Mystical Marrakech

Marrakech was the capital of an empire from Toledo to Senegal. Called the ‘Pink City’ because of the local earth used in its construction, it is a city of labyrinthine alleyways, secluded palaces, museums, mosques and markets with city gardens still supplied from 11th-century underground irrigation canals. The Djemma el-Fna (Square of the Dead), the city square, comes alive after nightfall; thronged with dancers, fortune-tellers, musicians, acrobats, storytellers and snake charmers. The Atlas mountains are a dramatic backdrop for this fascinating city and excursions into the mountains reveal fine scenery and Berber villages. The small Atlantic harbour town of Essaouira, lies at the coastal end of an ancient trading route and indeed became a Portuguese trading post with a fine fortress. Visit the port with its gaily painted fishing boats and the ancient medina where Portuguese and Moroccan architectural styles combine.