In Marrakech I urge you to stay in a Riad within the Medina, there are some incredible luxury hotels like the Royal Mansour a little further out of the centre but for a true Moroccan experience a Riad is the way to go. I stayed at Riad Papillon, a small riad with only four rooms opening out onto a lovely courtyard complete with plunge pool. The rooms are good value and ideally located only a short walk from Jemaa el-Fna and the souks.

Hands down the best place I ate in Marrakech was Gastro MK. The whole dining experience was incredible from the rooftop canapés to the modern twist on classic Moroccan dishes served in the stunning courtyard. For a treat I would also endorse afternoon tea at the Royal Mansour – not only does the incredible location make you feel like a princess but they offer three various afternoon teas (English, French and Moroccan) to suit all tastes.

For cultural reasons there are not many places you can find an alcoholic beverage to quench your thirst in Marrakech, and when you do stumble upon somewhere you will be joining a room full of other tourists all smug that they’ve found somewhere for a cold beer! Two places I would recommend for a tipple – during the daytime Kosybar for views of the storks in their nests and in the evening Café Arabe for their roof terrace and selection of Moroccan wines (you may need to pre-book a table if you want to eat here though as it gets rather busy).

There are various ways to spend your time in Marrakech from relaxing in a hammam to haggling within the bustling souks. Make sure to save some time to admire some of Marrakech’s beautiful architecture notably Palais Bahia, Ben Youssef Madrasa and Jardin Majorelle. For a morning outside of the city it is worth braving the early morning and taking a hot air balloon ride over the Atlas mountains at sunrise.