The beautiful and historic Moroccan city enjoys mild and pleasant weather in January and is home to a vast array of museums, art galleries and parks.

Jemaa el-Fnaa in Marrakesh

Morocco offers a range of attractions from camel riding to historic architecture (Image: Getty)

A beautiful and culture-rich Moroccan city is one of the cheapest places you can fly this month to escape the UK January blues. The first weekend of January routinely marks so-called "Sunshine Saturday", the busiest day in the year for travel bookings. Flight firms and holiday operators often launch a range of discounts and deals to coincide with the spike in demand, but prospective bookers can still benefit from being picky about their chosen destinations.

One of the best options is a sun-soaked city break in Marrakech, a hotspot in North Africa that's packed with affordable hotels, delicious food and fascinating history. Booking ahead for later this year can also help ensure that customers save as much money as possible, with budget round-trip journeys to the Moroccan capital often costing as little as £30 with carriers such as Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air.

The latest news from around the world Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Walking though the souks in Marrakech's medina

Marrakech's Medina is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site (Image: Getty)

While Britain freezes with sub-zero temperatures, Marrakech generally records mild and pleasant weather in the first month of the year, with daytime highs of 20C, although evening temperatures can dip into the single digits.

As well as offering a dose of winter Vitamin D, Marrakech also has diverse attractions including hot air balloon rides to the nearby desert, camel rides and cooking classes, alongside cultural landmarks such as Bahia Palace, Medina of Marrakech and Koutoubia Mosque.

The capital is also Morroco's most popular travel spot for its Medina, which contains a variety of market stalls known as souks and which was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the mid-1980s.

It's also home to a vast range of art galleries, museums and parks, including Jardin Majorelle, a botanical garden and artist's landscape garden spread over a hectare.

The Foreign Office's travel advice for Marrakech includes acknowledging that Morocco is an Islamic country and has different traditions, customs, laws and religions to the UK alongside safety concerns linked to potential terror attacks by Moroccan extremist groups.

It also warns that "protests and demonstrations could occur across the country, particularly in large cities, often without warning" and that while such protests are generally peaceful, "unauthorised ones have sometimes led to clashes between protesters and police".

"Such gatherings can cause travel disruption in the affected areas," the advice continues. "Avoid political gatherings and demonstrations and follow local news and directions from security officials."