Bahrain
This traditional house was built in 1905 on reclaimed land by the Bin Matar pearl trading family, who lived here until 2002. Once surrounded by sea on…
Must-see attractions in Middle East
Riyadh
This museum is home to objects found during the Faw and Rabdha excavations (sites in the south and north of Saudi Arabia) by King Saud University in the…
Jerusalem
A baroque-style synagogue, twinkling with gold vine leaves and decorative arches, is the focal point of this overlooked museum. Transported across the…
Iran
This unmissable eight-towered castle dominates the city centre from a rocky promontory. It looks especially dramatic when floodlit at night and offers…
Northern Saudi Arabia
Al Sharim Beach feels delightfully remote. The beach is literally the desert arriving at the sea, complete with camels who wander freely in the area. The…
North Coast
About 5km north of Nahariya, Akhziv National Park has broad lawns, traces of a Phoenician port, and a small, shallow, family-friendly beach. Changing…
Shiraz
Dominating the city centre, this burly fortress was built in the early Zand period and formed part of the royal court that Karim Khan hoped would rival…
Sharjah
This museum goes a long way towards demystifying Emirati culture for visitors. Each of the five galleries examines different aspects of local life, from…
Saudi Arabia
This beautiful station was part of the extensive Hejaz Railway that brought pilgrims to Medina from as far away as Damascus in Syria. Built on the orders…
Ramallah
One of Ramallah's oldest buildings, Dar Zahran was restored and converted into a gallery-cum-museum in 1990, and plans are now underway for a coffee shop…
Dubai
This rare vestige of pre-oil times was built in 1955 as the summer retreat of Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the father of current ruler Sheikh…
North Coast
Glimpse into the creative mind of Marcel Janco at this 1983-built museum dedicated to his life and works. It was Janco’s idea to establish this community…
Beirut
The Aïshti Foundation is a combination of seemingly strange bedfellows. On one hand, it’s a high-end mall aimed at people who have a few grand to spend on…
Jerusalem
For those interested in exploring their Jewish ancestry, head to the Kotel administration building to try out this computer-based multimedia program…
Dubai
Al Barsha Pond Park is a welcome patch of greenery surrounding a pretty manmade lake where you can hire a kitsch swan boat for a paddle around the water…
Jerusalem
Yet another high-quality archaeology museum in the city, this one run by the Franciscans and showcasing their New Testament–period collection of artefacts…
East Jerusalem
Within a school complex (the Dar Al Tifil Al Arabi Institute) in a 19th-century building, this museum provides a useful primer on ancient and modern…
Kuwait City
This large market hall has rows of stalls selling all manner of morsels from the sea. Vendors tout their catch of the day, which may include anything from…
Jebel Akhdar
This tiny hamlet clinging to the edge of the cliff, below Diana's Viewpoint, is typical of the villages on the Saiq plateau. Growing an assortment of…
Iran
A fascinating museum of Kurdish culture awaits in a restored two-storey mansion dating back to the Safavids, complete with subterranean hammam. Mannequins…
Saudi Arabia
An excellent guided tour in English takes visitors through this private museum's interesting collection, which includes models showing the evolution of…
Tripoli
Believed to date from the 14th century when it was used by Egyptian merchants, this dilapidated khan is home to several friendly soapmakers, including,…
Jerash
The vaulted passageway under the courtyard of the Temple of Zeus is a good starting point in Jerash's ancient city. When your eyes become accustomed to…
Manama
This handsome twin-arched gate is a fitting entrance to Manama Souq. Built by Sir Charles Dalrymple Belgrave, British adviser to the royals, in 1949, the …
Jerusalem
The Mauristan, a Persian word meaning 'hospital' or 'hospice', has a 19th-century fountain at its centre and leads to two souqs (one full of butcher shops…
Southeastern Iran
Although possibly 9th-century in origin, the main core of Qa'en's bulky central mosque predominantly dates from a 1394 rebuild funded by a Timurid…
Wadi Musa
Awaiting the completion of a new home (currently being built across from the Petra Visitor Centre), this excellent exhibition makes the most of more than…
Decorative Arts Museum of Iran
Esfahan
Housed in a building that once served as stables and warehouse to Safavid kings, this small museum contains a fine collection from the Safavid and Qajar…
Jeddah
One of Jeddah’s best-restored old coral houses, Naseef House belonged to one of Jeddah’s most powerful trading families and was later a royal residency…
Amman
This street in Jebel Amman is a destination in itself. Ammanis come here every evening to promenade and to visit the many great cafes and restaurants – to…
Qeshm Island
Qeshm’s main settlement, Qeshm Town lies on the far-eastern tip of the island. Many Iranians come here to shop in one of the numerous duty-free malls…
Sharjah
It's impossible for the desert to miss the rain with the opening of this installation, where you can walk beneath a never-ending downpour of 2500 litres…
Qeshm Island
In the local dialect, harra is the word for grey mangrove, and this protected area is the Persian Gulf’s largest mangrove forest – a definite must-see for…
Qeshm Island
This picturesque village enjoys a long beach where hawksbill and green turtles lay their eggs between April and July. Residents of Shibderaz work in…
Hajar Mountains
Just east of Al Ayn, there's a small roundabout (beyond which lies Wadi Damm); a right turn here leads up a winding paved road to a broad fertile plateau…
Amman
The row of columns immediately in front (north) of the Roman Theatre is all that’s left of the forum, once one of the largest public squares (about 100m…
Golan Heights
The orchards here grow four kinds of cherries, three kinds of plums and five kinds of mulberries as well as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and…
Iran
Built for the sardar (military governor) of Qajar Shah Muzaffar al-Din (r 1896–1907), this striking two-storey mansion sits amid 11 hectares of orchards…
Southeastern Iran
As you walk east into the Bazar-e Sartasari from Tohid Sq, turn left at the first 12-sided charsoq (junction) to find shops selling shiny copper-plated…
Manama
Built in 2008, these 240m-high, 50-floor office towers were inspired by the traditional badqeers (wind towers) seen in historic Bahraini homes. They are…
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