Sharjah

No reviews yetCity Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Saint Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic church in Sharjah, Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Sharjah Masjid in UAE, Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Blue Souk, Sharjah, UAE (4323843389), Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Sharjah Heritage Area, UAE (4323805737), Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

About Sharjah

Sharjah has made culture its calling card. Across the creek from Dubai, the third-largest city of the United Arab Emirates trades skyscraper spectacle for museums, restored coral-stone houses and quiet lagoon promenades, and it was named UNESCO World Book Capital in 2019.

The old town grew around a pearling and trading harbour ruled by the Al Qasimi family, whose fort still stands at the centre of the city. Decades of restoration under the Heart of Sharjah project have brought back the lanes, wind-tower houses and covered markets around it, while more than a dozen museums cover Islamic science, maritime life, archaeology and art. The Sharjah Biennial and the annual book fair draw visitors from across the region. Alcohol is not served anywhere in the emirate, and modest dress is expected in public.

Evenings are best spent by Khalid Lagoon, where Al Majaz Waterfront and Al Noor Island glow after dark. Inland, the emirate stretches into red dunes, the wildlife centre on the Dhaid road and the Bronze Age tombs of Mleiha.

Best seasonNovember to March, when days are warm rather than scorching

Ideal stay2-3 days

ArrivingSharjah International Airport; road links to Dubai and the northern emirates

12 Reasons to Visit Sharjah

Museums 3

Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization

Set in a former souq building on the Corniche, this museum opened in 2008 and gathers manuscripts, ceramics, metalwork, textiles a...

Sharjah Art Museum

Among the largest art museums in the Gulf, it sits in the Arts Area behind the old town and shows modern and contemporary work by...

Sharjah Maritime Museum

Next to the aquarium in Al Khan, this compact museum tells how the people of Sharjah lived from the sea before oil. Full-size wood...

Landmarks 1

Al Noor Mosque

Opened in 2005 on the edge of Khalid Lagoon, this mosque was modelled on the Ottoman style of Istanbul's Blue Mosque, with a large...

History 2

Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn)

The ruling family's fort was built around 1820 and stood at the heart of the old town for 150 years before most of it was pulled d...

Mleiha Archaeological Centre

Deep in the central desert of the emirate, the Mleiha centre explains finds from tens of thousands of years of human life in the a...

Shopping 2

Blue Souk

Officially the Central Souq, this 1970s market is easy to spot by its blue tiles and decorative wind towers, a modern take on Gulf...

Souq Al Arsa

Often called one of the oldest markets in the country, this covered souq in the Heart of Sharjah has palm-frond and timber roofing...

Neighborhoods 1

Heart of Sharjah

A long restoration project has brought back the historic core near the fort, with coral-stone houses, wind towers and sandy lanes...

Parks 2

Al Noor Island

A small landscaped island in Khalid Lagoon, reached by a footbridge, Al Noor Island mixes gardens with contemporary art installati...

Al Majaz Waterfront

Along the edge of Khalid Lagoon, this promenade has lawns, children's play areas, jogging paths and a row of cafes and restaurants...

Wildlife 1

Arabia's Wildlife Centre

Part of the Sharjah Desert Park on the road to Al Dhaid, this centre shows animals native to Arabia, including the critically enda...

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