Jerash
Built about AD 165 and enlarged in 235, the beautiful little North Theatre was most likely used for government meetings rather than artistic performances…
Must-see attractions in Middle East
Mt Nebo
On top of Mt Nebo, this modest church, or more accurately basilica, was built around 4th-century foundations in 597 and has just undergone major…
Tourist Village of Abbas Barzegar & Family
Iran
The fluent English-speaking daughter of Abbas Barzegar acts as the tour guide around this one-of-a-kind family museum that showcases rural life in Bavanat…
Doha
One of the best libraries in the world, this incredible, spaceship-like structure contains a literary wonderland of two million books, including ancient…
Jerash
Two hundred metres north of the hippodrome is the imposing South Gate, which was likely constructed in AD 130 and originally served as one of four…
Jerusalem
The road leading from Lions' Gate into the heart of the Old City is known as Via Dolorosa or the Stations of the Cross. It’s the route that many…
East Jerusalem
Built above the remains of two previous churches, this Franciscan basilica crowns the site where Jesus is believed to have prayed through the night before…
Golan Heights
What's truly extraordinary about this 6th-century synagogue is that after it was destroyed in the great earthquake of 749 CE, the site, because of its…
East Jerusalem
Centuries of candle smoke have blackened the walls of this subterranean shrine, one of Christianity's holiest sites. According to tradition, this is the…
Esfahan
Built between 1648 and 1655 with the encouragement of the Safavid rulers, Kelisa-ye Vank in the Armenian neighbourhood of Jolfa is the historic focal…
Doha
One of the best and most beautiful green spaces along the Doha waterfront, Museum of Islamic Art Park is home to Richard Serra's vertical steel sculpture,…
Downtown Dubai
This dancing fountain is spectacularly set in the middle of a giant lake against the backdrop of the glittering Burj Khalifa. Water undulates as…
Bur Dubai
In the early 1900s this historical area was Dubai's trading hub, during a period when the pearl diving industry was being developed. Stretching some 1.8km…
Dead Sea
This public facility goes under the full title of Amman Beach Tourism Resort, Restaurant & Pools. The beach, 2km south of the main resort strip, gives…
Dead Sea Highway
This wonderful reserve, which ranges from an altitude of 900m above sea level to 400m below, was originally established by the Royal Society for the…
Jerash
Built sometime between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD, this ancient sports field (244m by 50m) was once surrounded by seating for up to 15,000 spectators,…
North Coast
Founded in 1949, the same year as the kibbutz, the world's first Holocaust museum focuses on the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The kibbutz founders considered…
Haifa
Though it’s primarily a pilgrimage site, modestly dressed visitors are allowed to enter this domed shrine holding the remains of the Báb, spiritual…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Paralleling the beachfront for about 1km, The Beach at JBR is an open-plan cluster of low-lying, urban-style buildings wrapped around breezy plazas…
Doha
One of Doha's best hangout spots, TaliaMare is set on a pretty beach, among pastel-coloured houses, and has a chilled-out vibe and music reminiscent of…
Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant
Israel
Crowned with a statue of Mary carrying the infant Jesus, this hilltop church was built on the site of Kiryat Ya’arim, believed by many Christians to be…
Dubai
Just north of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, this public beach (also known as Sunset Beach) is perfect for snapping that envy-inducing selfie with the Burj Al…
Haifa
Kid-friendly science exhibits fill this elegant 1912 building, including hands-on displays in the astronomy rooms, optical illusions and a hall of mirrors…
Aqaba
The fort (currently closed for renovation with no set reopening date) was built between 1510 and 1517, as attested by the Arabic inscriptions inside the…
Doha
Visitors can walk through this sculpture, comprised of seven steel plates – a number with special spiritual significance in Qatari and Islamic culture –…
Saudi Arabia
The biggest miqat (pilgrim station) complex in Saudi Arabia, this fort-like mosque rises up like a North African kasbah on the southwestern edge of Medina…
Jordan
Located in the Ajloun Highlands, this small (just 13 sq km) but vitally important nature reserve was established by the Royal Society for the Conservation…
Tel Aviv
No visit to Tel Aviv is complete without a seaside stroll, and after recent renovations to the city’s boardwalk (tayelet in Hebrew), it is an absolute…
Esfahan
Built at the very end of the 16th century as a residence for Shah Abbas I, this six-storey palace also served as a monumental gateway to the royal palaces…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
This clean, wonderful playground has plenty of facilities, including showers, toilets and changing rooms housed in distinctive panelled pods. Kids can…
Lebanon
Producing a range of wines made with grapes from its three vineyards (one at Basbina in the hills above Batroun, one in Jezzine and another in the Bekaa…
Wadi Rum
The western flank of Wadi Rum is formed by Jebel Rum (1754m), which towers over Rum village. It is a popular destination for scramblers and climbers who…
Shiraz
Sayyed Mir Ahmad, one of Imam Reza’s 17 brothers, was hunted down and killed by the caliphate on this site in AD 835 and his remains are housed in a…
Madaba
This insignificant-looking church contains a remarkable mosaic dedicated to the Twelve Apostles. The embroidery-like mosaic was created in AD 568 and is…
Oman
This spectacular wadi is a major artery through the mountains and often flows year-round with spring water. It looks particularly gorgeous when mountain…
Jerash
Before you finish exploring ancient Jerash, visit this compact museum and visitor centre just above the forum. It houses a small but worthwhile selection…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Views of the mainland skyline are one of the most memorable aspects of a day at this family-orientated club at the swish Fairmont Hotel. Parents get to…
Oman
These government-protected rocky islands, around an hour’s boat ride off the Batinah coast, are rich in marine life and make an exciting destination for…
Jerash
Though most of it has collapsed, this temple has imposing 15m-high columns that are some of Jerash's most dramatic. The thick walls of the sanctum still…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Stretching skyward for 307m, it may not be the tallest residential tower in the Dubai Marina, but it's certainly a building with twist: a 90-degree spiral…
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