A journey through Morocco's lesser explored regions

Travelling east from Agadir, deeper into southern Morocco’s Souss Valley, the landscape dries as we drive further from the sea and closer to Taroudant. We pass towns as children pour out at the end of the school day. An oasis of palms appears like a lonely bush amid the terracotta landscape. Fruit and vegetables are displayed on roadside carts, their sharp hues intensified under the blazing sun.

In just under an hour, the fortified walls of Taroudant – the Grandmother of Marrakech, as it is known – signal our arrival into a bygone era. It is sheltered between the Atlas Mountains to the north and the Anti-Atlas and Sahara Desert to the south, with views alternating from a dry plain stretching into the horizon to red-tinted mountains dipped in the clouds.

_{Scenes from daily life in the city’s medina – from bakers selling fresh loaves of bread to teetering displays of terracotta pots in an array of sizes and styles}

Taroudant bears many similarities to Marrakech. Its medina and souks exude a familiar charge and scent. Its ramparts are the oldest in Morocco and among the best preserved in the world after the Great Wall of China and Kumbhalgarh Fort in India. In the 16th century, it was briefly the capital of the Saadi dynasty (until they moved it to Marrakech). And it is dotted with beautiful riads to stay in, with leafy courtyards and plenty of design inspiration. But here in the south, there is a softness that is lacking in the north. Taroudant remains untouched by French intervention like the villes nouvelles in Marrakech or Tangier. Here you can walk through the bazaar in relative peace, without opportunists heckling you for a sale. Tourists tend to stay out of sight on the Atlantic beaches of Agadir and locals are eager to share their insights.

Its position further south has helped to keep it sheltered from visitors and the impact of time. You can still take a horse-driven carriage round the medina without it seeming like a gimmick, or gather with locals under a carob tree in the main square, Place Assarag, without feeling out of place. Like creatives past and present who have found refuge in Morocco – from Paul Bowles, Tennessee Williams, George Orwell and Yves Saint Laurent to Veere Greeney and Jasper Conran – one feels far enough to break free from conventions back home, yet close enough to enjoy that same sense of lightness as in the Mediterranean. Despite differences, it is a place where one does not feel like an ‘other’ or distant from others, rather where life is viewed under a golden light.

What to see and do

The medina and the meandering alleys that make up its two souks will take at least two days to explore, especially if you are planning to shop. You will find prices far cheaper than in Marrakech and the exchange more authentic, as merchants usually sell to locals rather than tourists. The Artisanal Souk between Assarag and Talmeklat offers leather accessories, pottery, rugs, copper and wrought-iron pieces, and jewellery in gold and silver. The Jnan Jamaa souk is the main attraction, with everything from cleaning products and soaps to spices, argan oil and terracotta pieces. Take time to survey the kasbah and city walls from the outside. Some babs (gateways) offer especially impressive views. Bab Targhount has three arched entrances and leads straight into the bustle of market life, while palm-lined Bab al Kasbah is a step back from the chaos and lets you tick off both the medina and a gateway at once.