Morocco’s Chefchaouen Valley - in pictures

Legend has it that the walls were painted blue to keep mosquitoes away. Photo by Samar Al Sayed

Another theory is that blue served as a reminder to lead a spiritual life. Photo by Samar Al Sayed

Chefchaouen served as a Moorish fortress for exiles from Spain.  Photo by Samar Al Sayed

Souvenirs here are rather cheap compared with more popular towns and cities such as Marrakech. Photo by Samar Al Sayed

Locals often shy away from the camera. Photo by Samar Al Sayed

Townsfolk gather as police herald a murder suspect to different cafes during a murder reenactment. Photo by Samar Al Sayed

Spain seized Chefchaouen in 1920 and only returned it when Morocco gained independence in 1956. Photo by Samar Al Sayed

Rabat’s Kasbah of the Udayas, a Unesco World Heritage Site, offers spectacular views of the city of  Salé.  Photo by Samar Al Sayed

Locals live within the kasbah to this day. Photo by Samar Al Sayed

Locals live within the kasbah to this day. Photo by Samar Al Sayed

The edifice was built in the 12th century. Photo by Samar Al Sayed

Our riad of choice was restored as recently as 2012. Photo by Samar Al Sayed

The Udayas fortress contains the oldest mosque in Rabat. Photo by Samar Al Sayed

The Chellah is a medieval fortified Muslim necropolis in the Moroccan capital, Rabat. Photo by Samar Al Sayed

Chefchouaen is nestled in the Rif mountains. Photo by Samar Al Sayed

With only four days to spare before having to head to Marrakech, Samar Al-Sayed travelled across the country’s plush northernmost plains to Chefchaouen in the Rif mountains, stopping by the capital, Rabat, on the way back down in an impromptu road trip that proved to be the highlight of the trip.