Northern Saudi Arabia
Built in 1875 towards the end of the Ottoman period as the headquarters of the municipality, this rectangular fort with its surveillance tower and small…
Must-see attractions in Middle East
Oman
At the first bend in the road that leads through Wadi Bani Kharus from the village of Al Awabi, there's a great slab of smooth pale-grey rock on the…
Shiraz
Built in the 19th century over the tomb of Emir Ali, a nephew of Shah Cheragh who also died here while en route to Khorasan to help Imam Reza, this shrine…
Qatar
These striking triple-decker towers were built in the late 19th century in a T-shaped design unique to the Gulf. Restored in 2003, the 16m high towers…
Wadi Musa
Moses' Spring is one of two possible locations in Jordan for the site where Moses supposedly struck the rock with his staff and water gushed forth to the…
Kuwait City
Not to be confused with the distinctive Kuwait Towers, the striking Liberation Tower, with its UFO-like saucer, is the second-tallest tower in Kuwait. At…
Tel Aviv
Located in a cul de sac at the end of Bialik St, which is full of significant Bauhaus-style buildings, this cultural centre comprises two galleries where…
Southeastern Iran
The Masjed-e Jameh's four lofty iwans originally date from 1349, though there was extensive modernisation during the Safavid and later periods. Instead of…
Abu Dhabi
These two shady parks straddling 4th St and spreading along the Corniche fill up with families, joggers and picnickers in the early evening. The…
Manama
Malls have conquered Manama in a big way, but the antidote lies in this earthy vestige of Old Bahrain, located off Lulu Ave. Fruit and veg dominates the…
Hajar Mountains
While Al Ayn has the best preserved beehive tombs, the largest concentration of these structures is to be found in Wadi Hajir, between Al Ayn and the…
Dead Sea Highway
Near the start of the climb up to Lot's Cave is the literally titled Lowest Point on Earth Museum. Shaped like a giant stone comma, it contains…
Jerusalem
A trio of narrow markets near the Mauristan still inhabits the narrow alleys established here during Crusader times. The boundaries between the three…
Aqaba
Located along the Corniche and incongruously squeezed between the marina and the Mövenpick Resort Hotel, Ayla is the site of the ancient port of Aqaba…
Iran
Although there’s now a green-domed Muslim prayer room here, the shrine’s real interest lies in the animistic rocks and trees behind it, which are draped…
Tel Aviv
Though it's still in need of some restoration work, a stop at this site provides some useful historical insight. Originally the home of Meir Dizengoff,…
Saudi Arabia
It doesn't have much of a lake, but this landscaped and well-maintained green park in one of Yanbu's affluent southern suburbs is a pleasant spot for…
Southeastern Iran
Housed in the Zand-era Soltani House with its two mini mosque-like iwans, this seven-room museum is unusually well arranged – the mannequins have a degree…
Iran
Hamadan's iconic 1954 BuAli Sina (Avicenna) Mausoleum dominates his namesake square and resembles a concrete crayon pointing to the heavens. It was…
Jordan
Once a grand Umayyad settlement, today Mushash lies in ruin. However, it’s still possible to get a sense of the original layout, and there are a number of…
Tel Aviv
Political history buffs will enjoy this research organisation's small museum that presents the history and activities of the Etzel (Irgun), an underground…
Dhofar
Tiny compared with its more bountiful neighbours, this spring collects in a small well in the middle of a rural road at the northern rim of the plain. Of…
Dhofar
The town’s main fort is now derelict despite being the site of the well-documented Battle of Mirbat. Nine soldiers kept 300 insurgents from taking Mirbat…
Saudi Arabia
Buraydah's city museum isn't one you are going to go out of your way to find. It's designed like a mini Najd fort, and has displays dominated by photos of…
Iran
Fronted with splendid blue tiling and filled with dazzling mirror-mosaics, this mostly contemporary imamzadeh just off the bazaar entombs Yahya bin Musa…
Jerusalem
Kids frolic in the fountains to cool off on hot days, and families picnic on the sloping lawn just outside Jaffa Gate and next to the Artists' Colony…
Manama
This mosque, with squat onion domes resting on smooth lines and accentuated curves combining with more traditional local features, has a slightly art deco…
Ramallah
It appears that a visit to Ramallah is no longer complete without a stop at this towering statue of the late Nelson Mandela for a selfie. Unveiled in 2016…
Hajar Mountains
Opposite Bahla Fort, on the other side of Nizwa–Bahla Rd, rows of low-rise, arched buildings hide the entrance to a tiny traditional souq. A giant tree…
United Arab Emirates
Khor Fakkan's long corniche, meandering for several kilometres from the port to the Oceanic Khorfakkan Resort, is flanked by well-tended gardens with…
Southeastern Iran
The gold bazaar is tucked away to the northeast of Ganj Ali Khan Sq. In the middle of its countless jewellery shops is a small square where you'll come…
Saudi Arabia
After years of neglect, this evocative old Ottoman-era fort is finally being refurbished, and there are now plans to convert it into the city's museum…
Saudi Arabia
The highlight of this exhibition, which explains the context and historicity of Islam's holiest book, is a collection of nine original Qurans, the oldest…
Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art
Haifa
Founded in 1959 by art collector Felix Tikotin, this small, low-lit gallery immerses visitors in the sensory qualities of Japanese art. A visit here is…
Dhofar
Below the village of Ayoon there are some natural pools surrounded by tall stands of reeds and other vegetation. The pools are accessed along a 3km off…
Dubai
One of Dubai's oldest parks, pocket-sized Al Khazzan has been given a total reboot and is now entirely solar-powered, giving it the right to the title to…
Jerusalem
This medieval chapel is the home of the small Syrian Orthodox congregation in Jerusalem, who believe that it occupies the site of the home of St Mark’s…
Oman
Enclosing a tidy acreage of the Batinah Plain, this enormous fortress has three circular towers and an unusual rectangular fourth tower. As with many of…
Iran
The attraction of the Khaneh Kolbadi museum is the 130-year-old building in which it's housed, which has the feel of a 18th-century khan's palace. The…
Riyadh
Al Elb Dam is a coveted wetland area within the city that offers miles of date-palm-lined walkways and shaded picnic spots. Visitors can stroll across the…
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