Summer’s long gone and it’s time to think about winter sunshine. Morocco, and particularly Marrakech, has long been a favourite for UK travellers. Just three-and-a-half hours from Bristol, it remains a beguiling exotic destination…

Souk and ye shall find...
Step into the sultry North African night and the magical world of the souk wraps itself around you like a traditional Berber Djellaba. Gloucestershire couldn’t feel further away. Marrakech, at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, delivers amazing hospitality, experiences and memories. Will you stay at a top-of-the range resort hotel such as the Es Saadi – Cairo’s ‘Nefertiti Hotel’ in TV’s adaptation of John Le Carre’s ‘The Night Manager’? Or one of the famous Riads, often deep in the heart of old Marrakech? We loved Riad Al Badia, tucked away off Rue de Berrima at the southern end of the frenetic UNESCO-listed Medina.

Spice shops stacked high
Marrakech centre alone will easily occupy you for days. Savour delicious tagine and aubergine salads at Chez Brahim, or a wonderful veggie burger at Earth Café Marrakech. Check out the museums too (do visit the photography museum) and the prominent Minaret el Koutoubia. And all Rues seem to lead to expansive Jemaa-El-Fna where sunset brings everyone to eat or watch Marrakech’s street entertainers.

Down sleepy alleys, authentic spice shops are stacked rafter-high with Ras el Hanout and myriad exotic spices. And to experience North Africa meeting cosmopolitan northern Europe, the pastel-colours and cool gardens of Yves Saint Laurent’s Jardin Majorelle are another must-see.

Explore the Atlas Mountains
During longer stays, one or two excursions will exponentially broaden your Moroccan experience. There’s lots of choice, so do your research thoroughly. Like so many reviewers, we were impressed by the professionalism of Sun Trails Tours, with whom we crossed the High Atlas to Ait Benhaddou and back over the switchback Tichka Pass. Another day, we visited Asni’s Berber market and explored the Kik Plateau. You’ll be amazed how many rich experiences, including authentic Berber food, and the opportunity to meet genuine local people, you can enjoy in one (long) day.

Unforgettable experiences and vivid impressions
However long your Moroccan sojourn, time will fly – like old newspaper dancing through Souk Semmarine – in a blur of unforgettable experiences and vivid impressions. If you’ve already visited, you’ll understand. If not, the imminent shoulder seasons of October–November or March–April offer ideal temperatures to be Morocco bound!