Things to see in Marrakech

In the heart of Marrakech's souks, the sublime Ben Youssef Medersa is a former Koranic school where the main courtyard is a wonder of stucco, mosaics and marble surrounded by balconies of exquisite carved cedar and relatively austere dorm rooms where students lived, memorised scriptures, crammed for tests in Islamic law, and prepared simple hot-plate meals. A visit here can be combined with a trip to the Musée de Marrakech (Museum of Marrakech), a magnificently restored 19th-century mansion built by the Mnebhi family that now displays carpets, jewellery, furniture, ceramics, textiles and manuscripts. Across the square in front of the Ali ben Youssef Mosque is the Koubba el Badiyin, the sole surviving structure of the city's Almoravid founders other than the mud-brick city walls. A combined ticket gives same-day access to the Medersa, museum, and Koubba el Badiyin.

Jemaa el Fna square is the centre of medina life both day and night as a gathering place and unofficial stage for street theatre. For more than a millennium, the Jemaa el Fna's daily bill has featured acrobats, henna tattoo artists, storytellers, belly dancers, musicians, snake charmers and potion sellers. Mint sellers and carts selling dried fruit and freshly squeezed orange juice make way at dusk for 100 makeshift barbecue restaurants and troupes of entertainers vying for attention. Visitors should take plenty of loose change, as the performers do expect a couple of Dirhams worth of appreciation and some of the more colourful characters will pose for a photo for a small charge. That said, this is not a spectacle just for tourists; the crowd is mostly Moroccan. Jemaa el Fna is surrounded by cafés and restaurants, perfect places to escape the hustle and observe the proceedings with a mint tea, coffee or light meal. Café Argana, Café de France and Café Glacier all have roof terraces with wonderful views, although they are slightly more expensive than other local cafés.

Given by the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent as a gift to the city of Marrakech, this botanical garden was created in the 1920s by French artists Jacques and Louis Majorelle. Perfectly manicured gardens, with pools, giant cacti, bamboo, coconut and banana trees, stand out against the bright-blue wash that covers the villa and garden walls, with splashes of lemon yellow and emerald green on planters, doors and furnishings. A must-see, both for the garden and a peek inside the Majorelles' old studio, which now houses Yves Saint Laurent's collection of local arts and antiques in the Museum of Islamic Art.

With its backdrop of the Atlas Mountains, it is no surprise that the Menara Gardens are one of the most photographed places in Morocco. It is also a popular place among locals for picnics. The best time to come is late afternoon when most of the tourists have left. More a working farm than a garden, the Menara was laid out in the 12th century by the Almohads. Around 30,000 olive trees are set around a magnificent reflecting pool, filled with fish that leap above the surface to the surprise of passing walkers. The well-kept picnic pavilion, the menzeh, was built much later in 1869. The first-floor open balcony offers a wonderful view over the pool and the mountains beyond.

Near the Musée Dar Si Said is a beautiful double riad containing the private collection of folk crafts belonging to Dutch collector Bert Flint. This small, dusty, and appealingly quirky museum leads visitors on a journey from Tuareg artifacts of the Sahara to the talismanic Berber adornments of the Atlas Mountains. Despite being around the corner from the Musée Dar Si Said, the way is poorly signed and it is easy to get lost en route; follow the signs on Rue Riad Zitoun el-Jedid instead.