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Pure Inspiration: 20 stunning photos of Morocco

By Condé Nast Traveller

Where the snow-capped peaks of the Atlas Mountains kiss the Sahara's golden dunes, and vibrant medinas hum with the scent of mint tea and simmering tajine, lies Morocco. It cradles ancient Berber traditions in its palm-fringed oases, reflects the grandeur of Roman ruins in its sun-drenched cities, and whispers Arabic verses through crumbling kasbahs. From the windswept Atlantic coast, where surfers dance with rolling waves, to the bustling souks overflowing with kaleidoscopic spices, Morocco beckons with an intoxicating blend of culture, and adventure. Take a look at 20 photographs that will make you want to visit Morocco (if not for the first time, once again):

Morocco's kasbahs, fortresses clinging to mountaintops and desert dunes, speak of bygone empires.

The way to the Tizi N'Tacheddirt village transforms into a snow-kissed wonderland come winter, where the air tingles with the promise of adventure.

Once a bustling pilgrimage centre, the sun-baked ruins of Tinmel Mosque in Morocco, nestled amidst the Atlas Mountains, tells tales of the Almohad dynasty's grandeur.

Rabat boasts a fascinating array of local bookstores catering to diverse tastes and languages: a haven for bibliophiles exploring the city beyond its historical wonders and vibrant streetscapes.

Ancient Berber symbols feature on the doors of Taghazout. Geometric patterns, stars, and hands of Fatima adorn these doorways, acting as guardians of tradition and protectors of the homes within.

The beating heart of Merzouga is Erg Chebbi. Camel treks weave through the dunes, offering a timeless experience as these gentle giants carry you towards sunset-painted peaks.

Madrasa Ben Youssef is brilliant with its carved cedar and shimmering zellij tiles, where light and shadow dance in a courtyard serenely embraced by intricate archways.

From the intoxicating aromas of tagines to the rhythmic clinking of sweet mint tea glasses, prepare to be swept away at a Moroccan dinner.

Sun-drenched mornings turn hidden corners into thrones for Marrakech's regal cats, their amber eyes reflecting the city's vibrant chaos.

In the Rif Mountains of northern Morocco, Chefchaouen, also known as the "Blue Pearl," is a captivating town where every corner bursts with vibrant azure hues.

Morocco's souks and bazaars are vibrant labyrinths where haggling symphonies meet psychedelic treasure hunts.

Beneath a sky of violet and pink, Chefchaouen's blue alleys shimmer with streetlights.

Carved into the Atlantic coast of Morocco, Imsouane is a haven for surfers, sunseekers, and soul-seekers alike.

Oumnass unfurls beneath the fiery Moroccan sun - an ancient kasbah clinging to jagged cliffs, adorned by beautiful blooms all season long.

In the heart of Moroccan villages, communal kilns breathe life into loaves, where shared flames forge shared laughter and warmth.

These tanneries, nestled within the Fez el-Bali Medina, aren't just a tourist attraction; they're a living, breathing testament to a timeless tradition that stretches back over a thousand years.

A short, picturesque hike through olive groves and fig trees leads you to Cascade d'Akchour, a waterfall perfect for dipping your toes in.

Hassan 2 mosque, in Casablanca, is the second largest functioning mosque in Africa and is the 7th largest in the world.

Al Hoceima, nestled on Morocco's Mediterranean coast, is a captivating blend of sun-kissed beaches, rugged Rif Mountains, and Berber culture.

Time paints Aït Benhaddou in warm hues. Its structures, built centuries ago from rammed earth and adobe, stand defiant against the elements.

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Best Prime Day Espresso Machine Deals 2024

By Noah Kaufman and Tiffany Hopkins

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

We’ve got good news and bad news for you when it comes to Amazon Prime Day espresso machine deals. The good news is that once Prime Day comes around, which will probably happen sometime around the middle of July as it usually does, there will be some discounts to be had. Typically we’ve found deals on semi-automatic machines like the Breville Barista Express , fully automatic espresso machines like the Philips 3200 , espresso makers with built-in grinders like the De’Longhi la Specialista Arte , and single-serve Nespresso machines that food director Chris Morocco thinks are an excellent way into espresso for most people.

The bad news is that most of those things are not on sale yet. As Amazon Prime Day deals start to really take shape nearer the sales event we’ll have more on this page. But for now you can still get deals on a truly excellent-for-espresso burr grinder, a good coffee pod machine from L’or that senior writer Emily Farris thought did actually rival her beloved Nespresso Vertuo machine , and some espresso tools to help you become a better home barista. Bookmark this page, though, and check back here as more espresso machines begin showing up with discounts.

If you’re looking for discounts on other kinds of coffee makers—drip coffee makers, French press, or pour-over carafes—check out our list of the best Prime Day coffee maker deals . If your coffee machine needs don’t include a steam wand or portafilter, there is a bit more available.

DEAL: Baratza Encore ESP Coffee Grinder

DEAL: L'OR Barista System Coffee and Espresso Machine

DEAL: Espresso WDT Tools

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Marah Eakin

The Uncanny Rise of the World’s First AI Beauty Pageant

When poet John Keats wrote in “Ode on a Grecian Urn” that “beauty is truth, truth beauty,” he probably didn’t have AI influencers in mind.

