Marrakesh and The Atlas Mountains

Immerse yourself in a truly captivating city filled with intriguing souks, vibrant squares and superb architecture, plus experience stunning natural wonders.

A visit to Morocco is like taking a journey back in time - it's everything you imagine it to be and so much more. It is a country of startling contrasts due to the legacies left behind by its past rulers and inhabitants: starting with the earliest records from Phoenician times, then coming under the sway of Carthage, followed by the Romans and from the 7th century the Ottomans, and finally, the French. This has created a unique and utterly compelling country which today, although relatively close geographically, remains delightfully exotic, mysterious and unspoilt.

Marrakesh is Morocco's most vibrant city, full of myths and mystery. Today it's an anachronism, one of the most exciting and romantic places you will ever visit, with one foot in the present and one firmly in the past. It was once an oasis on the ancient caravan routes to the south, soon becoming a natural centre of commerce and consequently, during medieval times, Morocco's capital. Vast wealth poured in from nearby Moorish Spain and skilled artisans built the city you see today.

Surrounded by almost intact medieval ramparts, ochre-coloured Morocco boasts some amazing buildings. Dominating the traditional low-rise skyline is the astounding minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque, towering at more than 60 metres high, visible for miles around and a classic example of Moorish architecture. Then there are the Saadian Tombs, the intricately decorated final resting place of the descendants of Mohammed, plus the spectacular Royal Palace and a host of other wonderful things to experience.

The city's maze of tiny streets is interspersed with tranquil gardens watered for centuries by an ingenious underground water system that still functions after all these years. At the heart of it all though is the immense Jemaa el-Fnaa, Africa's busiest square and the site of one of the world's greatest spectacles, especially atmospheric at dusk. Here, bustling street restaurants serve all kinds of delicacies with mouth-watering aromas filling the air, set in what can only be described as a medieval circus. Storytellers recount tales of old, while courageous fire-eaters and skilled acrobats entertain the eager crowds. Scribes pen letters while barbers are busy at work. Underscoring the whole scene is the heavy drumbeat of musical troupes playing their instruments, the sights and sounds of which are enchanting. The balmy warmth of the Moroccan evening adds to the atmosphere, and all this under an ocean of stars makes for a fabulous experience.