“Oh look, monkeys, how cute”, I said, as we strolled past a Moroccan with a monkey on a chain in the Djamaa El Fna Square. Big mistake. Within seconds, my boyfriend Andrew and I had chimps of all sizes thrust at us – “you wanna hold monkey, here is baby, have photo with monkeys”, the men said to us. “I don’t have a camera”, said Andrew. Another big mistake, as a little man popped out from nowhere with a Polaroid camera, took a shot of us and our furry friends– then charged us a hefty price for the privilege. First tip - , DO NOT make eye contact with the monkey guys unless you want to part from your cash!

Marrakech is a sensuous city, with the Djamaa El Fna Square at the heart of the old town. It’s filled with snake charmers and an endless array of performers, crazy water men, tooth sellers, stalls displaying a host of smoky fare and roof-top restaurants where you can sample the local cuisine while watching the sights (and sometimes chaos) below. It’s a place of passion, where emotions run high, and your senses feel bombarded – from the spectacular sight of the Atlas mountains in the distance, to the smell of spices wafting through the air and the sugary, somewhat addictive taste of endless glasses of mint tea, poured from silver teapots (I swear I had withdrawal symptoms when I got home, hands shaking and everything).

From perfecting your bargaining skills in the souks (and navigational abilities…it’s very easy to get lost in the winding, narrow streets when distracted by the goodies on offer) to getting scrubbed down after a sweltering session in a traditional Hammam, Marrakech is a great place to spend a few days – especially now it’s possible to get cheap flights.

Some quick tips (in addition to avoiding the monkey men). Watch out for the orange juice sellers in the square – apparently their lack of cleanliness has led to poisoning from unwashed glasses. Don’t order seafood on your pizza. Watch out for puddles of donkey pee – I stepped in one when looking at the map in the souks and trying to convince my boyfriend I knew where we were. Beware of looking at a map anywhere other than the touristy areas, as you’ll be accosted by boys seeking your cash - we experienced this when totally lost in the Jewish quarter. Book ahead for a Hammam, as places are often filled weeks ahead for the most popular venues. For a really nice meal, do visit to Le Fondouk (up near the main mosque and Museum of Marrakech), and to mingle with diplomats and see some traditional belly dancing, Le Comptoir is the place to go.

The city has over 300 converted townhouses (riads) of all sizes, which give a more personalised service than the many big hotels on the outskirts. If you’re after a little romance, the Talaa 12 is a wonderful place to stay – possibly the nicest place I’ve stayed in my life - see pictures for evidence and inspiration…