The Medina (Old Town)

This is Chefchaouen's blue-painted old town where you'll spend most of your time. More relaxed and safer than medinas in bigger Moroccan cities, though that also means fewer amenities and less nightlife.

The medina is where all those blue alleyway photos come from. Shopkeepers are less aggressive than in Marrakech or Fez, but you still haggle on prices. The whole area is car-free and small - 20 minutes to walk across, though you'll spend longer wandering around. During the day there are enough tourists and local families around that it feels safe. The blue paint supposedly keeps mosquitoes away, though it's also tied to the Jewish refugees from Spain who founded the city in 1471. You'll see women sitting alone in cafes, so eating by yourself doesn't feel weird. Things quiet down by 10pm. Police patrol the main square and key streets regularly.