Midelt

Enfolded by two mountain ranges, the Middle Atlas and the High Atlas, Midelt enjoys a dramatic perch some 1,500 meters above the dusty lowlands of the Moroccan Maghreb. It is noticeably cooler up here than in the steamy streets of Marrakech and Fez, which is why vast swathes of apple orchards can rise on the surrounding ridges. You can also feel the pull of the snow-gathering summits, which start right next to the low-rise homes of the town centre in the form of serrated Jebel Ayachi. Midelt tour guides are at hand to help you plan trekking adventures over and around that hulking massif, which could mean navigating rugged ravines and gorges or encountering rustic Berber tribespeople on the slopes. If you're not planning on pulling on the hiking boots and hitting the peaks, perhaps you can be tempted by an excursion to the Sahara Desert – camelback, of course. Or, maybe you'd prefer to linger in the sleepy city, tasting your way through the couscous and tagine eateries, haggling for cloth and carpet in the workshops and bazaars.