Perhaps he should have. Back in April, Fanvue , an AI-infused creator platform that falls somewhere between OnlyFans and Cameo in terms of services, launched what it’s calling the “world’s first beauty pageant for AI creators.” On Monday, the World AI Creator Awards announced the contest’s 10 semifinalists. Drawn from a pool of more than 1,500 applicants, they are vying for the chance to make a liar out of Keats—and a prize package valued at about $20,000.

Amongst those 10 finalists, you’ll find Seren Ay, a stunning Turkish redhead who is sometimes pictured doing jobs traditionally held by men in her country, like electrical lineman or firefighter. (She’s also a time traveler, posting “photos” with velociraptors and the first Turkish president, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. )

Then there’s Aiyana Rainbow , a Romanian biker babe/DJ whose creators have decided is queer—something they advertise through both her name and her shock of perfectly ruffled rainbow hair—and Kenza Layli , a hijab-wearing influencer from Morocco who already hawks everything from personal hygiene products to local tourism . (This makes sense considering that a recent study found that almost half of Gen Z respondents in the US and UK were “more likely” to be interested in a brand if they knew it had an AI spokesperson.)

While Fanvue’s finalists run the global gamut in terms of origins, they’re also all capital-B beautiful, each possessing a supernatural combination of a buff (but not too buff) body, a stunning face, and the kind of effervescent personality that only really exists in influencer culture. Their hobbies and pet causes ( Fashion ! Inclusion ! Travel ! Hormonal imbalances !) are blandly interesting enough to make them palatable to followers and brands alike. Their image captions—some of which are written by actual humans and some of which are written by AI—are generally full of platitudes about how cool life is.

While all that might seem surface-level at best, these totally fake beauties aren’t all that different from real-life pageant participants, especially in 2024. Hilary Levey Friedman , a sociologist who studies beauty pageants and whose mom was a former Miss America, says that she doesn’t think the idea of an AI beauty pageant is a big deal considering “the long-standing practice in pageants of enhancing what you have,” whether that means surgery, hair extensions, fake tans, petroleum jelly teeth, body contour, or “ chicken cutlets .”

In social media posts and headshots in particular, Friedman says, pageant contestants often use airbrushing and camera tricks to make their images pop, something that’s never been seen as a negative in the industry. When push comes to shove, though, there’s still a physical human behind that account and on that stage, living and breathing under all those lights and filters.

By Matt Burgess

By Megan Farokhmanesh

By Joseph Cox

What makes an AI pageant different, Friedman asserts, is that Fanvue’s contestants are products of their creators. “They’re drawing on all these stereotypes that we have about what a ‘beautiful woman’ is,” she says, “and people who tend to use AI might have a different idea of what an attractive woman might be. She might have pink hair, but she’ll still be within the realm of traditional beauty, with a thin body or not a lot of moles on her face.”

The creators of AI model Aitana Lopez (above) are serving as judges for the World AI Creator Awards beauty pageant.

For the record, Fanvue’s contest, like human beauty pageants, will anoint a winner based on more than appearances. Unlike some of those contests, though, the World AI Creator Awards are looking for things like “social media clout” and how well their creators used prompts to create their contestants. Winners are set to be announced later this month.

Berat Gungor, one of Seren Ay’s creators, says that “in AI, you actually can’t create an ugly face,” though he’s careful to note that no human faces are ever truly ugly. While it’s easy enough for image-generating newbies to end up with blurred features and weird hands, Gungor says his experienced team was able to create an initial pool of 300 beautiful women in Stable Diffusion , ultimately picking Seren Ay’s face from the crowd because “she looked like a real person.”

Fanvue’s pool of thin, beautiful, mostly light-skinned finalists reflects what The Washington Post found when it tasked Dall-E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion with creating beautiful women. Stating that the programs tended to “steer users toward a startlingly narrow vision of attractiveness,” the Post reported last week that in the thousands of images it generated, almost all were thin, light- to medium-skinned, and young. (Just 2 percent of the “beautiful woman” images showed visible signs of aging.)

In some ways, those images are reflective of the pool they pull from. “How people are represented in the media, in art, in the entertainment industry—the dynamics there kind of bleed into AI,” OpenAI’s head of trustworthy AI, Sandhini Agarwal, told the Post.

But if mass-market images of thin, beautiful women yield AI-generated images of thin, beautiful women, who then turn into thin, beautiful AI-generated influencers, creating pictures that just feed back into the collective media stream, isn’t the snake just going to end up eating its own tail? And what does that mean for those of us who aren’t traditionally beautiful, whose bust-waist-hip proportions can’t live up to Barbie-like online standards or who just can’t afford the upkeep on a head of perfectly coiffed hair?

More than anything, it means the rift between human influencer and AI influencer gets deeper. Aiyana Rainbow’s multicolor 'do, for example, exists to attract attention. (Also, generative AI seems to love giving queer people colorful hair .) Creating someone with mousy brown hair or a 50-year-old gardening mom, for instance, wouldn’t have provided the visual hook needed, no matter how unrealistic or stereotypical that hook might be.

Aiyana Rainbow isn’t 100 percent perfect—her face, her creators note, isn’t entirely symmetrical—but any quick-scrolling fan would be hard-pressed to notice any sort of flaw.

