Morocco overwhelms the senses almost immediately — spice markets thick with scent, tiled courtyards hidden behind carved wooden doors, the sound of the call to prayer drifting across ancient medinas.

In Marrakech, life spills into the streets in colour and chaos. Fes feels older, more intricate, its alleyways packed with workshops, bakeries, hammams and curio shops that seem untouched by time. Beyond the cities rise the Atlas Mountains, and beyond them, the Sahara.

Morocco has atmosphere to spare.