Cheeses of Chefchaouen
A blue-washed town in the Rif mountains, where herders bring fresh goat jben to market wrapped in palm leaves.
Made, aged and sold here
Best time: March to June and September to November.
Chefchaouen sits on the slopes of the Rif mountains in northern Morocco, its old town painted in shades of blue. Goats graze the mountains around it, and the region is the best-known home of Moroccan jben, a fresh goat or cow cheese. It is brought down to town by farmers and sold in small rounds, often wrapped in palm leaves.
Jben
Jben is a fresh cheese, set with rennet or left to sour naturally, then drained in cloth or baskets. In the Rif it is mostly goat's milk, soft, white and lightly tangy. It is eaten within days, drizzled with olive oil or honey, sprinkled with thyme, or served with bread and olives at breakfast. Farmers sell it in markets wrapped in the leaves of dwarf palm.
The town and the mountains
Chefchaouen was founded in the fifteenth century and settled by Andalusian refugees, whose influence shows in its houses and lanes. The Outa el Hammam square, the kasbah and the Ras el Ma spring are the heart of town. Walking trails lead into Talassemtane National Park, where goats, cedar and fir cover the slopes.
A trail idea for Chefchaouen
- The market Look for jben in palm leaves, brought in by mountain farmers.
- Outa el Hammam The main square, with the kasbah and the great mosque.
- Ras el Ma The spring at the edge of the medina.
- Talassemtane Hike into the mountains where the goats graze.
Written by the EveryCheese desk with AI assistance. Background: "Chefchaouen" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets, caves and tours change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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