Brands, certainly, aren’t interested in rolling the financial dice on creators whose images aren’t as perfect as possible. And while in recent years there has seemed to be a general love of celebrities who are “authentic” online (see: the relative success of “give no shits” actors like Renee Rapp, Nicola Coughlin, and Dakota Johnson on press tours, for instance), that doesn’t mean that carefully curated influencer lives—real or AI-generated—aren’t being rewarded all the same.

Fanvue cofounder Will Monange says his service currently has “thousands of monthly earning AI creators” on its platform, a number that’s seemed to grow exponentially over the past year. AI influencers like Aitana Lopez , whose creators are judging Fanvue’s contest, are doing similarly well, with hundreds of thousands of followers interested in Lopez’s virtual likes, interests, and lingerie pics. (She even plays Fortnite online.)

Seren Ay’s creators say their online doll gets queries looking for relationship advice, which she’s more than happy to provide, and Kenza Layli, the Moroccan contest finalist, gets about a 5 percent engagement rate on her posts, a number most marketing professionals would froth at the mouth for .

It doesn’t hurt that they’re beautiful on top of all of this. Or it does, but in the same way it hurts that society values one specific standard of beauty, whether on a human being or on some AI creation. In a world where millions upon millions of people follow hot influencers that they know, consciously or not, they’ll never meet or form a meaningful connection with, an AI pageant like Fanvue’s is a symptom of a larger issue, not a harbinger of impending doom.

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Hands up if you’re ready to be dazzled! From a ceremony structure designed to float on water to a jaw-dropping reception room with flowers blooming from every service, we’re swooning over every bit of this wedding. If you can believe it, that’s just the beginning. Julia Kaptelova artfully shot every detail, like the ballet performance guests were treated to and snow falling from the ceiling for the first dance! Prepare to be amazed and take a visit to the full gallery .

From About You Decor … Our design is a symbol of dawn and a distant endless horizon. Ahead is a long, happy life without any borders. An international couple, Pavel and Cherry, met in London and have been walking together for many years.

From the Bride, Cherry… My husband and I we decided to have our summer wedding in Moscow because the city is where his roots are. As we knew we were going to have the other wedding ceremony in China, we wanted our Moscow one to be very personal and intimate. We’ve known each other since we were fourteen, together with many of our friends whom we’ve also known for a decade.

I didn’t want to walk down the aisle twice so the plausibility of my request quickly came into discussion. The open pontoon stage was constructed in order to facilitate the bridal entrance on water, although there were concerns about safety as the last thing we wanted was probably a drowned bride before she could get on stage, picture that! I have to say on that day it wasn’t easy to get on the pontoon stage from the boat, in my long gown and high heels. Luckily my bridesmaids still noticed even though they stood the furthest from me on the stage, and helped me out without prior rehearsal. My girls could just tell whenever I needed a hand or maybe they were just so used to my clumsiness. Who knows 😂

We all love our photographer Julia! She’s so talented and her style is so unique. Our beloved host Alex is exceptional who made everyone laugh and cry. It was truly a blessing to have so many kind and beautiful souls on our big day. Thank you all!

[iframe https://player.vimeo.com/video/384992271 600 338]

Photography: Julia Kaptelova Photography | Wedding Planner: Caramel | Cake: Any Cake | Invitations: Inviteria | Rings: Harry Winston | Band: Menhouzen | Grooms attire: Ermenegildo Zegna | Wedding Venue: Elizaveta Panichkina | Bridesmaids’ dresses: Marchesa | Bridesmaids’ dresses: Alice McCall | Bride’s gown : Jaton Couture | Bride’s shoes: Manolo Blahnik | Decor : About you decor | Earrings: Damiani | Muah: Khvanaco Studio | Video: Artem Korchagin

More Princess-Worthy Ballgowns

I’m still not convinced this Moscow wedding, captured to perfection by  Sonya Khegay , isn’t actually an inspiration session—it’s just  that breathtaking. From the beautiful Bride’s gorgeous lace wedding dress and flawless hair and makeup to the pretty pastel color palette and stunning ceremony and reception spaces, this wedding is almost too good to be true. Do yourself a favor and see it all in The Vault now!

From Sonya Khegay … It was the last day of April and still very cold in the morning. The weather forecast wasn’t pleasing and no one expected that the sun would come out, but miracles happen and light rain gave way to the warm rays.

I love how all the details went together, you could feel the harmony in everything throughout the entire wedding day from the morning until the fireworks.

A gentle look of the bride, elegant but so airy and unique decor, the fresh and light atmosphere of early spring and, of course, true happiness in the eyes. My heart becomes so warm from these memories, it is always a pleasure to see the birth of a new family of two loving hearts.

Photography: Sonya Khegay | Event Design: Latte Decor | Event Planning: Ajur Wedding | Floral Design: Blush Petals | Wedding Dress: La Sposa | Stationery: Special Invite | Bride's Shoes: Gianvito Rossi | Hair + Makeup: Natalie Yastrebova | Venue: Rodniki Hotel

• by Elizabeth Greene

You really can’t go wrong with simple: a beautiful Bride , perfectly pretty petals , loved ones all around. But add in an amazing firework show  to cap off the night and simple just became downright extraordinary. Captured by Lena Elisseva , with assistance by  Katya Butenko , this rustic Russian celebration is simply fantastic. See it all in the Vault right here !

