Iran
Semnan's cross-shaped covered-bazaar marks the old heart of the city. While far less extensive than the great bazaars of Kerman or Tabriz, there is plenty…
Must-see attractions in Middle East
Basilica of Jesus the Adolescent
Nazareth
Built between 1906 and 1923, this neo-Gothic church, with commanding views of Nazareth, has a clean, almost luminescent limestone interior whose delicate…
Southeastern Iran
Where Shohada St approaches the arid crags that abruptly mark the city's eastern edge sits this hefty octagonal structure of mysterious provenance. Some…
Iran
This dramatic 97m conical peak dominates the valley landscape for miles around. If you’re reasonably fit, climbing to the crater’s edge should take less…
Sur
Built in Sur 70 years ago and brought back from its retirement in Yemen, this historic wooden fishing vessel has been meticulously restored and now sits…
Manama
Close your eyes in this little corner of Manama's historic souq and you would be forgiven for thinking you were in downtown Delhi. The lingua franca is…
Nazareth
If you've ever been curious about day-to-day life in Nazareth in the time of Jesus, consider stopping by this recreation of a 1st-century Galilean…
Southeastern Iran
This historic bathhouse is now a museum in which wax dummies illustrate the workings of a traditional hammam. Signage is a little garbled ('AD' dates…
Esfahan
Built between 1704 and 1714 as part of an expansive complex that included a caravanserai (now the Abbasi Hotel) and the Bazar-e Honar, this madraseh is…
Oman
The exciting route through Wadi Sahten begins near Rustaq and winds through a narrow corridor that is often flowing with water. A paved road opens out…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Enjoy a delightful stroll along this tree-flanked promenade with its dancing fountains, terraced restaurants and cool cafes. Too hot? Head for the nearby…
Qatar
Qatar's first and only Unesco World Heritage site appears in the desert as if out of nowhere. The impressive structure, built in 1938, has four striking…
Iran
Nader Shah’s 'Khorshid Palace' isn't really a palace at all but a distinctively fluted, circular tomb-tower, on an octagonal base set in manicured lawns. …
Haifa
This museum, founded in 1953, covers five millennia of maritime history across its three floors, from barnacle-clung amphorae to Israel's recent naval…
Sharjah
A row of cannons welcomes visitors to Sharjah's beautifully renovated 1823 fort (hisn), which reopened as a museum in 2015. Once through its mighty teak…
Iran
Set in the side of a large cliff, 42km from Takab in neighbouring Kordestan, this mixture of natural and human-made caverns was used for habitation from…
Southeastern Iran
Arriving at these handsome gardens is like being beamed onto a different planet. One second you’re in the arid semidesert, the next it’s all flowing…
Al Bahair Mini Canyon & Wetlands
Bahrain
Unlike any other place in Bahrain, these huge, beautiful, natural rock formations of varying shapes are yellowish in colour and sit right in the middle of…
Sharjah
This park at the bottom of the Khalid Lagoon fills with strolling families, roller-skaters and power-walkers after sunset. The main attraction are the…
Tehran
Housed in a beautiful Qajar-era mansion surrounded by a pleasant garden, this interesting museum has well-displayed and explained (in English) exhibits of…
Jordan
Deep in the Harra Desert are the peculiar ruins of the ancient settlement of Khirbet Abu Hussain. It's a hill fort on a small peak, and part of a dozen…
Mecca
This small mountain (761m) is where the Prophet hid for three days with his companion Abu Bakr from the Quraysh tribe. According to Islamic custom, an…
Kuwait City
A modest white building with blue trim, Beit Dickson was the home of former British political agent Colonel Harold Dickson and his wife, Violet, whose…
Al Areen Wildlife Park & Reserve
Bahrain
Ignore the tacky cardboard cutouts of animals leading up to the entrance – this is a great-value day out for the entire family in one of Bahrain's three…
Bahrain
This extensive site boasts a Dilmun-era temple dating to 1900 BC, surrounded by a host of buildings yet to be formally identified. However, the most…
Archaeological Museum of the American University of Beirut
Beirut
The AUB Museum was founded in 1868 and is one of the oldest in the Middle East. On permanent display is its collection of Lebanese and Middle Eastern…
Musandam
Set on an isolated khor (inlet) at the northern edge of the peninsula, the surprisingly modern town of Kumzar is accessible only by boat. The villagers…
Golan Heights
To get a sense of life during the Talmudic period (3rd to 6th centuries) when the Golan had dozens of Jewish villages, drop by this partly reconstructed…
Shiraz
This fine city mansion, named after the daughter of the owner, was originally the andaruni (private quarters) area of the neighouring Bagh-e Naranjestan…
Northern Saudi Arabia
The haunting wreck of cargo ship Georgios G – ambitiously dubbed the 'Saudi Titanic' – sits half-submerged, rusting in the sun after becoming stranded on…
Iran
Badab-e Surt is a series of terraced travertine (limestone) pools – smaller than those at Turkey's Pamukkale, but more colourful and serenely isolated…
Iran
This lovely old bazaar in the heart of Qom, a short stroll from Astane Sq, is worth a visit as one of the most authentic covered markets in Iran. With a…
Hajar Mountains
All over Oman, terracotta pots with simple ribbed motifs decorate the entrances to smart villas and hotels. The potteries where these beloved vessels are…
Iran
Once the fourth stop on the ancient Rey–Khorasan caravan route, Dehnamak is most interesting for its recently restored Safavid-era caravanserai, now a…
Tripoli
While certainly not new – Hammam Al Jadid was built around 1740 – it was in use until the 1970s and is very well preserved. It was donated as a gift to…
Southeastern Iran
With prominent blue-and-white-tiled roofs dating from the late Qajar period, this attractive mausoleum is the last resting place of several Kerman…
Tehran
Housing more than 100 pieces dating from the 17th century to the present day, this is a great place to see the full range of regional patterns and styles…
Historical, Vintage & Classic Cars Museum
Kuwait City
Gearheads won't believe their eyes walking into this exhibition of perfectly polished mint-condition vintage cars covering more than a century of motoring…
Shiraz
One of Shiraz’s several shrines, housed in an open-sided colonnade built during the Pahlavi era, is dedicated to Sheikh Mohammed Shams-ed-Din, simply…
Iran
The archaeology museum is home to four of the fascinating 'Saltmen' mummies discovered over the years in the Chehrabad Salt Mine (now an archaeological…
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