Plaza Uta el-Hammam

The main square of Chefchaouen, where the medina meets the kasbah and everyone eventually passes through. Cafe terraces line the edges; the Grand Mosque anchors one side; the kasbah walls frame another. The square functions as the town's living room. Mornings bring locals shopping; afternoons bring tourists resting; evenings bring everyone. The cafes serve the same mint tea and harira at roughly the same prices — choose by view rather than menu. The Grand Mosque's octagonal minaret is unusual — most Moroccan minarets are square. The story is that Spanish Muslims brought the design from Andalusia, though historians debate this. The mosque is closed to non-Muslims, but the exterior is part of the square's architecture. Best time: Evening (the social hour) Allow: As long as you like Combine with: Kasbah Museum and a walk into the blue medina