Jemaa el-Fnaa from golden hour into the night

Jemaa el-Fnaa is not a monument you tick off but a space you spend time in. UNESCO recognises the square as a cultural space of intangible heritage: a place where storytellers, poets, Gnaoua dancers and musicians have performed for centuries, alongside herbalists, henna artists and juice sellers.

The square works all day, but it is at its most remarkable as the light goes. In the late afternoon the open ground fills with rows of food stalls, lamps come on and circles of listeners form around performers. Arriving before sunset lets you see the transformation happen rather than walking into it fully formed.

The Koutoubia minaret, the symbol of the city in UNESCO’s description of the medina, stands a few minutes’ walk away and frames the view to the west.