Things to See in Morocco

The medina of Fès el-Bari (Old Fès) is the largest living medieval city in the world. Its incredible maze of 9400 twisting alleys, blind turns and souqs are crammed with shops, restaurants, workshops, mosques, medersas (theological colleges), dye pits and tanneries. A riot of sights, sounds and smells, 21st-century Fès is groaning at its 9th-century seams.

Aït Benhaddou is one of the most exotic and best-preserved kasbahs in the entire Atlas region. This is hardly surprising, since it has had money poured into it as a result of being used for scenes in as many as 20 films. In recent years its population has dwindled, but it is under Unesco protection.

This huge square is the backdrop for one of the world's greatest spectacles. Lively at any hour of day, Djemaa el-Fna comes into its own at dusk when the curtain goes up on rows of open-air food stalls infusing the area with mouthwatering aromas. Jugglers, storytellers, snake charmers, musicians and acrobats fill the remaining space.

The crowning achievement of King Hassan II, this phenomenal building is the world's third-largest mosque. It was built to commemorate the former king's 60th birthday and rises above the ocean on a rocky outcrop reclaimed from the sea. It's a vast building that can hold 25,000 worshippers and accommodate a further 80,000 in its courtyards.

Volubilis is the site of the largest and best-preserved Roman ruins in Morocco. Dating largely from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, excavations have revealed that the site was originally settled by Carthaginian traders even earlier. At its peak, it is estimated that the city housed up to 20,000 people. Take a guide, a hat and plenty of water. Magical at dusk.