From Lena Eliseeva Photo …  This cozy and warm summer wedding of gorgeous Natalia and Anton was in the middle of June. The young couple decided to organize their wedding themselves, and the day was very personal and touching. I am absolutely in love with rustic outdoor weddings, and this one is my favourite because of the free and easy atmosphere.

All the decor excluding the bride’s bouquet was made by a team of ten friends of the bride and groom. And it was charming – a light and beautiful arch, eco-style polygraphy and succulents, candy-bar with caramel apples and berries – sweet joys of summer.

At the end of ceremony the guests tossed up white handkerchiefs embroidered by Natalia’s own hands.

The most touching moment was the happy eyes of the groom’s grandmother, the most estimable person on the wedding. And the fireworks were a bright end to that beautiful day.

Photography: LENA ELISEEVA PHOTO | Floral Design: Katerina Kazakova | Hair And Makeup: Svetlana Fischeva | Photography - Assistance: Katya Butenko

These photos from Lena Kozhina are so stunningly beautiful – as in you can’t help but stop and stare – it’s hard to believe it’s real life. But these pics are proof of this gorgeous Bride and her handsome Groom’s celebration at Moscow’s Fox Lodge , surrounded by vibrant colors and breathtaking blooms . Oh, and the idea of prepping for your Big Day outside in the sun ? Brilliant. See more bright ideas right here !

From Lena Kozhina … When we met with the couple for the first time, we immediately paid attention to Dima’s behavior towards Julia. There was a feeling of tenderness and awe, and we immediately wanted to recreate this atmosphere of love, care and warmth on their Big Day.

Later, when we had chosen a green meadow and an uncovered pavilion overlooking a lake as the project site, it only highlighted a light summer mood with colorful florals and a great number of natural woods. The name of the site is Fox Lodge and peach-orange color, as one of the Bride’s favorites, set the tone for the whole design – from the invitations, in which we used images of fox cubs to elements of serving guest tables and other decorative elements with the corresponding bright accents.

Photography: Lena Kozhina | Event Planning: Ajur Wedding | Wedding Dress: Rosa Clara | Shoes: Marc Jacobs | Catering: Fox Lodge | Makeup Artist: Elena Otrembskaya | Wedding Venue: Fox Lodge | Cake and Desserts: Yumbaker | Decor: Latte Decor

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Gagarin Cup Preview: Atlant vs. Salavat Yulaev

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Gagarin cup (khl) finals:  atlant moscow oblast vs. salavat yulaev ufa.

Much like the Elitserien Finals, we have a bit of an offense vs. defense match-up in this league Final.  While Ufa let their star top line of Alexander Radulov, Patrick Thoresen and Igor Grigorenko loose on the KHL's Western Conference, Mytischi played a more conservative style, relying on veterans such as former NHLers Jan Bulis, Oleg Petrov, and Jaroslav Obsut.  Just reaching the Finals is a testament to Atlant's disciplined style of play, as they had to knock off much more high profile teams from Yaroslavl and St. Petersburg to do so.  But while they did finish 8th in the league in points, they haven't seen the likes of Ufa, who finished 2nd. 

This series will be a challenge for the underdog, because unlike some of the other KHL teams, Ufa's top players are generally younger and in their prime.  Only Proshkin amongst regular blueliners is over 30, with the work being shared by Kirill Koltsov (28), Andrei Kuteikin (26), Miroslav Blatak (28), Maxim Kondratiev (28) and Dmitri Kalinin (30).  Oleg Tverdovsky hasn't played a lot in the playoffs to date.  Up front, while led by a fairly young top line (24-27), Ufa does have a lot of veterans in support roles:  Vyacheslav Kozlov , Viktor Kozlov , Vladimir Antipov, Sergei Zinovyev and Petr Schastlivy are all over 30.  In fact, the names of all their forwards are familiar to international and NHL fans:  Robert Nilsson , Alexander Svitov, Oleg Saprykin and Jakub Klepis round out the group, all former NHL players.

For Atlant, their veteran roster, with only one of their top six D under the age of 30 (and no top forwards under 30, either), this might be their one shot at a championship.  The team has never won either a Russian Superleague title or the Gagarin Cup, and for players like former NHLer Oleg Petrov, this is probably the last shot at the KHL's top prize.  The team got three extra days rest by winning their Conference Final in six games, and they probably needed to use it.  Atlant does have younger regulars on their roster, but they generally only play a few shifts per game, if that. 

The low event style of game for Atlant probably suits them well, but I don't know how they can manage to keep up against Ufa's speed, skill, and depth.  There is no advantage to be seen in goal, with Erik Ersberg and Konstantin Barulin posting almost identical numbers, and even in terms of recent playoff experience Ufa has them beat.  Luckily for Atlant, Ufa isn't that far away from the Moscow region, so travel shouldn't play a major role. 

I'm predicting that Ufa, winners of the last Superleague title back in 2008, will become the second team to win the Gagarin Cup, and will prevail in five games.  They have a seriously well built team that would honestly compete in the NHL.  They represent the potential of the league, while Atlant represents closer to the reality, as a team full of players who played themselves out of the NHL. 

