Muscat is certainly the most famous city in Oman and offers its visitors a number of interesting places to visit. It is important to note that the sights in Muscat are spread throughout the city.
The best way to reach the most important sights in Muscat is by car or with a booked tour. There are several providers in the city who offer half-day tours and drive from place to place in an air-conditioned car. Alternatively, you can also book a trip on the hop-on hop-off bus. In this case, you should definitely find out in advance whether a cruise ship is anchored in the harbor. The bus only stops at various points in Muscat when cruise ships are in the port. If there is no ship in the harbor, the bus “only” does a sightseeing tour without stopping (the price is unchanged).
Certainly the most famous sight in Muscat is the Sultan Qabus Grand Mosque. It is located just outside the old town. If you are traveling on the main road between Muscat and Sib, you cannot miss the gleaming white building.
The mosque can also be visited free of charge by non-Muslims if they adhere to the rules of conduct and dress. The impressive building is open Saturday – Thursday from 8.30 – 11 am.
We visited the mosque and explored it on a tour. If you want to know more about it, you can read our article “Sultan Qabus Grand Mosque in Muscat“. Here you can also find out what you need to bear in mind during your visit.
Royal Opera House Muscat
The opera house is one of the most beautiful sights in Muscat. The Sultan’s love of music and especially opera prompted him to have this beautiful opera house built. He commissioned the same architect who had already designed the Grand Mosque, so it is hardly surprising that Italian marble and other precious building materials were used here too.
The stage and auditorium are truly reminiscent of a magnificent Italian opera house. Anyone wishing to attend a performance here must adhere to a strict dress code. Sports shoes and jeans are not allowed, styling and festive clothing is encouraged.
It is possible to visit the opera house at certain times.
Fish market
The fish market is one of the liveliest places in the city. This is where the traders sell their freshly caught fish.
The visit should preferably take place in the morning, when most of the traders are on site and the fish are in the ice-cold boxes. We were there in the morning, but during Ramadan. During this time, all public life is on hold during the day. As a result, the market was quite empty and there were very few goods on offer.
There is another market hall right next to the fish hall, where you can mainly buy fruit and vegetables.
Mutrah Souk
Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of the Orient! The lively souk of Mutrah in Muscat takes every visitor on a journey that appeals to all the senses.
As if enchanted, we stroll through winding alleyways that exude a touch of 1001 Nights. The alleyways here are covered with a wooden roof. This makes it a little shadier and more pleasant for the market traders and visitors.
Oriental scents of spices, incense and precious oils envelop our noses and invite us to shop. Artistic ceramics, finely chiseled wood carvings, fine silver jewelry and colorful fabrics are just some of the goods we discover here. As many tourists now visit the souk, there are also stores selling “cheap goods” and souvenirs. I have to admit, I’m not quite sure about some of the goods: is the typical Omani dagger really genuine or a cheap copy? In any case, it was beautiful.
In contrast to other souks I’ve experienced so far, the traders here weren’t particularly pushy. Of course you are approached, the trader wants to sell something, but you are not harassed or dragged into the store. However, once you have found something you like, you should definitely bargain. These are real tourist prices and are often twice as expensive as in other stores. So don’t be afraid to negotiate a lower price with courage and skill.
To the right and left of the main path through the souk are smaller alleyways with barbers, tailors and jewelers and just a stroll away from the vibrant main souk, the gold souk beckons with its splendor of glittering jewelry.
Mutrah Corniche
I’m not sure whether the Mutrah Corniche, the coastal road, is really a tourist attraction. The road connects the districts of Muscat with Mutrah and offers a really beautiful view of the Gulf of Oman. The view of the harbor is definitely worthwhile, however, as the Sultan’s impressive yacht is often anchored here.
I read in several sources that it was the promenade along the coast in the city and asked our tour guide about it. The statement elicited a disbelieving shake of his head. He didn’t know anyone who would go for a walk there. There’s no shade there, it’s very warm despite the sea breeze and he didn’t think it was nice either. But he agreed with my statement that tourists, especially from cruise ships, often walked along there. The cruise ships are moored in the nearby harbor and the path is a good place for a short shore leave because you can get to the fish market and the souk.
Whether you choose the coastal road as an excursion destination in Muscat or walk a few meters along the sea after the tour of the souk, the view of the sea is really beautiful! And if you walk a little further, you will reach one of the city’s most bizarre sights.
The incense burner in Riyam Park
One of the most unusual sights in Muscat is definitely the huge incense burner in Riyam Park.
The park is a beautiful area that offers one or two shady spots to relax. For children, there is a small amusement park with playgrounds, bumper cars, carousels and a train. Adults can enjoy picnic areas and cafés.
The white, oversized incense burner, which was erected in honor of Oman’s 20th National Day, stands on a small hill.
