Kasbah Museum

The red-brown walls of the kasbah stand out against Chefchaouen's famous blue. Built in the 15th century by Moulay Ali ibn Rashid — the exiled Andalusian prince who founded the town — the fortress was military before it was anything else. The small ethnographic museum inside holds traditional clothing, weapons, and musical instruments. The collection is modest; the building is the attraction. The tower offers views across the blue medina to the Rif Mountains beyond. The gardens within the walls are a quiet escape from the medina's tourist traffic. Bougainvillea climbs the old walls. Local families picnic on the grass. The kasbah faces Plaza Uta el-Hammam — the transition from fortress to cafe terrace takes thirty seconds. Best time: Late afternoon (light on the mountains) Allow: 45 minutes Combine with: Plaza Uta el-Hammam (immediately adjacent)