Where to Stay in Chefchaouen: Our Top Hotel Picks in the Medina

Where to Stay in Chefchaouen? + Map

Chefchaouen is one of the smaller stops on your Morocco road trip. That’s why we recommend staying in the Medina (old town). You’ll find the most beautiful accommodations here, and the Medina puts you right in the center of everything.

Our top hotel pick: Riad Nila

From the Medina, you can reach all the highlights in Chefchaouen comfortably on foot.

Important to know: The Medina in Chefchaouen is completely car-free, just like in Fès. Even so, you should definitely still stay here. If you’re traveling Morocco by car, you can find out at the end of this article where to park your vehicle.

We’ve marked exactly where the Medina is located on a map of Chefchaouen — and pinned all the top attractions there too.

Where to Stay: Our Hotel Recommendations in Chefchaouen's Medina

The Medina is the heart of Chefchaouen and one of the biggest must-sees in Morocco. The houses lining the narrow alleyways are all painted blue and white — it’s seriously unlike anywhere else.

Inside the Medina you’ll find plenty of smaller points of interest, lovely cafés, and great restaurants serving delicious Moroccan food.

From the Medina, you can also easily walk up to the Spanish Mosque Bouzafer to catch the sunset — the view from up there is stunning.

We’d really suggest staying in a riad in the Medina — these are traditional Moroccan houses with an inner courtyard. They tend to be small and have a wonderfully intimate, family feel. We’re also big fans of the riads in Marrakech and the riads in Fès.

When it comes to where to stay in Chefchaouen, you’ll find options for every budget — from simple guesthouses to more luxurious riads.

Our Recommendations for Your Hotel in Chefchaouen

Our favorite is the Riad Nila. The design blends authentic Moroccan style with a modern boho vibe — we absolutely love it. From the rooftop terrace, you get a breathtaking panorama over the city.

For a more budget-friendly place to stay, check out Casa Blue Pearl. The blue décor puts you in the mood for Morocco’s blue city the moment you wake up. A highlight is the breakfast — a delicious omelet and fresh orange juice. Hard to beat.

Where Can You Park in Chefchaouen?

Since the Medina in Chefchaouen is car-free, you’ll need to park outside the Medina. You’ll find a good selection of parking lots nearby.

Although there are a few free spots, we recommend using a private parking lot. Your rental car will be safer there, and these lots are usually monitored around the clock.

We did some research and would suggest the following options. They should all cost around 30 to 50 MAD (roughly $2.80 to $4.70) for 24 hours.

• Parking Yoma (open in Google Maps): West of the Medina — not right next to it, but barely any farther.
• Parking Lahfid (open in Google Maps): South of the Medina — also not right next to it, but barely any farther.
• Parking Chaouen (open in Google Maps): A parking garage right at the entrance to the southern Medina.
• Public car park (open in Google Maps): South of the Medina, a bit farther out, but larger.

Our tip: It’s worth asking your accommodation in advance whether they offer a luggage service from the parking lot to the riad. If not, you’ll usually find locals with small carts near the Medina who’ll carry your bags for a small fee.

Heads up: It apparently happens fairly often that people pose as parking attendants and try to charge more than the going rate. Trust your gut — if something feels off, just drive to a different lot.

One more thing: We once had a situation where we were asked to leave our parking brake off so the car could be moved if needed. We can’t say for certain which lots do this and which don’t — it often depends on what time of year you’re visiting Morocco. Either way, you should never hand over your keys!