Essaouira, the windy port on the Atlantic

Its 18th-century medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a grid of whitewashed houses with blue shutters, souks, galleries and thuya wood workshops, closed by ramparts facing the ocean. In the harbour, blue fishing boats bring in the fish grilled a few steps away.

The steady trade winds make Essaouira a favourite spot for surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing, and the long beach is perfect for a camel or horse ride. On the way from Marrakech, argan tree forests and women’s cooperatives line the road.