I have to confess to a moment of ...

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This week’s dream: wonder and melancholy in eastern Turkey ...

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It’s more than 350 years since Marrakech last held the title of Morocco’s capital, but in many ways it still feels like the heart of the country. International designers and bohemians have been drawn to the city for decades. And though Marrakech’s fortunes have ebbed and flowed over the past millennium, tourism is booming right now. It’s the mix of old and new that tends to captivate: art galleries sit alongside ancient tombs, while crumbling, labyrinthine alleys lead to gilded coffeehouses and chic garden cafes — all framed by the Atlas Mountains. Luxury hotels have sprung up on the city’s outskirts like glittering palaces, but there’s nothing quite like staying within the amber-hued walls of the 11th-century medina, where riads (traditional townhouses) offer memorable retreats.

From island-hopping in southerly Okinawa to farm experiences in rural Aomori and skiing in far northern Hokkaido, this diverse archipelago offers intriguing local culture, ancient history and epic wilderness experiences around every corner — and deeper exploration reaps huge rewards