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MARRAKECH • EGYPT • CYPRUS • MALLORCA • TENERIFE • SARDINIA

MARRAKECH, MOROCCO
Marrakech is less than 4 hours from the UK, but this fascinating ‘Red City’ might as well be on a different planet. In fact, the moment you enter the ochre-coloured medina you could also be forgiven for thinking you’ve stepped back to a different era. Yet this is no medieval fantasy manufactured for tourists, but a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is still very much living and breathing. Especially in the never-ending souks where the savvy traders coax you to barter over Moroccan slippers and hand-knotted wool rugs. And especially in the spice-scented alleyways where burnooseclad locals expertly avoid patient donkeys and strident motorcycles. But most of all in Djemâa el Fna Square where the musicians, story-tellers and snake charmers underscore the fact that the city is actually still home to more than a million people. Yet, believe us, it is possible to step back from it all when you’re ready. Hidden away behind the high windowless walls are exclusive Riads which are testimony to Moroccan hospitality, cuisine and artistry. Worldfamous mosques, tombs, palaces and gardens are tranquil reminders of the city’s ancient Islamic culture and waiting patiently in the background are the AtlasMountains, their awe-inspiring scenery a delightful contrast to all the citymadness.

EGYPT
A 5 hour flight will get you as far as Cairo, which is a small price to pay to see one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the AncientWorld’! In fact the Great Pyramids are the only remaining members of this exclusive (and sadly defunct) club so it makes perfect sense to base yourself in this intriguing capital city for a few days and make like Howard Carter. The Tutankhamon treasures on display in The Egyptian Museum are surpassed only by the spectacle that is the Pyramids and the Sphinx; the shopping expeditions to the bazaars and dinner cruises on the Nile ensuring you don’t completely overdose on all the culture. Another way to kick-back, of course, is to fly from Cairo to Aswan or Luxor and take a longer 4, 6 or 7 night cruise along the River Nile; the temples of Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and the Colossi of Memnon all best appreciated when you know a luxurious cabin and a perfectly-chilled gin-&-tonic are waiting for you when you get back. But if all you really want to do is chill-out in the sun, why not simply make for the coastal resorts along the Red Sea? Not only does this region benefit from the attention of some of the world’s finest hotel companies, but its spectacular coral reefs will finally inspire you to pass your PADI scuba-diving course.