Iran
This iconic Qajar mansion, one of several historic buildings in town that are undergoing excruciatingly slow renovations, hides seven courtyards behind…
Must-see attractions in Middle East
Bahrain
It can be a bit hit or miss as to whether you see any action here, but it's worth pulling over to admire the half-built wooden dhows (traditional cargo…
Iran
This 12th-century brick tower rises up 20m and was originally topped by a conical dome that has long since collapsed. The tower, surrounded by a small…
Iran
The ruins of a crumbling Mongol-era caravanserai lie directly opposite Farhad Tarash, some 200m on from the main Bisotun inscriptions.
Lebanon
The most interesting of the town's places of worship, this Byzantine-style Greek Orthodox church was built in the 19th century and features an elegant…
Jerash
Little remains of this church apart from the twin colonnades (picturesquely overgrown with wildflowers in spring) and the apse, which overlooks the…
Manama
Tucked away in a quiet southwest corner of Adliya, this longstanding gallery exhibits the oils and watercolours of its owner, Wahab Al Koheji, who…
Lebanon
Overlooking Batroun and the Mediterranean, this winery in Edde opens its 300-year-old farmhouse for tastings on Saturdays between 10am and noon. Bookings…
Iran
Inside a historic bathhouse, fronted with charmingly naive Qajar-era picture tiles, this museum displays 3000-year-old pottery from the archaeological…
Shiraz
The 30-minute climb to the summit of this hill is rewarded by fine views across the city. It is probably best to stick to daylight hours for a visit as…
Shiraz
The northern spur of its famous neighbour, Bazar-e Vakil, across Karim Khan-e Zand Blvd, this Qajar-era bazaar is fringed with shops along Zand Blvd…
Umm Qais
The thick stone doors of this Roman tomb outside the main archaeological area still swing on ancient hinges. Nearby are the less notable tombs of Germani…
Jerash
The unassuming walls of these buildings don't look especially noteworthy, but they're interesting for adding another level of historical accretion in…
Iran
The horseman statue facing down Sa'di St mall from Shohoda Sq depicts Kuchuk Khan, the Jangali leader of ‘Soviet Iran’.
Nizwa
This grand double-arched gateway straddles Hwy 21, along the original Muscat–Nizwa road. The watchtowers that form the uprights of the gateway seem aged,…
Amman
Near the Citadel's archaeological museum is the small Byzantine Basilica, most of which has been destroyed by earthquakes. It dates from the 6th or 7th…
Iran
The architecturally fanciful Sardar Mosque has a Qajar-style tri-lobed cornice, a beautifully brick-vaulted interior and a blocky clock-tower minaret…
Al Ula Antiquities & Heritage Museum
Al Ula
This small museum is attractively designed, with some intriguing and informative displays on the history, culture, flora and fauna of the area, as well as…
Dhofar
Recently restored, this old crenellated castle is set square to the sea as if designed to repel invaders. It's closed to the public but makes a photogenic…
Iran
A steady flow of well-wishers visits Kuchuk Khan's tomb (Manzariyeh St), sheltered by a contemporary brick gazebo with an intricate wooden roof. The tomb…
Iran
Sari's original main mosque is an unusual courtyard structure with Mazanderani tiled roofs. From some external angles it looks more like an old Italian…
Sharif Al Hussein Bin Ali Mosque
Aqaba
This grand and beautiful gleaming white mosque – an icon of Aqaba – is named for the great-great-grandfather of the current king, the emir of Mecca who…
North Coast
A good intro to Ein Hod's artistic community is this gallery of local sculptures and paintings. The exhibition space dates to 1953, when the creative…
Umm Qais
The North Theatre is overgrown and missing much of its original black-basalt stones, which were recycled by villagers in other constructions, but it's…
Abu Dhabi
In common with all mosques in the city, this beautiful mosque stands in nonalignment with the grid system, honouring the direction of Mecca instead. It is…
Iran
The extensive, much-restored covered bazaar slopes up from Modarres St. With a couple of dilapidated old caravanserai courtyards at the western end, it's…
Iran
Squatter and slightly older than St Stephanos Gregorian church next door, the Armenian Evangelical Church was built in 1886 and now serves as a museum of…
Iran
The massive Ali Qapu was originally a 16th-century gateway to the royal precinct, a kind of forbidden inner city. Today it’s a police post, so don’t take…
Lebanon
A boutique winery on four hectares in Marmama, this organic operation welcomes visitors to its vineyard and winery on weekends in spring and summer. Book…
Iran
In a back alley on a hill, this beautifully restored Qajar house has impressive views of Shushtar's ancient hydraulic system.
Umm Qais
The shells of a row of shops remain in the western section of what was once the colonnaded courtyard of the Basilica Terrace.
Iran
A church dedicated to Armenian saints Stephen and Gregory has existed on this site since the 1600s, though this latest incarnation dates from the early…
Riyadh
This unusual green and white clock tower in the shape of an Egyptian needle sits at the western end of Al Thumairi St in the old Riyadh neighbourhood of…
Iran
A popular local weekend excursion is to this dam 19km west of the centre, followed by chay at one of the riverside teahouses in Band (9km from Orumiyeh).
Iran
Spiked with blue-tiled baby minarets, Darvaza-e Arg is Semnan’s dinky but iconic Qajar-era city gate, with appealing tile murals adorning the northern…
Iran
Grandly tiled, the mosque's dome and minaret appear best at dawn and dusk, when they're framed by the giant revolutionary 'organ-pipes' monument of…
Iran
Dedicated to the daughter of the sixth Shia Imam, Ja'far al-Sadiq, this colourfully domed 14th-century shrine has a fine blue conical spire and Kufic…
Iran
This unadorned Ilkhanid Mongol–period brick shrine to Sufi mystic Sheikh Boraq is surrounded by the courtyard of a khanqah (dervish monastery).
Shiraz
On the north side of Karim Khan-e Zand Blvd, this Qajar-era bazaar caters largely to local shopping needs but makes for an interesting stroll nonetheless.
Iran
In a back alley surrounded by apartment blocks sits this 13th-century classic 12-sided, pyramid-roofed tomb tower that was once used to defend the city.
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