Highlights - Essential Info - Itineraries - History - Hotels
- Musandam Peninsula & Damaniyat Islands
- Muscat
- Nizwa & the Forts
- Salalah & the Dhofar Region
- Sohar & Surrounds
- Sur & Surrounds
- Wahiba Sands
Muscat
Muscat, the capital of Oman, is a perfect blend of old and new and the city enjoys a dramatic setting with the mountains on one side and the Arabian Sea on the other. The city itself was founded over 900 years ago and at its core are the three districts of Muttrah, Ruwi and Muscat.
It is home to 500,000 people as well as the Grand Mosque and many forts, castles, souqs, traditional houses, watchtowers and excellent museums.
The old port district of Muscat is the site of the Sultan’s main palace and a fascinating place to spend a few hours exploring. The two Portuguese forts Jalali and Mirani dramatically guard the entrance to Muscat and serve as sentinels to the Sultan’s palace. Built in 1587 and 1588 respectively, these forts were once vital points of defence for the city. Both of them are still used today by the police and the military.
Oman’s cultural heritage is well preserved in Muscat’s many excellent museums and the famous Muttrah market, a traditional Omani souq, is certainly worth a visit. This old market of Muttrah, despite the many modern shopping centres, is still an important supply centre for Omanis and everything from spices to household items, fabrics, toys, antiques, gold and silver can be found here.
Our preferred hotels include:
Shangri-La's Barr al Jissah Resort & Spa
Al Bustan Palace
The Chedi Muscat
InterContinental Muscat
Crowne Plaza Muscat
Radisson SAS Hotel Muscat
Grand Hyatt Muscat
