Tagines filled with steaming couscous and fish are served to us, lanterns projecting stars onto the mosaic walls. In the square below, snake charmers and acrobats perform to crowds, the markets behind filled with piles of saffron and orange blossom. We are in Marrakesh at the end of a ten day escorted tour around Morocco. The beauty of a Moroccan holiday is that the country is so close to Europe whilst feeling a world away. A three hour flights transports you back in time to a land of traditional Moorish streets, Aladdin’s cave markets and imperial cities filled with lofty minarets. The other draw is the diversity of landscapes and activities the country has to offer, from the snow dusted Atlas Mountains and bohemian coastal towns to canyon lands and vast desert. An escorted tour provided the opportunity to see all of these landscapes on a ten day trip, beginning in the famous Casablanca.

With a name so bound to romance Casablanca has a lot to live up to, and does not disappoint. Moroccan hospitality is exceptional and we were treated like Humphrey and Ingrid throughout our trip. The film was not actually shot in the city, although it is based there. This is a real shame in many ways, as the architecture is so spectacular that it deserves a place on the big screen. The ancient quarter is a maze of arcaded streets and classic Moorish design. Beautiful lamps, hukka pipes and silver pour from shop doorways, intricate treasure chests and pottery laid out on mats. Equally stunning is the Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest in the world.

Imperial cities were next on the itinerary: first Rabat and then Meknes, the latter famed for its fifteen miles of protective walls which have delivered it from damage or modernisation for centuries.

Fez is one of the most atmospheric and magical cities in the Arab world, its medieval streets wonderfully preserved. Many aspects of bygone life are still visible, horses and carts travelling down narrow streets and souks selling leather goods and spices. The scents and sights of the old town conjure the Morocco of stories and myth, merchants selling a myriad of exotic goods and haggling all part of the fun. Artisans use the same traditional methods as their ancestors, dyers and tanners working in the streets of the Andalusian quarter.

Our 4x4 journey through the Middle Atlas took us between mountains and forest to the edge of the Sahara desert. From there the dunes roll away to the horizon, the sky merging with the sand in copper tones at sunset.

The following day we journeyed to the Todgha Gorge along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs. Many of these tiny fortified villages are perched on steep slopes surrounded by lush palms. One of the most magical stops on the tour was the Kasbah at Ait Ben Haddou. The earth walls of the streets give it a timeless, mythical quality, hence its appearance in so many Hollywood films including Gladiator.