Morocco wasn’t always on our travel list. Shocking, right!? I didn’t know much about it and I honestly got a little nervous when thinking about going to visit. But after my mother-and-law went and showed us her great pictures and hearing many great things from friends, we decided to take a second look. And I am so glad we did! Morocco has now topped my list of favorites (I feel like I say that about every place I go!) and I can’t wait to go back to explore more! Now I hope that after reading this post you too will give Morocco a second look!

What We Did

Got lost on the streets of Chefchauen

We only had 4 days in Morocco (well really only 3 if you account for travel time) so we knew we had to make the most of it! One of the things that was on our “Must-See List” was Chefchauen, also known as “The Blue City.”

It’s about a 3 – 3.5 hour drive from Fez, so keep that in mind when planning your trip. That may seem a bit much for just a day trip, but I’m telling you, it was so worth it! We decided to take a private taxi to get there since it would be the quickest option. The driver will drop you off and meet you to pick you back up at whatever time you agree on. Our driver even made some stops along the way to show us some of the best sights of Morocco.

Chefchauen is pretty small, so it’s easy to explore in a day. Since we had limited time, Casey and I just decided to walk around, explore the shops, get some lunch and just take it all in. We also had friends visiting the city as well so we were able to meet up with them for lunch.

Chechauen is literally as blue as they say! Although no one could really give us an exact reason as to why the city is painted all blue, my favorite story was that they painted it blue because they don’t have an ocean. It was so dreamy! I couldn’t walk more than 10 steps without taking a photo.

Haggled our way Through Fes

From the day we booked our trip, I knew we would be doing some shopping and would be coming home with something! I wanted rugs, leather goods, oils, ceramics…. EVERYTHING!

I did some research and got some good tips from my mother-in-law before diving in. You have to bargain with them and take your time! You can find more tips on bargaining on my friend’s blog here. We found a cute little shop where we ended up buying 4 rugs! Mouhammed helped us with our rug hunt and he was so nice and helpful. He wasn’t pushy at all and I felt like he was honest as well. They’re located right near the tannery at 4 Derb Taoul. Or you can email him at tissageberber@yahoo.fr

Now if you don’t have the budget or the luggage space for such a large souvenir, you can also check out their large selection of locally made pottery, metal pieces, oils, and leather goods.

Held our noses at the Chouara Tannery

To view the leather tannery you will need to stop in a leather shop and go to the top to get the best view. Most stores will have people trying to lure you in or even make you pay. I believe it’s not very much, or you can purchase something from their shop. We knew we wanted to buy some leather goods, so this didn’t bother us. Now this is not for the faint of heart. And the smell can be pretty strong and overwhelming. You are given a sprig of mint leaves to hold to help.

Took in the views from a rooftop bar (or two)

This rooftop bar is on top of Riad Fez and it is AMAZING! I mean look at that view! The Riad itself is stunningly beautiful and the staff there is just as great. The drinks are a little pricey, but it was so nice to put our feet up and relax after a day of exploring and shopping. We also stopped at Palace Faraj for a drink or two. This Riad is top notch and also provides great views from above.

Where we ate

The BEST part about Moroccan food is not only the taste, but it’s so cheap! I have heard that some people didn’t have the best experiences with food while they visited, so Casey and I did our research and never once had a bad meal. Here is where we went:

Chez Rachid

If you are looking for good, local Moroccan food, go here! We had the beef tagine and lamb tagine with veggies and they were both delicious. We also stopped at the restaurant next door (unfortunately, I don’t remember the name) and it was equally as good.

Cafe Restaurant Sofia

This restaurant is located in Chefchauen and had great Moroccan dishes as well. Definitely try the pastillo rolls and the chicken cous cous. YUM!

Palais Houyam

This is actually the raid where we stayed for our trip. They happen to have a nice restaurant as well! Although it is a bit more pricey than most meals in the medina, you get a LOT of food and everything was tasty.

Cafe Clock

Make sure to go to the rooftop terrace to eat and get a mint lemonade for the perfect refresher. This was one of my favorite restaurants we visited on our whole trip.

Where we stayed

Palais Houyam

As mentioned above, we stayed at the most adorable little riad in the medina. It was beautifully decorated, had comfortable rooms, a gorgeous open patio, a pool, and the best staff! I highly recommend stayed here. You are also close distance the main touristy sites within walking distance.

If you are still with me and aren’t convinced to go to Morocco yet, I don’t know what will! If you can get passed the crowded alleyways and the somewhat aggressive shop owners, you will be just fine. Just do your research and make sure to give yourself breaks here and there. You’ll fall in love with this country just like we did!