Jemaa el-Fnaa, Marrakech

The great square at the heart of Marrakech's medina, one of the most exciting places on Earth. By day it fills with orange-juice stalls, snake charmers, henna artists and water sellers; at dusk, rows of open-air food stalls set up, smoke rises from the grills, and storytellers, musicians and acrobats draw crowds. It's a UNESCO Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage.

Watch from a rooftop café as the square comes alive at sunset. Anyone who poses for a photo, or puts a monkey or snake on you, will want money; agree a price first, or politely decline. The minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakech's landmark, rises just west of the square.