• Atlant @ Ufa, Friday Apr 8 (3:00 PM CET/10:00 PM EST)
• Atlant @ Ufa, Sunday Apr 10 (1:00 PM CET/8:00 AM EST)
• Ufa @ Atlant, Tuesday Apr 12 (5:30 PM CET/12:30 PM EST)
• Ufa @ Atlant, Thursday Apr 14 (5:30 PM CET/12:30 PM EST)

Games 5-7 are as yet unscheduled, but every second day is the KHL standard, so expect Game 5 to be on Saturday, like an early start. 

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Great places to stay in the Saharan desert

By Condé Nast Traveller

Jemaa el Fna in Marrakech

Stanley Stewart takes a trip into the Sahara Desert - the preserve of travellers keen to see things that are not there...

In the great square of Jemaa el Fna in Marrakech, where magicians, musicians and storytellers compete for the attention of the evening crowds, I met a man from the Sahara. He wore the light-blue robes of the desert and sat cross-legged on a mat. His patch was just across from the Café de France, between a snake-charmer and a slightly deranged singer whose voice was an advert for a tobacco ban.

In this raucous assembly the man from the Sahara was a quiet presence. His goods spoke for themselves. His mat was covered with rare and extraordinary items. There were gnarled and twisted roots, bits of shell, three turtles, one of them still alive, strands of animal hair, a few lengths of gazelle antler, an entire cobra skin, the intact bodies of two dried iguanas, and a brown lumpy thing in a bowl that he assured me was the left testicle of a bull camel.

These oddities were cures for everything from rheumatism to impotence, from flatulence to simple bad luck. Displayed on chipped dishes and on grubby squares of cloth, many were potions as well as remedies. A number were key ingredients in the practice of black magic.

What lent them credibility, to the anxious townsfolk of Marrakech, was their provenance, the fact that they came from the desert. On the far side of the Atlas Mountains , the Sahara stretches away like a magic kingdom, a world of mysteries and marvels, a forbidding and splendid place where nothing and anything seems possible.

Its name comes from the Arabic - Sahra al Kubra - the Great Desert. At about 3.5 million square miles, the Sahara is the size of the USA but with the population of Norfolk. Stretching 3,400 miles from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, it is one

of the world's most spectacular and most familiar geographical facts. Everyone carries its image in their own personal atlas of the imagination, along with the Himalayas and the South Pole. But few people have actually been there. To this day, the most reliable means of crossing the Sahara is by camel.

To readers of Paul Bowles, the trajectory of the journey into the Sahara is a familiar one. It begins with innocent curiosity on the coast and ends with disorientation, delirium

and Debra Winger locked up in a harem in some remote oasis. The desert has always been the preserve of travellers keen to see things that are not there: misguided explorers, hopeless romantics, misfits, visionaries, obsessives, the deceivers and the deceived - they love all that emptiness. With a camel and a decent map of wells, any self-deluding fool can project his fantasies on that blank heart.

Picture: The Great Square of Jemaa el Fna

Across the Atlas Mountains

But times have changed. You no longer need to be a Tuareg with a big turban or a fanatic with a tiny grasp of reality to contemplate the desert stars. A host of travel operators have made inroads into one of the world's last great adventures, providing the kind of stylish elegance normally found on upmarket East African safaris. You can now sleep under Saharan constellations in more comfort than can be found camping in the Lake District. Few places offer such a stark contradiction to all that we know about the world.

Inhospitable and threatening, the desert seems to promise some kind of purity, a clean and exhilarating antidote to confusion and compromise. It is a place of continual surprise, but its greatest surprise is that it is only four hours' flight from London, making it closer than New York.

In the square in Marrakech, my new friend the magic-potion salesman offered a couple of words of advice about the Sahara. Believe nothing that you cannot touch, he said. The desert is a world of mirages. Rely on nothing until it happens. The desert is a place of false dawns. And never buy a camel testicle unless you have seen it being removed in front of you. The testicle market, it seems, is flooded with fakes.

The next day I drove south across the Atlas Mountains over the spectacular Tizi-n-Test pass, dropping down the far side through rocky canyons to Ouarzazate, the Moroccan gateway to the Sahara and the film capital of North Africa. Epics from Lawrence of Arabia to Gladiator have been filmed here.

Beyond the town the road swung eastwards along the Dadès Valley, the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs, a wilderness of volcanic rock and limestone pinnacles. To the north, the ramparts of the Atlas were sinking into late-afternoon shadow. Rivers come and go here as unpredictably as rain showers in Orkney, encouraging a string of oases. The largest and most delightful is Skoura.

Picture: the sprawling kasbah of Amerhidil, the best-known building in the Skoura oasis

Skoura oasis and the Amerhidil kasbah

For centuries desert travellers, admittedly a little demented by the sun, have likened the arrival at a Saharan oasis to reaching paradise, a sudden earthly paradise of green shadows and bubbling water, of blossom scent and birdsong. In Skoura, donkeys and bicycles meander along dusty lanes, through date and olive groves, around almond and fig orchards, past adobe walls and heavy wooden doors. Sailing like galleons through Skoura's waves of greenery are a dozen or more kasbahs, Morocco's equivalent of the feudal castle. The most famous is Amerhidil, whose narrow, tapering towers appear on the old 50-dirham note.

