This nearly 1,000-year-old mansion has been furnished with pieces made by local craftspeople. Owner Ina Krug works with a team of experts to arrange everything from a camel safari to a customized shopping trip through the souks. Each room has its own fragrance, such as saffron or pomegranate. The rooftop terrace, with views of the Atlas Mountains and the Koutoubia Mosque, is ideal for watching sunsets. From $200. 212/(0) 613-225- 874. This appeared in the March/April 2013 issue. Photo courtesy of The Great Getaway Medina.

The thing that struck me the most on our travels through the Kasbah were the façades of the old city were all the same, be it new or old, rich or poor. Unlike the American culture of showing their wealth for all to see and to envy, the Moroccan people share there paradise with whom ever enters through their front door. After leaving Marrakech did I really get that although they are slow with technological development they seem more advanced in humanity, courtesy and respect, in contrast to our progressive development and our stifled humanity. I felt as though I had stepped into the 12th century. The people were delightful, curious and kind. Places I loved Jemaa-el-Fna Square at night for dinner, must see and taste. During the day the carpetbaggers come in from all over Africa selling their ostrich eggs, porcupine quills, and amber rocks and laying them out on blankets for sale. My favorite restaurant was Le Salama near Jemaa-el—Fna Square, belly dancers and a horse carriage ride home. We stayed at La Sultana and it really made our trip even more unique and spectacular. If you don’t stay the night, diner in the atrium is very romantic and delicious.

All the labyrinthine streets of the medina lead to Djemaa el Fna. Before sunset, sit on a terrace, sip hot mint tea, and take in the panoramic view of the teeming central square. As the sun lowers in the sky, the ancient mud walls turn pink to orange and smoke wafts as hundreds of cooks start barbecuing. The food stalls are organized in rows; the local fare is sumptuous; and the prices are fixed, which is a nice break after haggling in the souks or square for everything from henna to a photo with a monkey or snake charmer. Seating is picnic table-style so don't be shy, grab a seat and talk with your neighbor. It's a great chance to meet fellow travelers and locals alike. After a feast of tagine, cous cous and olives, wash it down with fresh orange juice. Wander the square and be entranced by fire jugglers, musicians, dancers, fortune-tellers and storytellers. As you walk back to your riad through the medina, listen for the evening call to prayer rising from the Koutoubia Mosque. Marrakech is one of the most magical cities in the world.

The sands of the Sahara change color the same time the sun decides the mood of the desert. At sunset, it's golden, at sunrise a waking brown. My camel caravan walked parallel with another one, giving perspective to the scenery that felt like an endless canvas.

It took four years to build this hotel at the base of the Atlas Mountains. French designer Jacques Garcia included black-and-white zellij tile work and other intricate Moorish details. Each of the hotel’s five guest riads (typical Moroccan houses) comes with a private garden and heated pool. At the spa, guests can choose from hydrotherapies and traditional remedies such as a facial mask that uses rhassoul clay from the mountains. The hotel’s stables house 16 Arabian purebreds, which visitors can meet on a stable tour when the steeds aren’t roaming the property. From $392. 212/(0) 52-445-9600. Photo courtesy of Hôtel Selman. This appeared in the January/February 2013 issue.

On the water is an old fort where artists bring their wears for sale. Bargaining is the way of the world here. I bought some amazing hand painted dishes my favorite leather belt and don't forget to pick up some argan oil here.

Star designer Jacques Garcia recently restored La Mamounia’s grandeur, updating rooms with painted wooden doors, hand-carved ceilings, and a blend of art deco and Moorish antiques. In the surrounding park, bougainvillea and roses grow wild in a grove of olive trees. La Mamounia, Avenue Bab Jdid, Marrakech, 212/(0) 524-388-600. From $755. mamounia.com. Image courtesy of La Mamounia. This story appeared in the July/August 2011 issue.   Discover other palace hotels:Venice, ItalyRajasthan, IndiaPlaya del Carmen, MexicoCounty Clare, IrelandBejing, China

Explore Morocco’s cuisine in the souks of Marrakech, in Casablanca restaurants, and at a seaside grill in Essaouira during a culinary tour with Access Trips. As part of the nine-day experience, guests learn the art of stewing layers of flavors in a tagine from home cooks and chefs. From $2,990. This appeared in the October 2012 issue. Image by Robert Paul Van Beets/AGE Fotostock.

While in Marrakech we took a four hour cooking class at a beautiful Riad just outside the old town center. The five of us spent the afternoon touring the spice markets, learning about traditional foods, and cooking a huge feast. My favorite part was dessert of course; Moroccan milk pastilla and mint tea! I will never forget the experience, or the recipes (probably the best $60 I ever spent)! http://www.riyadelcadi.com/en.html

We set off not long before sunset, from the "new" village across the river. Passing over a modern bridge, I didn't feel at first like this trek in Morocco was much different than any other. Then the terrain changed, I had to pay more attention to where I walked, we began to pass open doorways with lives in progress barely visible far back in the dark spaces. I saw a crude sign with faded, tape-covered photographs advertising that this was the place in which 'Gladiator' and 'Kingdom of Heaven' had been filmed. As we climbed further, passed more houses, took in more of the stamped details in the mud walls -- I finally understood. It's protected by UNESCO and for good reason. There are probably thousands of kasbahs and ksars in the country of Morocco but the devil is in the details at Aït Benhaddou; walls, patterns, faces of the 10 families who remain, the sound of a drum beating faintly from down a passage. Take time to come early enough in the day that you can shop and bargain with the locals who still reside on the hill inside the old ksar. Leave enough time to hike to the very summit, where the watchtower is, to view the sun setting over the entire valley. Old caravan roads snake through the landscape intertwined with the gleam of the river; it's a serene space that feels a bit worshipful. To what I don't know, perhaps to the confluence of nature and man's creation. After all, nature is trying to bury Aït Benhaddou but man will not be driven away.

