A four-day loop through Morocco's Andalusian north, anchored on the blue city of Chefchaouen: the indigo Rif medina, the whitewashed Andalusian medina of Tetouan, the strait city of Tangier with Cap Spartel, and the artists' town of Asilah on the Atlantic — short, scenic drives between four very different towns.
Day by day
Your 4-day plan
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Day 1
Chefchaouen: the blue city
Begin in the Rif mountains in Chefchaouen. Wander the indigo medina, Plaza Uta el-Hammam and the 15th-century kasbah, browse the wool and weaving souks, then climb to the Spanish Mosque for sunset over the blue rooftops. Overnight in the blue medina.
- Blue medina lanes
- Plaza Uta el-Hammam
- Kasbah
- Spanish Mosque sunset
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Day 2
Chefchaouen → Tetouan
A short scenic drive of about an hour northwest down out of the Rif to Tetouan, whose whitewashed medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most distinctly Andalusian in Morocco — built and rebuilt by Muslims and Jews from Granada. Explore the medina, the old Jewish mellah and the Hispano-Moorish quarter, then overnight in Tetouan or continue the short hop to the coast.
- Tetouan UNESCO medina
- Andalusian architecture
- Old mellah
- Royal Palace square
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Day 3
Tangier: kasbah, medina & Cap Spartel
Drive north to Tangier, the gateway to the Strait of Gibraltar — roughly an hour from Tetouan, about two hours direct from Chefchaouen. Explore the kasbah and medina, the Petit Socco and the Beat-era cafés, then head west to Cap Spartel, where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, and the nearby Caves of Hercules. Overnight in Tangier.
- Tangier kasbah
- Petit Socco
- Cap Spartel
- Caves of Hercules
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Day 4
Asilah on the Atlantic
A 45-minute drive south down the Atlantic coast to Asilah, a small whitewashed ramparted town known for its Portuguese-era walls, its painted murals and its quiet seafront. Walk the ocean ramparts and the art-filled lanes before your onward journey from Tangier (airport or ferry) or back south.
- Asilah ramparts
- Atlantic seafront
- Painted murals
- Portuguese-era walls
Good to know
Practical notes
- The drives are all short: Chefchaouen–Tetouan ~1 hour, Tetouan–Tangier ~1 hour, Tangier–Asilah ~45 minutes; Chefchaouen direct to Tangier is ~2 hours.
- Tangier (TNG) is the natural gateway — it has an airport and hourly ferries from Tarifa, Spain — so this loop works well started or ended there.
- There's no airport at Chefchaouen; most travellers reach it by road, which makes pairing it into a northern loop the practical choice.
- Tetouan and Asilah are easy to underestimate — each deserves a few unhurried hours rather than a quick stop.
Frequently asked
What's the best northern Morocco route from Chefchaouen?
A natural four-day loop runs Chefchaouen → Tetouan → Tangier → Asilah. The drives are all short (roughly an hour between each), and the four towns are genuinely different: the blue Rif city, Tetouan's Andalusian UNESCO medina, the strait city of Tangier, and the painted Atlantic town of Asilah.
Why is northern Morocco called Andalusian?
Towns like Tetouan and Chefchaouen were shaped by Muslims and Jews who left Al-Andalus (southern Spain) from the 15th century onward, bringing Andalusian architecture, crafts and music. The whitewashed-and-blue medinas, tilework and narrow lanes of the north reflect that heritage, and the Strait of Gibraltar keeps Spain visible across the water.
How far is Tetouan from Chefchaouen?
About 60km, roughly an hour by road northwest out of the Rif — one of the shortest hops on this northern loop, which is why Tetouan slots so naturally between Chefchaouen and the coast.
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