is covered with cedar, oak and pine forests. The very rare Berber macaques also live in these beautiful forests. The highest point is 2456 metres.

The surrounding population is traditionally Berber and the local Rif Berber dialects are still widely spoken. Its most famous attractions are the Akchour waterfall and the Allah Bridge, a natural rock bridge, the picturesque town of Safsauen and the Al Hoceima beach where the RIF mountains meet the sea.

Safsauen – Morocco’s bright blue city

The fairytale town of Safsáuen, or Chefchaouen as it is perhaps better known, is unimaginably more beautiful than we expected. The photos we’ve seen in the media in the past can’t do justice to the stunning beauty and atmosphere that awaits visitors here. It was with great anticipation that we approached the town, with its blue houses gleaming here and there from a distance on the hillside, but once we reached the medina, the lavish reality we were confronted with was much richer than imagination. The atmosphere of the city is so enchanting and absorbing that it captivates you and never lets go. If we didn’t know better, we’d say it was another historic Moroccan town built on a mountain top, but it’s so much more.

But how did this miracle come about? There are many similarities with Tetuan in the beginning. Safsauen was founded in 1471 by Moulay Ali Ben Moussa Ben Rachid El Alami, a Berber chieftain from Andalusia. The town was originally built around a small fortress (kasbah) at an altitude of about 600 metres to provide protection against Portuguese invasions, just like Tetuman. Over the years, the town has sheltered Muslims and Jews fleeing the Christian conquests (Reconquista) in the Iberian Peninsula.  The majority of the families who settled here built their homes in the Andalusian style, so it is perhaps not surprising that Chefchaouen’s buildings are similar to those in the Arab quarter of Granada, for example. The majority of the population are Sunni Muslims, so it is no wonder that there are some 20 mosques, 11 zaouïa (Islamic religious and spiritual centres) and many mausoleums, earning it the title of Holy City (Es-Saliha).

But why are the houses blue? There are several explanations, one of the most popular theories being that the colour blue comes from the tradition of Jewish refugees arriving in the late 15th century. In Judaism, the colour blue symbolises the spiritual and divine presence and reminds us of heaven. Others believe that the colour blue helps to keep mosquitoes away because it is believed that blue paint reflects sunlight and reduces the presence of insects, although this sounds rather silly. It’s likely that the blue colour was originally adopted for religious and practical reasons, but today the city maintains the tradition, partly to boost tourism. In any case, blue – and not the Mediterranean blue, but a kind of pale purplish-blue – and every shade of blue that exists is covering the walls, which are so beautiful that visitors taking photos in front of them often block the way for locals who want to return home.

What must be seen: the Plaza Uta el-Hammam, the main square; the Grand Mosque, the small Kasbah fortress with the Ethnographic Museum, of course the Medina with its dreamy alleyways, the Souk, the Ras El Maa waterfall, a small waterfall on the edge of the city. For nature lovers, there are numerous hikes in the nearby mountains.