At Riad El Cadi on the outskirts of old town Marrakech, five of us spent the afternoon touring the spice markets, learning about traditional foods, and cooking a huge feast. Here's the delicious finished product. I will never forget the experience, or the recipes (the best $60 I ever spent)! Any traveler who loves food and learning new skills would enjoy this class. Their kitchen is brand new and can teach up to 8, so make sure you reserve a place before hand. The entire Riad is gorgeous so plan to stay an hour after lunch to roam around and lounge in their pool! http://www.riyadelcadi.com/

The distance between Ouarzazate and Marrakech is only 200km (125 miles) but the drive on the N9 through the High Atlas Mountains can take as long as four hours. The winding road, full of switch backs and featuring such scenery as to make one's jaw drop in disbelief is not recommended for those who suffer chronic motion sickness. Like myself. So, when we woke up, the long drive ahead of us and an eagerness to see my beloved Marrakech again, I medicated and prepared myself mentally for four hours of white-knuckle-torture. By the time we arrived at this vantage point in the Tichka Pass, I was suffering more from a backache and pain in my hands than from nausea. Dramamine is truly a wonder drug! And thank god for it, there isn't a drive I have done anywhere in the world that was as rewarding as the road from Ouarzazate to Marrakech. Car rental is possible and the Lonely Planet forums have great information on doing this yourself but I recommend having a very good, local driver. Be prepared with very warm clothing for getting out and taking pictures at the highest parts of the pass, the temperature drop is astonishing and the winds will knock you over. The view you're rewarded with is, of course, worth it! There are also wonderful small villages scattered all along the N9 - to stop in and eat, shop and rest your body before completing the drive.

Fresh spearmint leaves, dried tea leaves, sugar and boiling water are prepared in a silver pot and ceremoniously poured into delicate, ornate glasses. The pouring is done the traditional way, from a height of twelve or so inches. The tea is fragrant and sweet. In the heart of the Medina, behind the ancient riad walls, tea time is regal and refreshing.

Located on a quiet side street, in the upscale neighborhood of Guéliz, is a garden called Marjorelle. The garden is named after its creator, Jacques Majorelle, a French born artist who settled in Marrakesh in 1919 to continue his career as a painter. Majorelle died in 1962 and the gardens remained unkept, until 1980, when the French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé bought the property and restored it. Entry to the Garden is through a typical Moroccan wood door and like a riad, you have no idea what’s on the inside until you cross the threshold. When you first enter the garden, you step into a very small, intimate courtyard with a fountain. I felt like I had escaped into a secret garden, leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the city. Beyond the courtyard is a lush garden, filled with an eclectic mix of plants surrounding the occasional pool. The garden that Jacques built lives on as his creative masterpiece. In fact, the special shade of bold cobalt blue, which he used extensively in the garden and its buildings, is named after him - Majorelle Blue. Although the centerpiece of the garden is his former residence, a two storey house painted in Marjorelle Blue, I fell in love with all the windows and their intricately carved frames, painted in stark white. Although the relatively modern look and feel of Marjorelle Garden is in stark contrast to the gardens and buildings that you see in the rest of Marrakesh, it’s worth a visit.

Some regents construct palaces; Morocco’s tourism-minded King Mohammed VI built this opulent hotel. It's a short walk outside the souks, not that many people get there by foot: the clientele here is the sort that opts for chauffeured vehicles, preferably very expensive ones. The 53 riads, serviced by butlers who travel using a network of hidden passageways, are paragons of privacy and exclusivity, and the cost reflects it. However, look presentable and you're welcome to pop by the public areas for mint tea or, if you’re feeling tony, a glass or two of fine Armagnac. (Take it up to the cigar bar, where you can play on hand-carved chessboards inlaid with mother-of-pearl.) You never know who might turn up. When I was there, I eavesdropped—no joke—on Hilary Clinton’s advance team making arrangements for her stay.

Marrakesh Morocco is one of the most fascinating cities I've ever visited. Vibrant, a mix of old and new culturally. Meandering markets and snake charmers day and night. Camels and wealth amid poverty and mystique. Open your mind to the local customs and culture, here and you will not be disappointed. A guest house named Riad Djebel in the Medina, is walking distance to Jamaâ El Fna Square, the main square full of markets and bustle, corridors and carpet vendors. day trips to the Atlas mountains, the sahara, and other beautiful spots will keep you busy in Morocco. The Riad (guesthouse) has a comfy feel with gardens, roof top lounge and a couple pools to soak off the heat.. Internet, local cuisine from a Berber cook and access to turkish baths, will enchance your stay, even when you are not out exploring Morocco....

Morocco is a great place to travel to. One of several locations I visited was the town of Chefchaouen. I had seen images of the town and wanted to capture a few of my own. I chose this alley-way for my shot and just waited for a figure to enter the canvas. Not too long to wait and a woman entered the alley-way....there was my shot!

I sampled tagines from a half-dozen places in Marrakesh, including fancy restaurants, and the succulent chicken tagine at Bakshish, an unassuming and bohemian-flavored café in the souk, topped them all. It’s a nice spot to take a break from haggling with spice and leather vendors—and has wi-fi, too. On Rue des Banques.

If vintage photography is your thing, you can't miss Marrakech's Maison de la Photographie. And if a collection of 3500 photographs about Morocco between 1870 and 1950 doesn't make you swoon, you should still go. Because the Maison has a secret rooftop café which offers the highest, sweeping panoramic views of Marrakech — a perfect respite from the chaotic medina directly below.