5 Interesting Cities to Visit in The Middle East
1. Dubai
This global city offers an extravagant lifestyle combined with luxury and hi-tech facilities. It is a city in the country of United Arab Emirates (UAE). Located on the eastern coast of the Arabic peninsula.
This city is renowned across the globe for its international trade, innovation, modern outlook, and tourist destinations.
You can visit the world’s tallest free-standing tower (The Burj Khalifa) or do your shopping in the latest trendy and glitzy shopping malls of the future.
A plethora of international multi-cuisine restaurants whip up some of the world’s favorite delicacies day in and day out.
So treat your taste buds with some gastronomical delights you would probably try for the very first time.
You will also find 7-star luxury hotels like the Burj Al Arab that offers a spectacular service.
Dubai is one of the largest and most populated cities in the UAE. About 3,137,000 residents from over 200 nationalities reside in this city.
Dubai is strategically located and offers various tax-free benefits and some mind-blowing entertainment opportunities.
This makes this extravagant city one of the leading holiday destinations of the world.
It offers a rich Arab culture with many world-class museums giving a glimpse of its rich and varied heritage.
Dubai is known for its luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture, and a lively nightlife scene.
Burj Khalifa does dominate the skyscraper-filled skyline. At its foot lies Dubai Fountain, with jets and lights choreographed to awesome music creating a surreal experience.
On artificial islands just offshore is Atlantis, The Palm, a resort with water and marine-animal parks.
You will also find a snow world here with facilities to enjoy skiing!
Don’t forget to take your digital camera, backpack, caps, and sunglasses to stay cool and protected while clicking some awesome pictures of the wonderful stuff you see around.
Top places to visit in Dubai
- Burj Khalifa
- Palm Jumeirah
- Burj Al Arab
- Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
- The Dubai Mall
- Global Village Dubai
2. Kuwait City
This Awesome, modern Jewel in the Middle East is situated on the Arabian Peninsula, bordering the northwestern part of the Persian Gulf and is the capital of the country Kuwait.
It shares its borders with Iraq and Saudi Arabia and has few islands like Bubiyan, Warbah, and Failaka situated off the coast of the mainland.
With an area of 17,818 km², the Kuwait emirate is somewhat smaller than twice the size of Cyprus.
Arabic is the official language of Kuwait and it is spoken widely.
At the heart of this city sits the Grand Mosque, known for its vast decorated interior and chandeliered dome.
On the mesmerizing waterfront, you can find the late-19th-century Seif Palace featuring a neo-Arabic watchtower and the beautifully manicured gardens.
Just next to it is the Kuwait National Museum, which explores the history of the place. It also features special science shows at its planetarium.
Enjoy strolling through the Souk Al-Mubarakiya, a vast food, and a handicraft market dressed casually in your jeans and T-shirts.
Soak in the sounds, flavors, and fragrance of this unique city and enjoy your visit.
Top places to visit in Kuwait city
- The Avenues
- Souk Al-Mubarakiya
- Al Shaheed Park
- Kuwait Towers
- Grand Mosque
- Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Center
3. Muscat
Muscat is a beautiful port city and the capital of the country, Oman. It is surrounded by rugged mountains, deserts, and the Arabian sea. This is the largest city in Oman and has a population of about 630,000. The urban landscape of Oman is filed with low-lying white buildings.
Having an illustrious history dating back to antiquity, it subtly blends the modern high-rises and upscale shopping malls with clifftop landmarks such as the 16th-century Portuguese forts, Al Jalali and Mirani, elegantly looming over Muscat Harbor creating a fascinating sight.
Muscat has numerous mosques that include the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Ruwi Mosque, Saeed bin Taimoor, and Zawawi Mosque.
Its modern, marble-clad Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, with a 50m dome and prodigious Persian carpet, can accommodate about 20,000 people.
You can visit a number of museums that highlight the rich history and culture of Oman.
Some of the popular museums are the Museum of Omani Heritage and the National Museum of Oman.
The Opera house is a beautiful building to visit. One of the most notable new projects is the Oman National Museum.
It is an architectural jewel along with the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.
Muscat ́s economy is dominated by trade. The popular traditional exports of the city include dates, Nacre, and fish.
Many of the souks of Muttrah sell these items and traditional Omani artifacts which are quite unique and distinct.
Don’t forget to carry your sunglasses, binoculars, scarves, and jackets if you are traveling during the winter.
If you love outdoor activities try exploring the rocky Western Al Hajar mountains along with your camping and hiking gear.
The summer months are hot and the winters are quite cool, so plan your visit and pack your stuff accordingly.
Top Places to visit in Muscat
- Mutrah Corniche
- Grand Mosque Muscat
- Royal Opera House, Muscat
- Wadi Bani Khalid
- Yitti Beach
- Bait Al Zubair
4. Jeddah
This is a stunning Saudi Arabian port city on the Red sea. It is a modern commercial hub with luxurious Resort hotels, beaches, and outdoor sculptures that line the Corniche, a seafront promenade anchored by the truly iconic King Fahd’s Fountain.
This city’s Al-Balad historic district dates back to the 7th century and it still retains some of its original traditional homes built from coral.
Jeddah is an ultra-modern city located in the Makkah Province and is also the largest seaport on the Red sea an important international sea route.
This is an important trade center and commercial hub of Saudi Arabia and also the second biggest city after the capital Riyadh.
The population of this big city currently stands at over 3.4 million inhabitants.
Jaddah is the Arabic word for "grandmother" and is also the principal gateway to Mecca, the holy city of Islam.
Jeddah is one of the most cosmopolitan and tolerant of all the cities of Saudi Arabia, hosting a huge number of expatriates from all over the world.
It's also the second most popular commercial center in the Middle East, after Dubai.
Jeddah has a large number of modern open-air sculptures and works of art, mostly located around the beautiful roundabouts, making the city one of the largest outdoor art galleries in the world.
So pack your travel bags and essentials to discover this majestic city.
Top Places to visit in Jeddah
- Red Sea Mall
- Al-Balad
- King Fahd's Fountain
- Jeddah Corniche
- Mall of Arabia
- Fakieh Aquarium
5. Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It sits off the mainland on an island in the Persian Gulf. This city boasts of offering a unique blend of business-cum-leisure facilities ranging from luxurious hotels, spas, convention centers, golf courses, theaters, and world-famous museums.
Its focus on oil exports and commerce is reflected by the skyline’s ultra-modern towers and shopping megacenters such as Abu Dhabi and Marina malls.
Beneath white-marble domes, you can find the vast Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque that features an extra-ordinary and elaborately decorated Persian carpet, massive crystal chandeliers, and offers a capacity of 41,000 worshipers.
The glitzy and dazzling shopping malls and indigenous souqs make it a haven for shopping enthusiasts.
Foodies can enjoy some gastronomic feasts from a multitude of restaurants offering global cuisines.
The charming corniche offers ample opportunities for jogging or cycling around the beautifully landscaped pathways near the beachfront.
All this is possible merely minutes away from the bustling city center.
Abu Dhabi emirate adjoins the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman.
Occupying almost 87% of the country’s total area, Abu Dhabi emirate covers around 67, 340km², which comprises mostly desert, including part of the Empty Quarter (Rub Al Khali) and salt flats/sabkha. Abu Dhabi’s coastline extends to over 400 km in length.
Top Places to visit in Abu Dhabi
- Ferrari World
- Louvre Abu Dhabi
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
- Heritage Village
- Emirates Palace
- Qasr Al Hosn
