Marrakech

Marrakech has a way of scrambling your sense of direction almost as soon as you arrive. Start at Djemaa el-Fna, the city’s famously chaotic main square, then head north into the souks, the same maze of alleys where Berber traders once dealt in gold, leather and ivory. Riads tucked behind unmarked doors offer a quiet counterpoint to the noise outside, and it is this contrast, frantic streets giving way to still courtyards, that makes the city so memorable.