Israel
More than 380 of Israel's major sights are shrunk to Lilliputian proportions at this cheerful and child-friendly amusement park. Pathways lead you among…
Must-see attractions in Middle East
Saudi Arabia
As recently as half a century ago, many residents of Farasan Town still lived here. Now this collection of simple mud, coral and reed structures, many…
Masirah Island
Jebel Humr (274m) is the highest point of Masirah’s hilly backbone and a climb up this flat-topped mountain is recommended for the wonderful view of the…
Bur Dubai
Until the completion of a new temple in Abu Dhabi in 2020, only a tiny and ageing double-shrine, tucked behind the Grand Mosque since 1958, serves the UAE…
Jordan
Located in a stunning old villa of basaltic rock that's located just behind the town hall, this museum is an interesting diversion. Built in 1886 by the…
North Coast
This square little building is fronted with Jerusalem stone and topped with a small red dome. The shrine is dedicated to Abu Ibrahim, who the Druze…
Tehran
This white, twin-spired church, a centre for Christianity in the Islamic Republic, sits at the southern edge of the city's Armenian quarter. Built between…
Jerusalem
The 1st Station, where Pontius Pilate is said to have condemned Jesus, is inside the working Islamic Al Omariyeh school near Lions' (St Stephen's) Gate…
Iran
The extraordinarily high, if austere, west iwan of the Masjed-e Jameh dates from a 1424 rebuild, rising above a bare-brick octagonal prayer hall. But the…
North Coast
Guided tours lead visitors through the turbulent life of Aaron Aaronsohn (1876–1919), a noted agronomist and botanist who, along with his family, founded…
Iran
Though not one of Semnan's classic caravanserai villages, Padeh's sizeable shattered citadel, dating back at least 1500 years, has been so eroded by water…
Haifa
Ukraine-born artist Emmanuel Mané-Katz (1894–1962) was an influential member of the early-20th-century School of Paris and is best known for his colourful…
Jerash
The south decumanus at Jerash once served as the Roman town's main east–west axis. At the eastern end is the modern mosque. Take the left fork from the…
KOC Ahmad Al Jaber Oil & Gas Exhibition
Kuwait
Costing around KD18 million (US$59 million) to build, the most recent Kuwait Oil Company exhibition teaches visitors about Kuwait's biggest business. Nine…
Bahrain
This grand white stone building, complete with neoclassical pillars, looks odd surrounded by nodding donkeys and sprawling pipelines, but this is where …
Tel Aviv
For decades, this spacious public square along Tel Aviv’s commercial Dizengoff St was the popular domain of skateboarders, punk rockers and pigeons. But…
Northern Saudi Arabia
This is one of the substations located just before the Hejaz Railway terminated at the holy city of Medina. Today this tiny station block and its fort –…
West Bank
One of a number of soap factories open to visitors in Nablus, Touqan opened in 1872, and the techniques of soap making here have not changed much since…
Nazareth
Built in the late 1700s by Sheikh Abdullah Al Fahum – his tomb can be seen through a glass door off the sanctuary – this mosque is known for its long…
Iran
Sang-e Shir is a walrus-sized lump of rock eroded beyond recognition by the rubbing of hands over 2300 years. It was supposedly once a lion, but you’d…
Bahrain
This traditional house was built in 1905 on reclaimed land by the Bin Matar pearl trading family, who lived here until 2002. Once surrounded by sea on…
Haifa
Split across two buildings, the City Museum examines Haifa's last century of history and features rotating exhibitions on contemporary life here. Most…
Riyadh
This museum is home to objects found during the Faw and Rabdha excavations (sites in the south and north of Saudi Arabia) by King Saud University in the…
Tel Aviv
Splendidly located on Rothschild Blvd, this museum chronicles the formation and activities of the Haganah, the paramilitary organisation that was the…
Iran
This unmissable eight-towered castle dominates the city centre from a rocky promontory. It looks especially dramatic when floodlit at night and offers…
Jerusalem
This 1540 building has a facade featuring handsome ablaq (coloured stone) and shallow muqarna (stalactite-style carvings), typical of Mamluk architecture.
Kuwait City
Forming part of the National Museum complex, this series of dark corridors is built like pre-oil Kuwaiti streets, with displays full of antiques, plus…
Jerusalem
A baroque-style synagogue, twinkling with gold vine leaves and decorative arches, is the focal point of this overlooked museum. Transported across the…
Northern Saudi Arabia
Al Sharim Beach feels delightfully remote. The beach is literally the desert arriving at the sea, complete with camels who wander freely in the area. The…
North Coast
About 5km north of Nahariya, Akhziv National Park has broad lawns, traces of a Phoenician port, and a small, shallow, family-friendly beach. Changing…
Tel Aviv
A simple bronze statue of Meir Dizengoff on horseback, Tel Aviv's founding mayor, sits in front of Independence Hall – Dizengoff's former home and where…
Iran
This well-presented but very small museum exhibits seventeen 20th-century Turkmen carpets, labelled with dates of production and styles. There are also a…
Sharjah
This museum goes a long way towards demystifying Emirati culture for visitors. Each of the five galleries examines different aspects of local life, from…
Saudi Arabia
This beautiful station was part of the extensive Hejaz Railway that brought pilgrims to Medina from as far away as Damascus in Syria. Built on the orders…
Nizwa
Nizwa was once a major centre for Islamic scholarship, and two aged mosques, among the oldest in the world, have survived since the early 7th century…
Dubai
This rare vestige of pre-oil times was built in 1955 as the summer retreat of Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the father of current ruler Sheikh…
Jerusalem
For those interested in exploring their Jewish ancestry, head to the Kotel administration building to try out this computer-based multimedia program…
Beirut
The Aïshti Foundation is a combination of seemingly strange bedfellows. On one hand, it’s a high-end mall aimed at people who have a few grand to spend on…
Oman
Beyond the date plantations that surround Nakhal Fort, this hot spring emerges from the wadi walls and is directed into a falaj (immigration channel) for…
North Coast
Glimpse into the creative mind of Marcel Janco at this 1983-built museum dedicated to his life and works. It was Janco’s idea to establish this community…
