Marrakech The pulsating tourist heart of Morocco is undoubtedly Marrakech and its always rambunctious Djemaa el-Fna.

The pulsating tourist heart of Morocco is undoubtedly Marrakech and its always rambunctious Djemaa el-Fna. It's everything you imagine it would be with snake charmers, jugglers, henna tattooists, performers and row upon row of smoke billowing food stalls. By day it's busy and fascinating. By night, it surges to life and becomes intoxicating. The smoke creates a haze that gives it a mystical quality, magically luring you in.

Find a restaurant balcony overlooking the square at dusk and you'll be treated to a million captivating sounds - the crowds, the musicians, the whining tune of the snake charmers flutes and the haunting call to prayer. The maze-like medina sucks you into its depths and spits you out somewhat broker and miles from where you started, feeling slightly disoriented. Treat bartering in the souqs as friendly game. It's part of the culture so enjoy the experience and don't ever accept the first offer!

For the adventurous, there's the opportunity of hiking and mountain biking high in the Atlas Mountains. The highest mountain range in North Africa, they run diagonally across Morocco for almost 1,000 kilometres. The drive through the mountains into Marrakech is as spectacular as it is terrifying, as you wind down through steep hills and valleys with picturesque vistas all around.

Admire the unfolding landscape of the magnificent pink canyons of Todra Gorge; with earth red Berber villages, lush green palmeries and the verdant and fertile valleys surrounding the Todra River. Visit one of the best-preserved and most beautiful Kasbahs in the Atlas Region at Aït Benhaddou. Used in many movies and TV shows including Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and more recently Game of Thrones, the impressive fortified city is seemingly carved into the side of a hill. Made out of traditional mud brick, it varies in earthy shades of colour depending on the sun’s position in the sky.