Marrakech

Walking through the alleyways and souks of Marrakech, particularly in the Medina (Old City), it is easy to believe you have been transported back in time or stumbled onto a movie set for a medieval 'Arabian nights' production. It is this enchanting fairy tale quality that brings thousands of sightseers to the most visited of Morocco's three Imperial Cities. The heart of the Medina is Djemaa el-Fna, an irregular 'square' where everything seems to happen and the place to which tourists are drawn again and again to soak up the carnival-like environment. Tourism, though, has not spoilt the atmosphere, but seemingly rather added to it. The modern side of Marrakech with its luxury hotels, banks and streets bursting with motor scooters, blends well with the past.