Embrace the Barbie Spirit by Visiting the World's Most Colourful Cities

Someone in Morocco must have seen Jodhpur’s blue buildings and decided to double down with its own cerulean city. There’s nothing gloomy about the blue streets of Chefchaouen, however. It’s eye-popping combination of blue and white stone houses stands out remarkably amid the surrounding forests and hills of the Rif Mountains. This place was originally a military outpost, which welcomed huge numbers of fleeing Muslim and Jewish refugees, having been forced out of southern Spain. Today it’s a charming old city, housing barely 50 thousand inhabitants, and welcoming holidaymakers from both Morocco and the rest of the world, keen to meander through the city’s surreal blue streets, embellished with mini mosaics and hanging plant pots. Barbie may be more of a pink girl, and blue might traditionally be more Ken, but we’re pretty sure she’d love to spend some time in Chefchaouen. It’s one of the highlights of our Epic Morocco itinerary, a comprehensive tour of the gateway to Africa, which heads straight to the Blue City on day two.