Kasbahs may have been built for defence, but their architecture is really a fortification against wives. Moroccan sheikhs tended to overdo it on the wife front, and the rambling kasbahs were the result. The buildings sprawled because the harems did. They contained secret passages and hidden chambers because family arrangements required a good deal of discretion. And because there were so many wives, extended families became very extended indeed. It is reckoned that Amerhidil currently has more than 300 owners. With such complex and disparate ownership, it can become impossible to get agreement about change or development. Thus many of the kasbahs are falling into picturesque ruin.

Dar Ahlam is a rare exception. Built in 1920, it was one of the last of the great Skoura kasbahs. It is now one of Morocco's most exclusive hotels, having been renovated in 2002. A blank and formidable exterior of pisé walls loomed over the lanes. A huge wooden door creaked open and I stepped into an Arabian Nights world of labyrinthine passageways and intimate salons, of fountained courtyards and cushioned alcoves. Terraces led outside to lush walled gardens, like miniature versions of the surrounding oasis.

Steps climbed to roof terraces with panoramas over the tousled heads of palm trees to the Atlas Mountains . Kasbahs are a kind of theatre, an elaborate set with unexpected entrances and exits, a fantasy narrative in a fairy-tale castle.

Picture, from left: bathroom essentials at Dar Ahlam; the swimming pool and gardens viewed from the rooftop

Dar Ahlam Hotel, Skoura

At Dar Ahlam the metaphor extends to meals. Guests eat independently, at a time of their choosing, but the location is always a surprise. At lunch I was ushered to a low table surrounded by bolsters and cushions, laid out in a grassy aisle between ancient olive trees swathed in long bolts of silk. In the evening, dinner awaited me in a room full of candles, a host of wavering flames multiplied by enormous wall mirrors.

I found breakfast in a grove of figs, the table straddling a small irrigation channel so tea, eggs, fruit and honey were accompanied by the soothing burble of water.

To the untutored eye, the Dadès Valley may seem like desert, at least beyond the confines of its oases. But the real Sahara still lay some way to the south. The kasbah is an elegant stepping-stone. Five hours away, in the pristine sand dunes of Iriki, Dar Ahlam owns a private desert camp that offers guests solitude in a style few travelling sheikhs could have equalled.

The following morning I set off for the real desert with my guide in a four-wheel-drive. We took the road south over the Tizi-n-Bachkoum pass, through a wilderness of craggy outcrops and deep gullies, of narrow gorges and bare hills. Away to the west the heights of the Anti-Atlas stood out against slate-coloured skies. Here and there, where the valleys widened, there was a sudden greening as meagre water courses allowed palms and olives and figs to grow in carpets of grass. We stopped for lunch in a palm grove and picnicked on roast chicken, salad and a bottle of rosé, watched by a couple of urchins and a trio of bemused goats.

By the time we got to the military outpost of Foum Zguid, we had emerged from the hills onto vast, arid plains. The Sahara was taking charge of the landscape. Just beyond the town, we left the paved road for desert tracks, passing a small caravan of nomads resting beneath thorn trees while their hobbled camels grazed on scrub.

We were crossing the gravelly plains known as hamada.The earth on the first day must have looked like this - a dry, reptilian hide bounded by distant, skeletal mountains - before God got around to all the decorative flourishes that soften other landscapes. The plains stretched away to unfathomable distances. It was impossible to say if a range of low hills was one mile or a hundred miles away. Mirages began to appear, glistening lakes, floating trees, permanently out of reach.

Picture: a hammock in the gardens of Dar Ahlam

Dar Ahlam tented camp, Sahara Desert

So emphatic a geographical fact, the Sahara suddenly seemed strangely unreliable, not so much a physical entity as a trick of the light, a quirk of the imagination.

After an hour or so came the sand dunes, away to our right, riding like smooth humpbacked whales in a flat sea. Suddenly, the driver veered off the track and into their midst. Porters materialised like desert genies to unload my bags.

Then a waiter arrived and led me up the sandy flanks of a long ridge where tea was laid out on a low table. A tumbling confusion of dunes, golden in the late-afternoon sun, stretched away as far as I could see.

My tent lay in one of their hollows. The size of a small chalet, it was Saharan chic: Berber rugs, wrought-iron lanterns, a double bed covered with piles of cushions, a palette of neutral colours. There was a bathroom attached with a clever water system to allow for desert showers, and a rather nifty chemical loo. In the world of Saharan travel, I was obviously in club class.

I spent the last hours of the day clambering among the dunes, as smooth and inviting as freshly fallen snow. Late sun raked across their ribbed faces. Shadows pooled in their hollows. Along their crests the sharp line between sun and shadow seemed to be the only precise element among these fluid, wind-carved shapes.

Guest tent at Dar Ahlam, Sahara Desert

When night arrived with equatorial quickness, a man appeared carrying a dozen lanterns, laying them carefully across the sand slopes, marking out avenues between my tent and the outposts of my evening. After a shower, I followed the lanterns to a carpet where I reclined on bolsters with an aperitif while the stars thickened above me. Another trail of light led to a dune valley where a candlelit table awaited. Waiters melted out of the darkness with a series of spectacular dishes - a spicy lentil soup known as harira, a Berber tagine, and a heavenly concoction of orange, grapefruit and carrot - all served with a crisp Chablis.

