What is a good northern Morocco itinerary (Tangier–Chefchaouen–Tetouan)?

The north is its own world — Andalusian, Mediterranean, Spanish-influenced — and these three cities make a tight, satisfying loop that I love recommending to people who want a change from the well-worn Marrakech–Fez axis. The whole circuit is compact: you're never more than a couple of hours' drive between stops, which makes for a relaxed pace.

Start in Tangier, the cosmopolitan port that has drawn writers and artists for a century. Wander the kasbah and the steep medina lanes, take in the views across the Strait to Spain from Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules, and feel the city's reinvented, energetic mood. Give it a full day. Then drive to Tetouan, my underrated favourite — its dazzling whitewashed medina is UNESCO-listed and deeply Andalusian, settled by Muslims and Jews expelled from Spain, with a craft tradition and an authenticity that sees a fraction of Chefchaouen's crowds.

Chefchaouen is the headline finale: the blue-rinsed mountain town tucked into the Rif, all indigo lanes, terracotta roofs and easy charm. Two nights lets you photograph the medina at dawn, climb to the Spanish Mosque for sunset, and even do the Akchour waterfall hike. From here the Roman ruins region and the holy town of Moulay Idriss are within reach if you want to extend southward toward Fez.

I'd budget four to five days for the loop, ideally with a driver so you can enjoy the coastal and mountain scenery rather than navigate it. It pairs beautifully as an extension to a Fez stay, and because the north is cooler and greener, it's a lovely choice in the hot summer months when the south is sweltering.