Probably the longest (and most tiring) trip of my life yet, but definitely one of the most stunning places I’ve been to. The 8-hour flight to Casablanca (not to mention running through the airport to catch the flight, whew!) then a 5-hour train ride to Fez, and 3 hours bus ride to Chefchaouen, was an adventure on its own. To see the all blue walls of the Blue Pearl City (my favorite color, btw), to savor the goat cheese salad and tagine in that spectacular view, and to get lost in the alley ways of the Fez Medina, made it all worth it.
Tagine and Goat cheese salad in Assada, Chefchaouen
Day 1:
Arrived Casablanca from Dubai at 12noon
Train from Airport to Casablanca duration 30 minutes
Train from Casablanca to Fez 4-4.30 hours
Arrived Fez around 10pm
Checked in at Riad Tayba
Late Dinner at Thami’s
Day 2:
5am Wake Up Call
Breakfast at Riad Tayba (inclusive with accommodation)
Bus leaves for Chefchaouen at 7am
Arrived Chefchaouen at 1130am
Lunch at Assada
Walked around the Blue City
Afternoon snack in one of the roof top restaurants
Bus leaves for Fez at 6pm
Arrived Fez at 1030 pm
Day 3:
Breakfast at Riad Tayba
Checked out of Riad Tayba and Checked in Riad Fes Baraka (switch of hotels due to room availability)
Lunch at Le Tarbouche (Mexican-inspired)
Shopping and Walking around the Medina
Degustation Dinner at Nur
Day 4:
3 am Wake up call
10 minutes taxi ride from Hotel to Train station
ETD 4:50am from Fez to Casablanca
Arrived Casablanca around 9am
Train from Casablanca to Airport is every 3o minutes
Arrived around around 10am
Flight for Dubai ETD 2pm
Whew!
Costs:
Sim card with 5gb data plan…………………………………………..11 USD
Roundtrip tickets from Casablanca airport to Casablanca…10 USD
Roundtrip tickets Casablanca to Fez (First Class)…………….38 USD
Taxi from Train Station to Medina………………………………….5 USD
Dinner in Thami’s, Fez…………………………………………………..11 USD (for two)
Riad Tayba (accommodation for one night)…………………….110 USD (for two)
Ticket one way from Fez to Chefchaouen…………………………5 USD
Ticket one way Chefchaouen to Fez (CTM Bus)………………..11 USD
Lunch in Chefchaouen (Assada)……………………………………..11 USD (for two)
Afternoon snack in Chefchaouen…………………………………….16 USD (for two)
Riad Fes Baraka (accommodation for one night)……………..100 USD (for two)
Lunch in Le Tarbouche, Fez……………………………………………22 USD (for two)
Degustation Dinner at Nur……………………………………………..82 USD (per person)
Taxi from Hotel to Train Station……………………………………..11 USD
Total: …………………………………………………………………………..443 USD
Tip: Allocate shopping money and luggage space for rugs, bags, argan oil, leather garments, etc. And, skip the Degustation dinner at Nur—- overrated and overpriced.
Degustation at Nur, Fez
Riad Fes Baraka, Fez
Riad Tayba, Fez
Every turn, every nook is awe-inspiring. And every rug and lantern you just want to take home. Fez and Chefchaouen was everything I imagined it to be. Every detail is an assault to the senses— the striking colors, the pungent aroma of the spices, the comforting taste of the mint tea, the never ending sound of catcalling, the feel of it all.
One for the books.