Later, I lay on the dunes above my tent, smoking a cigar, gazing at the stars. The lanterns had been taken away, the night was black, and the sky was clearer and closer than anywhere on earth. Though the air was chilly, the dunes were still warm from the day's sun. It was like lying on an electric blanket.

I burrowed my bare feet into the warm sand, and gazed up at infinity. Here is the real reason you should come to the Sahara. We all like to brush up against something much bigger than ourselves, much greater than the confines of our own understanding. It lends our existence meaning, it lends our lives weight.

The desert is humbling - all that vastness, all that hostile landscape the size of a continent - but even the Sahara is dwarfed by its own night skies, the endless constellations, thick as grapes, far too remote to understand.

Picture: Interior view of the guest tent at Dar Ahlam's desert camp near Iriki

How to tour the Sahara

GETTING THERE

The Ultimate Travel Company ( www.theultimatetravelcompany.co.uk ) offers a five-day stay in Morocco, with two nights at Dar Ahlam and one at the hotel's camp in the Saharan dunes. It costs from £2,450 per person, including all meals and drinks at Dar Ahlam and the camp, flights and private transfers. Extensions can be arranged to any destination in Morocco.

For a less expensive desert-camp experience in the same area, try Maroc sur Mesure ( www.camps-nomades.com ). Its tents are about four hours from Ouarzazate, or 40 minutes by four-wheel-drive from Tazzarine, and cost from about £125 a night.

This feature first appeared in the February 2014 issue of Condé Nast Traveller

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Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

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The Best New Hotel Restaurants in the World

By Todd Plummer and CNT Editors

While we often celebrate our favorite hotels around the world, we rarely spotlight the spaces within the hotel that make the property shine. Often, these are the areas—the bars, the restaurant, the rooftops and more—that become destinations unto themselves, pulling in a devoted set of locals to help turn a hotel into a place that residents use, too. So, as an extension of our recently released 2024 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world, we are highlighting the best new hotel restaurants, spas, and bars, as picked by our editors. Below, the hotel restaurants that compete with the best places to eat, anywhere—and the dishes you can't miss.

Golden Poppy at La Fantaisie—Paris, France

Artistry, whimsy and a distinctly West Coast approach are all on the menu at beloved chef Dominique Crenn’s latest venture at the new La Fantaisie , a jewel-box boutique hotel in the heart of the 9th. The glowing yellow, Scandinavian interiors by Martin Brudnizki feel distinctly un-Parisian which, in a way, is extremely Parisian. The pescatarian menu takes advantage of the region’s best ingredients and techniques for a France-meets-California alchemy that just works.

The dish to order : A dry-aged whole sea bream, served with white asparagus and drizzled in orange beurre blanc.

Seafood takes center stage at Hotel Toranomon Hills' main restaurant, Le Pristine.

A pre-dinner cocktail at Le Pristine

Le Pristine at Hotel Toranomon Hills—Tokyo, Japan

There’s no shortage of chef-driven, acclaimed restaurants at high-end hotels around Tokyo, but this one stands out, thanks to Dutch chef and Michelin darling Sergio Herman. His prix-fixe menu at this minimal space with a beautiful big tiled bar inside Hotel Toranomon Hills , is an East-meets-West approach that makes brilliant use of Japanese ingredients, especially seafood. There are three-, four-, and five-course options available for dinner, or you can order á la carte for one of the better power lunches in Tokyo.

The dish to order : The signature Le Pristine lobster pasta, with handmade orecchiette, clams, squid, and fennel flower.

The Lowland restaurant at The Pinch hotel in Charleston puts an elevated spin on the Southern tavern.

Lowland at The Pinch—Charleston, SC

How many ways can Charleston’s food scene continue to reinvent Southern cuisine, you might ask? Turns out—at least one more, as seen at Lowland Tavern, a nouveau Southern spot from James Beard Award-winner chef Jason Stanhope inside The Pinch , a charming boutique hotel right on King Street. There are still those decadent touches that somehow taste better in a place like this (deviled eggs, biscuits slathered in farmer cheese and pepper jelly), but there are some more elegant and international turns to the menu as well, like chicken skewers dusted in Japanese furikake, or a banoffee pie that would make King Charles himself proud.

The dish to order: An impossibly crispy pork schnitzel, topped with golden beets and smoked roe.

Terrace Restaurant at Izza—Marrakech, Morocco

A 14-room riad in the heart of the Medina , with one of the most elegantly understated roof terraces in town and a killer restaurant, too? Color us interested. Other rooftops in town can feel a little nightclubby or hectic, but the one here is home to a restaurant that offers modern Moroccan fare with international influences—like a whole grilled stuffed sea bass with spiced couscous served in an aromatic langoustine bisque.

The dish to order : Check out the seasonal tagines, of course, but don’t sleep on the vegetables. There’s a charred cauliflower with spiced labneh and toasted buckwheat that’s out of this world.

Local dishes shine at the minimally chic Singular Restaurant at The Lodge in Mallorca

The menu at Singular Restaurant spotlights the island's access to excellent seafood

Singular Restaurant at The Lodge—Mallorca, Spain

On an island that most locals would agree has been transformed by tourism over the last several years, the new Lodge Mallorca offers a slice of tranquil paradise and a glimpse of the way things were. Located on 157 hectares within a UNESCO-protected area of the island, this refurbished 500 year-old farmhouse also offers some of the freshest, most unpretentious Mallorcan cuisine on the island. Pop by after partying in Palma for some pastoral penance and a dinner to remember.

