Set inside a restored 16th century merchants' building Le Jardin is a riad restaurant built around a large open courtyard. Banana palms, climbing vines, birds in the canopy. It's cool and shaded and feels very removed from the medina bustle outside, which is most of the appeal. The menu spans traditional Moroccan and some European leaning dishes, all worth ordering. 

Nomad is modern Moroccan done really well. It sits above the spice market with a rooftop terrace and has great views across the medina. The menu is creative, there are some interesting takes on classic dishes. 

Smaller and quieter than the other two, Atay is a great option for breakfast or a mid-afternoon stop. The tea is the main event, herbs brought to the table separately, poured the traditional way and the mezze plates are delicious and filling. There's a rooftop terrace with great views over the medina.

A long, handsome street with a mix of antique dealers, textile traders and the occasional brilliant gallery. One of the less frenetic corners of the medina, good for a late morning wander with nowhere specific to be.

A covered arcade near the Ben Youssef mosque with an excellent mix of fabric traders and small independent workshops. The light in here is extraordinary.

The lantern souk. Row upon row of pierced metal lamps, silver, brass, copper, casting star-shaped shadows on the walls. Even if you're not buying, have a walk through.

Built in the late 19th century by Ba Ahmed, a former slave who rose to become Grand Vizier and effectively the ruler of Morocco, the Bahia, meaning 'the Brilliant’, was intended to be the greatest palace of its time. The complex covers 8,000 square metres and the decoration throughout is exceptional. It was also reportedly the first building in North Africa to use stained glass as a decorative feature.

The history here is genuinely fascinating. It's a large complex and easy to get disoriented in; allow at least an hour and a half. Arrive at opening time to beat the tour groups.

Jardin Majorelle was created by French painter Jacques Majorelle and later restored by Yves Saint Laurent. The garden is built around that specific, almost unreal cobalt blue that you'll have seen everywhere online, and it genuinely looks like that in person. Giant cacti, narrow water channels, banana palms. It's a serious garden, not just a backdrop.

Go early before the heat and the crowds. The small Berber museum on site is also worth a bit of your time.

The most architecturally impressive building in the medina. It was once the largest Islamic college in the Maghreb, it taught theology, law, philosophy, mathematics and medicine for almost five centuries before closing in 1960.

The exterior gives very little away, a plain wooden doorway in the medina wall with an inscription above it that reads: 'You who enter my door, may your highest hopes be exceeded’. Step inside and the contrast is startling, the central courtyard is layered in zellige tilework, carved stucco and cedarwood screens. Allow a proper hour and go early, it fills up.