the overwhelming frenzy of Marrakech and Fez.
Imagine a place where these winding and sloping streets that seemed made with photographers in mind were splashed in every cool shade of aqua and royal and sky every day of the year. But there is—Chefchaouen, the blue pearl of Morocco. The landscape of Morocco varies greatly from the golden dunes of the Sahara to the verdant coastal plains to the imposing High Atlas Mountains. In a spot in northern Morocco that feels fairly far from anywhere, Chefchaouen (or, simply, Chaouen to the locals) sits in the Rif Mountains—a blip of blue in a country that is largely green and tan. Painted in a palette of mesmerizing blue hues, Chefchaouen's ancient medina (old quarter) offers a thousand photo opportunities, and the souks brim with undiscovered gems. Chefchaouen's medina is beautiful, peaceful, and easy to explore. The Jewish refugees from Europe who lived there during the 1930s first painted Chefchaouen blue (either to symbolize heaven or as a mosquito repellent, depending on who you ask), and now the town is known as The Blue Pearl. The town still keeps the tradition alive: Each year, the terracotta-tiled houses are washed with new coats of paint. Spain also has a blue village, also known as Smurf village, Júzcar, a village in the Málaga province of Andalusia. Santorini is the Blue City of Greece. Oia city with white and blue houses in Aegean Sea. Thira, Cyclades Islands.