This immediately raised the question for me: why an incense burner? Frankincense from Oman is one of the best types of frankincense in the world. A sticky resin is harvested from the frankincense tree and dried. When the resin is burnt, in Oman the incense burner is used for this, an aromatic smoke is produced (we know it mainly from the Catholic Church).
The oversized incense burner can only be viewed from below.
Bait Al Zubair
The Bait Al Zubair is located in the old town of Muscat. It is a museum complex housed in small buildings. The Bait Al Bagh houses the main building of the museum, while other buildings include a gallery and a café.
At first we weren’t sure whether we really wanted to visit a museum during our half-day tour of the city. But I’m glad we didn’t miss out on this sight in Muscat. The visit gave me a better understanding of Omani culture and I learned a lot about the history of the city.
Our tour starts with a bit of history. The display boards and signage throughout the museum are always in English, so you can easily walk through the exhibition on your own.
In keeping with tradition, some areas of the museum are divided into “men’s rooms” and “women’s rooms”. The main focus here is on clothing. This differs not only according to gender, but also according to the area in which the person lives. I particularly liked the magnificent robes worn at a traditional wedding in some regions. Beautiful, often elaborately embroidered garments for men and women make the bride and groom look unforgettable.
In addition to clothing, there are also various weapons, jewelry, furniture and handicrafts on display. These show impressively what life was like in the Sultanate of Oman in the past.
The journey through time continues in another building. Here, part of the building has been preserved so that we can get an impression of how the Omanis used to live. We can visit a lounge, a bedroom and a small storage room.
If you take a final stroll through the garden, you will discover a lovingly designed layout that shows a miniature Omani village. In addition to the houses, the people in the village are also depicted in great detail. I could have stood here forever and always noticed something new.
Opening hours:
Saturday to Thursday: 9.30 am to 6.00 pm* *changed opening hours during Ramadan
Entrance fees:
Adults: 3 Omani Rial/approx. 8 Euro
Al Alam Palast
The colorful Al Alam Sultan’s Palace is located in the government district right by the sea. It can only be viewed from the outside, but it is still worth a visit.
Sultan Quabus commissioned an Indian architect to build a new sultan’s palace in 1970. It was to be built on the exact spot where the former Bayt al-Alma Palace had stood. This had been destroyed by insurgents.
You can walk towards the building along a wide boulevard that stretches between the National Museum and the palace. Cars are only allowed to cross the path here at one point and are not allowed to stop for any length of time. To the right and left of the path are white buildings with arcades. In the background are two old fortifications, the Mirani Fortress and the Jalali Fortress.
We get out of the car, the driver waits in the adjacent parking lot, and walk along the boulevard. It is a magnificent street that is ideal for representative purposes. The palace is not inhabited, it is mainly used for receptions and ceremonial events. When a state guest drives along this street towards the palace, it is sure to impress.
Our path ends in front of a large fence decorated with coats of arms gleaming in the sun. From here we can now take a closer look at the Sultan’s Palace.
If you are out and about in Muscat, you will notice that there are hardly any colorful elements on the facades. Most of the houses are white, sand-colored or in light brown tones, as instructed by the Sultan. The Sultan’s Palace, on the other hand, is colorful and shines brightly in the sun. Blue and gold are the dominant colors, making the palace look almost like an Indian palace.
Our tip: Drive around the palace grounds directly to the sea. From there you can “only” see the back of the Al Alam Palace, but it is just as impressive as the main front. I particularly liked the interplay of colors with the sea.
National Museum of Oman
Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to visit the National Museum in Muscat during our half-day excursion. The museum is located directly opposite the Al Alam Palace at the other end of the impressive access road.
The Sultan had the museum built in 2013 and created a cultural institution that presents the history of Oman. In the museum, for example, you can see archaeological finds and scientific exhibits dating from the first settlement to the present day.
Multimedia areas give visitors the opportunity to experience some of the exhibits as people originally used them. With this museum, the Sultan also wants to give children the opportunity to experience their country and its history and there are special offers that make this possible in a child-friendly way.
Al Mirani Fort and Al Jalai Fortress
Two fortresses rise up directly behind the Sultan’s Palace. Both fortifications were built by the Portuguese in the 16th century. They served to protect the city after it had been attacked several times. Both fortresses form the end of the old fortress wall that protected the city from the sea.
In the 17th century, the then governor of Muscat lived in the Al Mirani fortress. Today, tourists can only visit Al Mirani from the outside. A steep staircase leads up to a viewing platform from where you can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view.
Al Jalali served as a prison for many years until it was converted into a private museum. However, it is not open to visitors, only state visits and special guests can visit it.
The city tour took place at the invitation of the InterContinental Muscat.
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