h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Though the name is probably not familiar to most people, Aït Benhaddou is instantly recognisable as the picturesque location for Hollywood classics from Lawrence of Arabia and Jesus of Nazareth to Gladiator. Located in the South of Morocco, it sits on the edge of the Atlas Mountains, where the land shades away into the Sahara desert.

Made up of a group of small (though lofty) fortresses, or Kasbahs, grouped together on a hill, Aït Benhaddou isn't actually a castle - it's a small village where no more than a few people now live. The buildings, typical of this part of Morocco, are made of red mud baked hard in the desert sun, and it is easy to imagine yourself stepping back in time as you ascend through narrow winding streets to the ruin at the summit. It's quite a steep climb, but the view from the top is spectacular - especially when the setting sun sets fire to the tumbled mass of red mud turrets below. Towards the bottom of the hill there are a few craft stalls and a market. If you want to buy desert fossils, the ones sold here are cheaper and more varied than those offered by the Bedouin guides further south in the Sahara.

A shallow river flows around the base of the hill, before the Kasbah walls, which separates the Aït Benhaddou from the more modern settlement on the other side. The imposing red gate that seems so much a part of these ancient structures was actually constructed for the film 'Jewel of the Nile'... It features prominently in the scene where Michael Douglas drives a jet plane through the streets! Locals will delight in telling you about the film stars they have met - most found work as extras on the film sets.

There are a couple of small hotels here, where you can get food, as well as kiosks selling various local craft work. Alternatively you can stay at the nearby city of Ouarzazate, where you can hire a car or taxi to Aït Benhaddou. Ouarzazate has an airport which has flights 2 or 3 times a week for Agadir, Casablanca, and Marrakech, as well as international flights to Paris.