Bahrain Attractions

Muharraq Island

Muharraq has been spared much of the modernising that's transformed and smoothed over Manama in recent years. Its souk is funkier and more interesting than the one in the capital and there are a couple of well-preserved traditional houses, the Bait Shaikh Isa Bin and the Bait Seyadi.

Both houses date from the early 19th century and are worth visiting. Bait Shaikh Isa Bin features beautiful plaster work and carved doors and has a working wind tower - an ingenious structure designed to direct the slightest breeze into the interior.

Manama

Manama, located at the northeastern tip of Bahrain Island, is the very new capital of a very old place. Along the city's northern edge, most hotels and official buildings sit on reclaimed land and are brand new, while some neighbourhoods just blocks inland are the same as they were 50 years ago.

The city's major attraction is the National Museum, a modern building with excellent exhibits well-marked in both Arabic and English. The museum covers 7000 years of Bahrain's history, including its grave mounds and temples; its Dilmun, Tylos and Islamic periods; and Arabic writing and calligraphy.