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The Red City, so called because of the terracotta wash used on

its buildings, lies within reach of both the cool High Atlas valleys

and, beyond arid plains to the west, the coast. Focus points are

the elegant 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque and the Jemaâ el

Fna ‘square’, famed for its seething mass of entertainments and

open-air restaurants. Around them stretches the medina, a place

of narrow streets, flat-roofed houses and minarets. The souks are

thronged with handicrafts of every shape and size, from silken

caftans and pottery drums to carved wooden chests and the

orange-woollen expanses of Chichaoua carpets.

West of Marrakech, the photogenic fishing port of Essaouira has

been an important port for centuries and its high walls have been

battered by various sea powers, as well as Atlantic waves. Its fishing

industry survives, though the focus is increasingly on tourism, and

the surrounding beaches are popular with windsurfers.

Snow-topped for half the year, the High Atlas rise out of the

plains south of Marrakech. West to east they stretch across

Morocco from the Atlantic coast just north of Agadir until they

fade into the desert on the Algerian border. In winter, there is

scope for skiing; in spring, apple and cherry blossom fills the

valleys with colour, and, in summer, the cooler air is a draw for

escapees from the oppressive cities. All year round there are good

walking opportunities, from short strolls to serious treks.

Within easy day-trip distance of Marrakech, the Toubkal National

Park, named for Jbel Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa, has

long been a draw for tourists. Other popular destinations, include

the pretty Setti Fatma in the Ourika Valley and the ski resort of

Oukaïmeden. The striking, restored mosque of Tin Mal is high

on the spectacular road to the Tizi-n-Test pass. Heading south is

another dramatic pass, the Tizi-n-Tichka, and the village of Telouet,

with its brooding Glaoui fortress. Further east are the Cascades

d’Ouzoud, Morocco’s highest waterfalls, and the beautiful high

valley of the Aït Bougmez.