Ouazzane Holy City

Ouazzane is a hill town in the foothills of Jebel Bou Hellal in northern Morocco, about 75 km south-west of Chefchaouen, and is known as a holy city because of the Zaouia Ouazzania, the seat of the Ouazzaniya Sufi order, founded in the 17th century. Shared grand taxis and buses run from the Chefchaouen bus station to Ouazzane in about 1 hour 30 minutes for roughly 35 to 50 MAD ($3.75-5.40), and the return taxi leaves from the Ouazzane taxi rank on Place Mohammed V. The town is much less visited than Chefchaouen, which is part of the appeal. Its old quarters have whitewashed lanes, Andalusian-style houses with green-tiled roofs, a Great Mosque, and the zaouia complex and shrine of the founding family. Visits to the zaouia are free but modest dress is expected, and visitors should avoid entering during prayer times and should not photograph worshippers without permission. The souk, particularly on market day, sells olives, olive oil, fruit, vegetables, textiles and local wool goods, and the harvest season adds activity. The surrounding countryside is covered with olive groves and offers views toward the Rif. A sensible day starts with a morning taxi from Chefchaouen, a stroll around Place Mohammed V and its cafes, a walk through the old medina to the zaouia, and lunch in a simple local restaurant where grilled meat, tagine and soups cost about 40 to 90 MAD ($4.30-9.70). The afternoon suits the souk and the upper viewpoints over the town, followed by a taxi back to Chefchaouen before dusk, since taxis thin out in the evening. The best seasons are March to June and October. Ouazzane is an authentic working town with few tourist facilities, so visitors should bring cash and go with modest expectations of services. Hills and steps make the walking moderately tiring, and mid-summer afternoons are hot.