Marakesh, Morocco
Marrakesh, a former imperial city in western Morocco, is a major economic center and home to mosques, palaces and gardens. The medina is a densely packed, walled medieval city dating to the Berber Empire with mazelike alleys where thriving souks (marketplaces) sell traditional textiles, pottery and jewelry. Food vendors line Djemaa el-Fna, a broad square where storytellers and musicians perform.