Rissani

Out where the Ziz River meanders into the dusty dunes of the sun-scorched Sahara, mercantile life has been the lifeblood of Rissani since the days when it was a major trading post on the Sahelian mineral, spice and slave routes. These days, the bazaars of Rissani are noticeably smaller than they were in centuries before. Like the Ziz does as it hits the desert, trade has been slowly drying up since the end of the 18th century. The coming and going of the weekend souks are what keep the erstwhile caravan stop beating.

But should you visit, the aged Berber castle in the town is a fine example of an adobe ksar from yesteryear, and it hosts the great tomb of Moulay Ali al-Sharif, the founder of the current Alaouite dynasty. Rissani tour guides might also recommend a trip to a local hammam to be pampered in Turkic steam rooms, or maybe a camel-back adventure deeper into the ochre-hued rises of the Saharan sand piles.