Must-see attractions in Muscat

  • Interior of the Mutrah souk in Muscat, the capital of the sultanate of Oman.

    Mutrah Souq

    Muscat

    Many people come to Mutrah Corniche just to visit the souq, which retains the chaotic interest of a traditional Arab market albeit housed under modern…

  • Grand Mosque

    Muscat

    Quietly imposing from the outside, this glorious piece of modern Islamic architecture was a gift to the nation from Sultan Qaboos to mark his 30th year of…

  • The Sultan's Palace. Muscat, Oman

    Sultan’s Palace

    Muscat

    If you stand by the harbour wall on Mirani St, the building to the right with the delightful mushroom pillars in blue and gold is the Sultan’s Palace. On…

  • Sunset in Muscat

    Mutrah Corniche

    Muscat

    Mutrah stretches along an attractive corniche of latticed buildings and mosques; it looks spectacular at sunset when the light casts shadows across the…

  • Bait Al Zubair

    Muscat

    In a beautifully restored house, this much-loved privately owned museum exhibits Omani heritage in thematic displays of traditional handicrafts, furniture…

  • National Museum

    Muscat

    Housed in an imposing new building in the heart of Old Muscat, the National Museum makes a fitting consort for the Sultan's Palace opposite. The emphasis…

  • View of Old Muscat

    Al Mirani Fort

    Muscat

    Sixteenth-century Al Mirani Fort was built by the Portuguese at the same time as nearby Al Jalali Fort. Although closed to the public, its presence looms…

  • Golden jewellery at a souk in Dubai

    Mutrah Gold Souq

    Muscat

    A visit to Mutrah Souq wouldn't be the same without a stroll through the narrow alleys that house the glittering gold shops. The bridal gold, worked into…

  • Sohar

    Muscat

    Just outside Al Bustan Palace Hotel, opposite the imposing parliament buildings, a small roundabout is home to Sohar, a boat named after the hometown of…

  • Marina Bandar Al Rowdha

    Muscat

    Apart from offering a full range of boating amenities, Marina Bandar Al Rowdha is a popular launching point for a range of water sports, including fishing…

  • Ghalya's Museum of Modern Art

    Muscat

    This delightful little museum, which encompasses both a modern art gallery and an old furnished house, encapsulates something of the excitement of the new…

  • Sultan’s Armed Forces Museum

    Muscat

    Despite the name, this excellent museum is far more than just a display of military hardware. The collection is housed in Bayt Al Falaj, built in 1845 as…

  • Al Jalali Fort

    Muscat

    Guarding the entrance to the harbour to the east, Al Jalali Fort was built during the Portuguese occupation in the 1580s on Arab foundations. The fort is…

  • Qurm Beach

    Muscat

    A road runs along the edge of Qurm Nature Reserve towards the Crowne Plaza Muscat hotel, giving access to a long, sandy beach – a popular place for…

  • Bait Al Maqham

    Muscat

    Open on the whim of the gatekeeper, this fortified residence buried in a plantation in Bawshar is worth visiting for the location. Close to the city's…

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    Fish Market

    Muscat

    Despite being the capital's main port, Mutrah feels more like a fishing village. The daily catch is delivered to market, by the Marina Hotel, from sunrise…

  • Bait Al Baranda

    Muscat

    Housed in a renovated 1930s residence, this museum traces the history – and prehistory – of Muscat through imaginative, interactive displays and exhibits…

  • Natural History Museum

    Muscat

    The Ministry of National Heritage houses the small but quaint Natural History Museum. The museum is illuminating about the local flora and fauna, and…

  • Planetarium

    Muscat

    The Planetarium offers exciting free shows approximately once a month, helping to navigate the night sky. Visit here before heading out to the desert if…

  • PDO Oil & Gas Exhibition

    Muscat

    Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) is responsible for much of the rapid growth of infrastructure throughout the country, as outlined in the interesting…

  • Parliament Building

    Muscat

    This elegant building, completed in 2013, is home to the two houses of the Majlis Ash Shura, Oman's parliament. It is not open to the public, but it does…

  • Mutrah Fort

    Muscat

    Built by the Portuguese in the 1580s, this fort dominates the eastern end of Mutrah harbour. Used for military purposes, it has at long last reopened to…

  • Al Riyam Park

    Muscat

    Beyond Mutrah Fort, the Corniche leads to the leafy Al Riyam Park, with fine views of the harbour from the giant ornamental incense burner. There is a…

  • Omani-French Museum

    Muscat

    With galleries detailing relations between the two countries, this museum provides an interesting snapshot of mostly 19th-century colonial life in Muscat…

  • Muscat Gate Museum

    Muscat

    Straddling the road between the Corniche and the old walled city, this museum, with the original gates used until the 1970s to keep land-bound marauders…

  • Watchtower

    Muscat

    The restored Portuguese watchtower on a promontory out to sea, halfway along Mutrah Corniche, affords a view of the ocean and the grand sweep of Mutrah's…

  • Children’s Museum

    Muscat

    Children love this small museum (in a well-signposted domed building near Qurm Park) as it has been designed to be specifically intuitive and tactile with…

  • Kalbuh Bay Park

    Muscat

    Kalbuh Bay Park juts into a sea that's boiling with sardines. Located at the end of the Corniche, it makes a good pausing place on a hike between Mutrah…

  • Ruwi Clock Tower

    Muscat

    This modern clock tower, opposite Muscat's Chamber of Commerce, has become one of the landmarks of Ruwi. It presides over a pleasant park that attracts…

  • Marah Land

    Muscat

    Set inside the attractively landscaped Qurm Park, this funfair (with Ferris wheel and an ever-growing number of rides) is a local favourite. Restaurants,…

  • Qurm Park

    Muscat

    This large and attractive park boasts a lake and shade for picnics. A fun park called Marah Land sits alongside, inviting families to make a day of it.

  • Qurm Nature Reserve

    Muscat

    Protecting a rare stretch of mangrove, this reserve is closed to visitors. That said, it's possible to sit in adjacent coffee shops and do some…

  • Marsa Plaza

    Muscat

    The open-air heart of Al Mouj residential and tourism complex, this delightful shaded public space is by the marina and catches the sea breeze. The avant…

  • Burj Al Sahwa

    Muscat

    Marking the approach to the capital's main military camp, this attractive roundabout with its seafaring murals and proud clock tower has become a major…

  • Al Sahwa Park

    Muscat

    This perfectly manicured park offers a peaceful retreat from the city. The carefully trimmed trees offer shade, while fragrant shrubs make for a redolent…

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