Kuwait

Once the centre of trade before the nation found oil, Kuwait City's old souq has retained its sprawling, bustling glory. The historical centre of the market has been added to, with modern buildings and sub-markets of sorts. Wandering around is a wonderful sensory experience, with colourful stalls and air permeated with rich spices. Shoppers haggle over everything from olives and dates to ox tails.

The Kuwait Towers, with their distinctive blue-green ‘sequins’, are the instantly recognisable symbols of the nation. Designed by a Swedish architectural firm, they opened in 1979. The largest of the three rises to a height of 187m. Guests can visit a gift shop, viewing platform and an international buffet restaurant. The standard ticket price includes entry to the 360-degree viewing deck at 120m. The entry fee is waived if you eat at the restaurant, offering views at 82m.

This exceptional cultural centre has stunning galleries that contain some of the highlights of the world-class Al Sabah Collection, part of which was in the National Museum before the Iraqi invasion. With informative labels in English and Arabic, videos with experts explaining the pieces and some exquisite sculptures and archaeological finds of great antiquity from across the region, it's everything the National Museum could be, albeit on a smaller scale.

It's easy to spend a whole day in Kuwait's largest urban park, which has jogging and walking paths covering more than 2km. The green space contains botanical gardens, a lake and palm trees galore, plus restaurants and two museums (the Habitat and Memorial Museums). Just outside the main park area is a cycle track and designated 'resting place' for migrating birds. Fully lit at night, the park is a nice outdoor space to explore of an evening during the warmer months.

Housed in the basement of a large villa, this exquisite ethnographic museum should not be missed. There are inlaid musical instruments suspended in glass cabinets, Omani silver and Saudi gold jewellery, headdresses from the humble prayer cap to the Mongol helmet, costumes worn by princesses and goat herders, necklaces for living goddesses in Nepal, Jaipur enamel and Bahraini pearls. Despite all these superbly presented pieces, it's the Arabic manuscripts in the Calligraphy Museum that give the collection its international importance.

The largest of the city’s 800 mosques, opened in 1986, completely survived the Iraqi invasion. It cost KD14 million (US$46 million) to build, with extravagant features including a palm tree-lined courtyard, stained glass from France and Italian marble detailing, plus mosaics from Morocco, chandeliers from Germany, teak wood from India and a striking gold-plated central dome. Tours are provided by knowledgeable staff and cover Kuwaiti culture and a peek into the emir's private room. Women must wear an abaya (full-length robe-like dress) and a headscarf (both provided).

In the residential suburb of Qurain, this excellent small museum is a sobering memorial to a cell of young Kuwaitis who tried to resist Iraqi arrest in February 1991. The house, still in its post-attack state (fully supported with beams) has the bullet holes and signs of destruction caused by grenades and a tank. Signs show where the Kuwaitis fought and hid during the siege. An exhibition displays the weapons used in the battle, including kalashnikovs, tanks and shotguns.

As unique as dining gets in Kuwait, this atmospheric restaurant is set on the huge Mohammedi II dhow. Built in Kozhikode, India, in 1979, it's made of fine teak wood, 2.5 tonnes of copper and 8.8 tonnes of iron nails. Dishes include whole Omani lobster, Gulf shrimp skewers and grilled Kuwaiti zubeidi fish. It's a popular experience, so book in advance.

For a brilliantly bizarre art-in-action experience, visit this residential house covered with mirror mosaics. It's the creation of gloriously eccentric Italian-Kuwaiti artist Lidia Al Qattan, who entertains with her stories and explanations of each room, including a mirror-clad bathroom and cosmos-themed room. Work on the house started in 1966 and was finished in 2006, requiring some 70 tonnes of mirror.

The largest shopping mall in Kuwait, and the second largest in the Middle East, is quite an experience. Within its different zones, it has long palm tree-lined shopping 'avenues' designed like European streets, with similar shopfront architecture to Venice or London (some with mock 2nd floors, windows, arches, ornate alcoves and flower boxes). More than just a place to shop, it's a destination and hang-out space for Kuwaitis, who promenade these 'streets' of an evening in their national dress.