What to see in Oman, itinerary including the main places of interest in this state characterized by wonderful landscapes, including the Great Mosque of the Sultan in the capital Muscat.
Tourist information
The Sultanate of Oman is located in the south-eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula, bordered by the United Arab Emirates in the north-west, with Saudi Arabia in the west and with Yemen in the south-west.
It is washed by the Arabian Sea to the south and east, and by the Persian Gulf to the north east.
Oman offers spectacular landscapes, ranging from the infinite desert, formed by high copper-colored sand dunes, to verdant landscapes full of palm trees, banana trees, dates and coconut trees.
On the coast bordered by enchanting beaches, lapped by clear waters, populated by a great variety of fish and coral, there are lively fishing ports.
From the historical point of view there is no shortage of very interesting places, remains of ancient settlements that testify to the important past of this country.
Oman today is gradually opening up to the outside world, while paying attention to preserving its traditions and culture.
What see
Muscat, the capital of Oman founded in the first century AD, was in the past an important port, as it was at the center of the frankincense trade, a very refined incense, which was transported by ship from Southern Arabia to Rome, to Greece and in the Mediterranean.
Today Muscat is an elegant and orderly city, which has retained its traditional charm, managing to harmonize modernity with Arab culture.
In the old port area there are the Sultan's Great Mosque and the ancient walls, with the forts of Jalali and Mirani, while another fort rises above a hill.
All three forts were built around 1580, during the Portuguese occupation of the city.
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- Muscat (Oman): what to see in the capital
On the promenade, at a distance of 3 km north-west of Muscat, stands the commercial and residential district of Mutrah, with the famous souq and the fish market.
The city's aquarium is very beautiful and varied, populated by the typical fish of its sea.
Salalah is the second city of the sultanate, overlooking the Indian Ocean in an area affected by monsoons, therefore with climatic conditions different from the rest of the country, which make the landscape rich in vegetation.
Not far from the center, along the road that leads to Mughsail, there are very beautiful beaches and the ancient ruins of Al-Balid, the place where the ancient city of Zafar was located.
The excavations of the ancient port of Sumhuram arise in the territory of Khor Rori, the city which appears to be the first archeologically excavated port on the Arab coast, dating back to the period before the Christian era, founded in the third century BC. and abandoned perhaps for natural causes in the fifth century AD.
The remains of Sumhuram stand out on a limestone massif and are surrounded on three sides by a lagoon, fed by the wadi Darbat, a seasonal river.
Nizwa is a city dominated by the circular historical fort, one of the oldest in Oman, around which the traditional souq extends, with many local handicrafts.
The city is an important religious and commercial center, also from a cultural point of view, as the region to which it belongs has made a significant contribution to the sultanate, giving birth to poets, religious leaders and scientists.
In the region of Bahla, near the city of Nizwa, there is the archaeological site of Salut, an important place in Omani history, mentioned in various historical narratives.