The dish to order: Anything grilled over the open fire, but especially the catch “del día.”

Alfresco dining with a view at Riviera in Dubai's The Lana hotel

Riviera by Jean Imbert at The Lana—Dubai, UAE

Dubai doesn’t do anything small, so it tracks that the Dorchester Collection’s Middle East debut would feature a splashy chef. And who is splashier at this moment than France’s own Jean Imbert? Here, he channels the best of the French Riviera, with grilled seafood galore, a signature tuna tartare prepared at your table, and a goat’s cheese ravioli with zucchini blossoms that is almost too pretty to eat. Kick back, order some rosé, and take in the glittering glitterati as you overlook Dubai’s picturesque Marasi Bay Marina.

The dish to order: The creamy marinated cucumbers with herbs—simple, but so good.

Zaytinya at Ritz-Carlton South Beach—Florida

Following successful locations in New York City and Washington, D.C., James Beard Award-winning chef José Andrés brings his new vision of modern Mediterranean to Collins Avenue . Combining Greek, Lebanese, and Turkish influences, the menu spans shareable mezze, fresh seafood, and plenty of Mediterranean wines to wash it all down.

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The dish to order: The perfectly-grilled Octopus Santorini, sprinkled with marinated onions and capers over a dramatic yellow split pea purée.

Nookies, a modern twist on the classic diner, at Silver Sands on New York's North Fork

Nookies has diner staples like burgers and shakes, but also oysters from nearby Pipes Cove

Nookies at Silver Sands Motel & Bungalows—Greenport, New York

A major renovation breathed new life into this iconic 1950’s North Fork motel , and luckily the twenty-two seat Nookies still captures all the nostalgia of a midcentury roadside diner. There’s still a tuna melt and decadent milkshakes on the menu, but there are some welcome additions to appeal to twenty-first century travelers, too.

The dish to order: The aubergine melt, on rye with globs of gruyère cheese, yellow tomato jam and Calabrian chili.

LAVO at The BoTree—London, UK

With locations in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Singapore, and Mexico City, Tao Group’s Lavo manages to feel as fun and relevant as ever with its latest opening at the BoTree in Marylebone. No detail is overlooked, whether it’s a tray of garnishes brought out to accompany your water, to decadent mounds of truffles atop the pasta, to expert sommelier pairings to enhance your experience. It’s one of the neighborhood’s larger dining rooms, but it manages to feel sceney and exuberant without being excessive.

The dish to order: “The Meatball,” which comes with 500 grams of Wagyu beef and Italian pork sausage.

The expansive dining room at the Global Ambassador's rooftop restaurant, Théa, has rare panoramic views of the Phoenix skyline, including vistas of Camelback Mountain and the city's downtown.

Théa at The Global Ambassador—Phoenix, Arizona

Named after the Greek goddess of light, Théa, the standout at a gleaming new resort with a food-focus, offers a truly transporting experience, because, as it turns out, a Mediterranean menu lends itself beautifully to a rooftop setting in sunny Phoenix. The flavors are big, but this bacchanal never skews overly indulgent: the kofta skewers are fragrant with sumac; the Moroccan roasted carrots come drizzled in Aleppo pepper honey; and the “Goddess of all Dips” platter is a perfect shareable platter if you’re looking to kick back with a spritz and watch the sun set.

The dish to order: A fresh and flavorful Spring Tabbouleh salad with pea tendrils, mint, pistachio dukkah, and preserved lemon vinaigrette.

Ethically sourced seafood is a highlight at the restaurant Fysh in The Singapore Edition

Fysh at The Singapore EDITION

“Lofty” is a great way to describe this new restaurant by multi-award-winning Australian chef Josh Niland inside the Singapore Edition . First, the decor: vaulted ceilings lend a sense of occasion, an abundance of greenery feels quintessentially Singaporean, and an expansive open show kitchen proves that cooking, too, can be a form of theater. Second, the menu: Niland offers a “modern-age fish steakhouse,” which treats ethically-sourced seafood with the same sense of scale, indulgence, and reverence as a steakhouse treats its beef. There are some “land-based proteins” on the menu, too, but the real stars are the swordfish and yellowfin tuna steaks, sourced from Mooloolaba, Australia and dry-aged (yes, you can dry-age fish) to perfection.

The dish to order: Murray Cod, sustainably sourced and grilled over charcoal, then finished with an Andean BBQ corn humita, coriander, and lime.

Il Ristorante - Niko Romito at Bulgari Hotel Roma—Italy

This is Rome done right, from the elegant dining room, to the sweeping views over the adjacent Mausoleum of Augustus, to the menu designed by Nico Romito, one of Italy’s superstar chefs. At the restaurant inside this Hot List winner, the menu offers through-and-through Italian classics that range from the familiar (a perfect spaghetti pomodoro) to the innovative (crispy suckling pig with orange caramel sauce). Sure, it will cost you—but can you really put a price tag on a perfect fine dining experience in the Eternal City?

The dish to order: Melt-in-your-mouth roasted tuna belly topped with a light and bright fennel and citrus salad.

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