My over-riding memories of Marrakesh are the contrast between the overwhelming and alien experiences of the streets - always crowded, a cacophony of smells and noise with an uncomfortable amount of male attention - and the quest for a quiet sanctuary to charge my batteries before venturing out again (well a girl's got to shop).

Luckily, Marrakech's two hundred or so riads offer oases of calm and serenity amid the mayhem of the Medina. I found www.riadsmorocco.com and www.terremaroc.com to be the most useful websites of the many available. Both sites are in English and between them cover around half of all the riads available. There are lots of images to tempt you, and you can often select the room you want to stay in. Prices vary from £25 a night to ten times that. Some have their own hammams, some their own pools, most serve three course dinner and for the sun worshippers I would recommend a roof terrace.

Having done all of my internet research, with www.tripadvisor.com and www.ilove-marrakesh.com prime information sources, nothing could have prepared me for the reality.

The main action is in Djemma El Fnaa, described as the world's most vibrant city square. It really is a step back into a time where storytellers, acrobats and musicians still draw huge crowds and make a living from their crafts. The symphony of drums, snake charmer's pipes, whistles and the roars of the crowds is thrilling. Less so is the attention from some of the crowds of teenage boys.

The soukks, a series of rambling streets of stalls and workshops, are straight out of the middle ages. The trick is to be clear that you're just looking and not to start the sales negotiation until you're interested in purchasing and you have a clear sum of what to pay in your head. The haggling process can be quite stressful, the shopkeepers are such masters of psychology that I'd rate them as future football managers. It's like cracking a code but, even if you're frustrated, you don't need to enlist the help of many of the persistent guides. For tips on haggling visit www.ehow.com/tips_9551.html.

Key single girl survival tips

Experiences just seem to throw themselves at you in Marrakech. You have to learn to go with it and remember it makes a great tale.

The men in Marrakech may be vocal and intimidating but they are harmless and often come in useful if you get lost.

Most of the streets in the medina are too narrow for taxis so you'll often be dropped off in the vicinity of your destination and then have to find your way there. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

Don't get too involved in conversations with men, especially personal ones. Invitations back to their homes for couscous are quite abundant.

Visit a hamman - it feels like some secret female ritual, cleansing away the male-oriented city.

Marrakech offers a chance to relax and rejuvenate, the shopping is worth the trip alone and you get an adrenaline rush every time you venture outside. Whether you're a Bridget Jones or a Lara Croft, Marrakesh is for girls who just want something a little different.

Where to stay

Budget

Riad Badra (www.riadbadra.com) is a great budget option (from £31), the rooms are extravagant for the price and there's a terrace and pool. There's a family feel with impeccable service that made me feel at home

Location, location, location

El Caidi (www.riyadelcadi.com), meaning The Judge in Arabic, is right next to the Djemma. It's a myriad of nooks, small communal rooms and cool patios along with a fabulous sprawling roof terrace and pool. This is more of a couples' paradise.

Boutique Style

La Terrace des Oliviers (www.terrasse-des-oliviers.com) is stylish and comfortable. The attention to detail is rewarding and its French owners are always on hand to help. The rooms are big, the roof terrace is stunning and the interior design is to die for. This is a gay friendly riad and a single girl always feels safe in such places. From £45 a night.

1920's Decadence

Riad Malika (www.riadmalika.com) has a colonial feel to it. The décor is splendid art nouveau and everything is geared towards your pleasure. At its centre is a black and white pool surrounded by space age chairs where parrots sing and seductive music plays. But it's the rooms the size of apartments that make you feel like a movie star; balconies overlooking the pool, CD player, TV, 1920's baths and floor to ceiling mirrors. From £80 a night.

Eating

Most riads offer lovely eating experiences but restaurants usually accommodate lone diners. La Taverne is apparently Marrakech's oldest restaurant. The menu is traditional, prices very reasonable and the garden is a haven of candlelit trees. La Marrakechni is a traditional restaurant and overlooks the Djemma. The menu is reasonable for the location but I was not allowed a window seat as an unaccompanied adult. La Pavillion is a French restaurant just behind the Bar Dakkoub mosque. Pricey but delicious food with an upmarket French clientele.

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