Behind anonymous medina doors hide riads built for seclusion: fountain courtyards, rose petals, rooftop breakfasts to the sound of swifts. Marrakech by couple is a rhythm of hammam steam, souk haggling and mint tea in filtered light, ending on a terrace as the Koutoubia glows and the swallows take over. Book a riad with a plunge pool; February sunshine is the secret.
Featured in Ten grown-up escapes for a proper romantic reset · Romantic
At dusk, Jemaa el-Fnaa square transforms from souk approach to open-air circus: rows of numbered food stalls fire up under lantern smoke, ringed by storytellers, musicians and snail-broth sellers. Take the aerial view first from a rooftop café terrace with a mint tea, then descend into it. Choose stalls where Moroccan families are eating, agree prices before anything lands on the table, and ignore anyone steering you 'to their cousin's'.
Featured in Ten cities where the night market is the main event · Nightlife