The third-largest emirate after Abu Dhabi and Dubai, declared the cultural capital of the Arab world by UNESCO, a green city with an amazing lagoon, beautiful parks… Sharjah has everything and even a little more! Who knows, he will agree. If you don’t know, find out sooner: once you visit this fabulous place, then, barely noticing the picture “sun, ocean, beach” somewhere on social networks, you almost unconsciously whisper: “OK, Google! Sharjah, hotel, tickets, urgent…” Then you don’t remember anything… and now you are slapping barefoot along the edge of the Persian Gulf… Or Oman, which is also great! After all, Sharjah is the only one of the seven emirates that have access to both the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.
Only five hours of flight, and already the Holiday International hotel opens its doors to you, and behind them – the perfect combination of traditional Arabic hospitality and modern luxury. The city center, very close to the Corniche and the Al-Kasba canal, and the rooms – silence and comfort, each with free Wi-Fi. The windows offer wonderful views of the lagoon and the city, there is a playground and a swimming pool with comfortable water heating. Of course, in the restaurant, you will find incredible Arabic cuisine, generous for both meat lovers and fish lovers.
After having a hearty swim and a hearty dinner, it’s time to move on to the second part of the program, which is easy to implement due to the hotel’s good location – all the sights of the city are within walking distance.
Light gait
Sharjah is a bit conservative: alcohol is prohibited here, clothing is stricter, there are no hookah cafes. But here, than anywhere else in the Emirates, there are more alternative entertainments – unique museums, galleries, and theaters – which could do honor to more than one European city. So, must have in Sharjah:
- cheer on a handsome driver by visiting the final round of the Formula 1 Aquatic World Championship in Khalid Lagoon. The race can be watched by simply walking along the coast;
- arrange such a cool shopping, which would be the envy of all the fashion gurus put together;
- sit in a cafe on the Al-Majaz embankment and admire the fountain (the third highest in the world). By the way, the Eye of the Emirates ferris wheel (the largest among the nearest resorts) is very close by: it offers a beautiful panorama of the city and the bay;
- see the King Faisal Mosque and marvel at its size: it can accommodate 3,000 parishioners at the same time.
For soul and heart
Museums are serious competition for walks in Sharjah – there are more than twenty of them. Of course, visiting all of them in one visit is simply unrealistic. However, there are places that you definitely cannot miss.
- Museum of Islamic Civilization. In his collection – Arabic manuscripts, the largest collection of coins in the Muslim world. And in the hall of science you can see one of the oldest maps of the world (over 1200 years old).
- Fort Al-Hish. Now it is an exhibition complex dedicated to urban history and the history of the life of the nobility.
- “Heart of Sharjah” – a picturesque old city with traditional local architecture.
- Golden (Blue) market, which is famous for original products. They say that here you can even buy chain mail or, for example, Aladdin’s lamp.
- A real Arab house, where the hostess will tell you about the traditional way of life, treat you with sweets and teach you how to wear local clothes.
- Al Noor Mosque, the only mosque in Sharjah that is open to all, regardless of religion.
- Landscape park on the island of Al Noor in the Khalid Lagoon opposite the mosque of the same name. Its main decoration is the pavilion with butterflies.
Interesting for children
Desert Park The Center for Science and Natural History includes three parts: a zoo with glazed corridors, from which it is convenient to observe wild animals; a natural history museum and a farm where you can not only watch domestic animals but also feed them.
Birdwatching Center A nature reserve where tourists are driven around a vast area in electric vehicles. There are special islands with binoculars and descriptions of the main types of feathered guests.
Aquarium Over 6,000 sq. m placed 20 pools. They are inhabited by about 250 species of fish. The tunnels through which visitors walk are also laid along the bottom of the reservoirs – this is especially liked by children. In addition to getting to know the inhabitants of the deep sea, in the complex, you can see mangroves and a mountain lake.
