The story of the blue medina
Chefchaouen was founded in 1471 by Moulay Ali ben Rachid as a fortress against the Portuguese, and later welcomed Muslims and Jews expelled from Spain. The town stayed isolated in the Rif Mountains for centuries.
Its blue walls are famous around the world. Explanations vary, from Jewish tradition to keeping houses cool or mosquitoes away, but today locals repaint them to keep the town's magic alive.
