The Enchanting Blue City of Morocco: Chefchaouen

Known as the 'Blue Pearl,' the mountain city of Chefchaouen in Morocco is mesmerizing with its varying shades of blue buildings under different lighting. Even the BBC has praised Chefchaouen as a 'paradise on earth' or an 'ocean in the desert.' The reason why the old town of Chefchaouen is entirely painted blue dates back to the 1930s when Jews, fleeing political persecution in Europe, took refuge here and painted the walls blue to symbolize God and heaven. Another explanation is that the blue color helps cool down the buildings and keeps mosquitoes away. The local residents still maintain this tradition, repainting their houses with fresh blue paint every year. There are several popular photo spots here, such as the painted pattern stairs (Photo 1), the Grand Mosque (Photo 7), and the Spanish Mosque (Photos 8-9) where you can enjoy the sunset.