Day 1
You should arrive at the airport to take the flight to Marrakesh. On arrival a coach will take us to the excellent four-star Hotel Opera Plaza for five nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast. Set in its own private landscaped grounds shaded by glossy leaved palm trees, this luxury hotel is ideally located allowing easy access to the sights in the old city. All the air-conditioned rooms are furnished in a comfortable modern style and well-appointed. It has three restaurants, the main one serving international cuisine, or you can upgrade to either the Asian or Moroccan ‘a la carte’ restaurants if should you wish. There is a chic and comfortable lounge bar and a cosy café bar, the ideal spot in which to relax after a hard day’s sightseeing. There is also a large and inviting outdoor pool and spa overlooking the gardens. Outdoor pool open summer months, weather permitting.

Day 2
Marrakesh is a labyrinth of tiny alleyways, which teem with street life like few other places in the world. With a chaotic myriad of goods on sale – it is just as you imagine it to be! A mud-brick city, with classic French colonial buildings and boulevards surrounded by almost intact medieval walls – so perfect it could be, and often is, a film set! Pavement cafes sit side by side with shops selling everything from silks to exotic spices. Traditionally robed locals go about their daily business, stopping to chat with the western clothed elite who would look at home anywhere in the world, whilst the latest European luxury cars share the roads with overloaded donkey carts taking produce to market. There is probably nowhere better for simply observing street life and people watching! Founded almost a thousand years ago Marrakesh became the centre of a large empire stretching south into the Sahara, east into Libya and north into Moorish Spain, growing rich trading in anything from gold to ivory, dates and even slaves. Craftsmen from Cordoba then began a feast of building culminating in the Koutoubia, one of the most exquisite mosques ever constructed. During the 16th century, the city entered its golden age during which much of what you see today was created. There are some fascinating things to see: firstly the Saadian tombs, built to house the descendants of Mohammed himself and one of the world’s finest examples of Moorish architecture, whose classic archways are covered in gold-leaf and stucco work; then there is El Bahia Palace, with 160 rooms, many lavishly decorated. This morning we will have a walking tour of this stunning city during which we see its principal monuments. No visit would be complete without taking a wander around the famous souks or covered markets, arranged according to the nature of goods on offer such as leatherware, slippers, jewellery and hand-made furniture. There are traditional crafts too such as basket weaving and saddle-making. You see immensely skilled craftsmen creating intricate articles in the blink of an eye. You can see rolls of yellow dyed cloth hanging out to dry and experience the smoky din of the metal workers - artisans tirelessly hammering away in the heat and dust, creating anything from lamps to delicate wrought-iron work. You can visit a traditional apothecary and buy spices at a fraction of their cost at home, though be prepared for some friendly bartering! All in all this morning will be an unforgettable experience. During the afternoon you are free to explore as you wish or simply relax by the hotel pool. At dusk we really recommend you visit the Djemaa El Fna - nerve centre of Marrakesh, which has evolved from a medieval place of execution to a showcase for traditional Moroccan life. You will experience a fantastic spectacle of musicians, dancers, fortune-tellers, snake-charmers and all manner of entertainment in a kaleidoscope of colour.

Day 3
This morning we have a second tour of Marrakesh visiting more of its attractions. The city boasts a wealth of wonderful gardens, some of which are quite large with acres of olive groves and lakes providing a haven of peace, tranquillity and coolness from the unrelenting heat. One of the smaller but most pleasant is the pretty Jardin Majorelle: an amazing creation of bamboo, bougainvillaea and cacti, once owned by Yves Saint-Laurent. Surrounding the city are immense ramparts over 19 miles long, still largely intact with imposing forts at various intervals. The gates are fine examples of classic Moorish architecture with their pastel colours changing with the time of day and intensity of light. Just outside the city is the Palmery, an oasis created by accident. Centuries ago in the days of the great caravan trading, merchants refreshed themselves here with water and dates. The stones were thrown away creating the palm groves we see today. This afternoon is at leisure.

Day 4
Today we drive to the coast and the delightful town of Essaouira, founded by the Phoenicians but coming to prominence during the 15th century when the Portuguese fortified the town creating the medieval citadel you see today. Within, its maze-like streets connect tranquil squares lined by whitewashed houses and pavement cafes. The town is perfectly preserved and home to countless artisans toiling away in their tiny workshops. There are lots of artists and woodcarvers creating high quality work and it is a delight watching such skilled craftsmen making everything look so easy! You can stroll round the markets where the stalls groan under the weight of colourful fresh fruit and vegetables, or simply wander through the harbour, a hive of activity where you can watch fishermen repairing their nets much as they have done for centuries. Lining the busy quayside are numerous restaurants where you can enjoy supremely fresh fish washed down with a refreshing glass of local wine. Essaouira is so charmingly unspoilt, it has attracted filmmakers from Orson Welles’s Othello to Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven. During our journey the real Morocco unfolds before your eyes. We drive from Marrakesh with the landscape evolving from fertile green plains to moon-like semi-desert studded with occasional palm trees. Countless shepherds of all ages, complete with traditional crooks tend small herds of sheep and goats, the transport of choice still very much the donkey, whilst mud-brick villages blend perfectly into the background.

Day 5
Forming an ever-present backdrop to Marrakesh and adding to its wondrous setting, are the soaring, snow-capped Atlas Mountains, the greatest range in Africa. This morning we take the short drive over the plain and soon the road starts to undulate through the foothills. The countryside changes from saffron-coloured fields to steeper slopes forested with oak and walnut trees, slashed by dramatic gorges filled with torrential rivers. We pass through traditional villages terraced into the mountainside. You are well off the beaten track here: shepherds tend their flocks on isolated pastures, with the countryside now dotted with just the occasional tiny house nestling amongst immense boulders bigger than the dwellings themselves. You will find the views are simply amazing. Huge peaks soaring nearly 10,000 feet blend wonderfully with deep-blue sky, whilst below the desolate mountainside stretches before you.

Then the forests commence, rolled out like a huge green carpet, and beyond misty plains stretch to the horizon in a patchwork of muted colours. Blend this with the clear invigorating mountain air, the rare and splendid isolation, and you have a morning, the memories of which will stay for a very long time. We return to Marrakesh early afternoon.

Day 6
At the appropriate time we return to the airport for our return flight.

We stay at the excellent four-star Hotel Opera Plaza (www.operaplazahotel.com) for five nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast. Set in its own private landscaped grounds shaded by glossy leaved palm trees, this luxury hotel is ideally located allowing easy access to the sights in the old city. All the air-conditioned rooms are furnished in a comfortable modern style and well-appointed. It has 3 restaurants, the main one serving international cuisine, or you can upgrade to either the Asian or Moroccan ‘a la carte’ restaurants if should you wish. There is a chic and comfortable lounge bar and a cosy café bar, the ideal spot in which to relax after a hard day’s sightseeing. There is also a large and inviting outdoor pool and spa overlooking the gardens. Outdoor pool open summer months, weather permitting.