Is Taroudant the authentic alternative to Marrakesh when visiting Morocco? Image a mystical land of towering mountains, fragrant bustling souks, cool riads, steaming tagines, exotic oases, russet sand dunes, nomadic herdsmen and traditions stretching back thousands of years.

Podgorica. Montenegro is very much a ‘working city’ and not a tourist hotspot, but we’ve discovered that there is ‘charm beneath the concrete’ and now regard Podgorica quite fondly.

We’ve always loved the Lake District. The stunning scenery, exciting hikes, real pubs and delicious food. But we don’t love the crowds.

Montenegro is stunning: jagged limestone mountains soaring out of the deep blue Adriatic and rugged inland mountain ranges offering true wilderness.

Kranj is Slovenia’s third city and a European Destination of Excellence for Sustainable Tourism

We discover three hilltop Provencal villages that are both magical and unspoiled: Simiane La Rotonde, Banon and Viens. Out of season, they are super quiet too.

The Dades Valley is an excellent location for walking and trekking, with fantastic rock formations, hundreds of kasbahs and genuine Berber villages.

A visit to the M’semrir Souk and driving through the spectacular Dades Gorge, Morocco. Before 1933 it was an ancient caravan route.

Marrakech conjures impressions of a terracotta-hued Medina, winding alleys, hectic souks and rooftop bars looking to the High Atlas Mountains.

12 essential tips for a first visit to Morocco. Some we learned during our first visit plus lots that we wish we’d known. We share them with you!

A camel ride, a sunset, the Tassili Luxury Desert Camp in the Sahara with a fine dinner, drumming around the campfire and a stunning sunrise