The main draws to Gobustan National Park, officially Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape, are thousands of prehistoric rock engravings dating back 5,000–20,000 years. In addition to the carvings, the UNESCO World Heritage Site houses a rare "singing stone," a large collection of mud volcanoes, and a complex of public mud baths.
Tiny Duiker Island—also known as “Seal Island” for its large population of Cape fur seals—sits just off the South African coast at Hout Bay, near Cape Town. It measures just 253 feet by 312 feet (77 meters by 95 meters) and is a seabird sanctuary in addition to sheltering thousands of Cape fur seals.
Flanked by Casablanca’s most striking architecture, Mohammed V Square forms the central hub of the city’s buzzy new town. Laid out in the early 20th century and named in honor of the former Sultan, the plaza centers around a monumental fountain, dramatically lit up in the evening hours.
Hundreds of tombs burrow through the Valley of the Nobles, the final resting place for many of Luxor’s elite. Wall paintings here depict scenes of daily life in ancient Egypt, with images of everything from artisans to animals, making it a more intimate place to explore than the famous Valley of the Kings.
Ateshgah, or the Fire Temple of Baku, is a former monastery and place of Hindu, Sikh, and Zoroastrian worship built on one of Azerbaijan's eternal flames, natural gas vents used for fire rituals. While the eternal flame has snuffed out, replaced by gas pipes, the temple complex is an architectural reserve—and the fire burns on occasion.
Opened in 2011, the Royal Opera House Muscat is Oman’s premier cultural institution and one of its signature sights. Visitors come to attend operas, concerts, and shows; enjoy its upscale shopping and dining mall; and marvel at its stunning Arabesque and Italianate design.
Lebanon’s spectacular Jeita Grotto makes an exciting day trip from Beirut. Once considered as a finalist for the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, this dramatic cave is divided into two levels: a lower grotto and an upper grotto, which contains the White Chamber, home to the world’s largest stalactite.
Situated in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George in Madaba in Jordan, the Madaba Map dates from 542-570 AD and is the world’s oldest cartographic depiction of the Holy Land. While some of this richly detailed map is lost, it’s still more than worth seeing for its depiction of 6th-century Jerusalem and the wider Holy Land.
Nestled in the Namib-Naukluft National Park not far from famous Dune 45, the otherworldly salt and clay pan landscape of Sossusvlei is a must-see when in Namibia. Come to experience and photograph the towering red dunes and golden sands framed against a sprawling blue sky.
Qena, a market town and provincial capital sitting on a bend in the Nile River, provides visitors to modern-day Egypt with a glimpse into the far-distant past. Sightseers traveling between Luxor and the Red Sea almost always pass through, and the city serves as a jumping-off point for explorations of the nearby Dendera temple complex.
Part of Rabat’s UNESCO World Heritage–listed old city, the Kasbah of the Udayas (Casbah des Oudaïas is a 12th-century citadel at the mouth of the Bou Regreg River. Besides the fortress, city walls, and gates, the kasbah houses whitewashed streets, the Andalusian Gardens, the Oudaia Museum, and a wealth of authentic eateries.
As the most accessible of Cape Town’s three peaks, Signal Hill is a prime spot for catching sunset over the city. In addition to its spectacular scenery, Signal Hill also harbors the Noon Guns, two Dutch naval guns, and the last remaining Peninsula Shale Renosterveld vegetation.
Set beneath a mountain many believe to be the Biblical Mt. Sinai, St. Catherine’s Monastery has a heritage dating back to the fourth century AD and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Still a working monastery, St. Catherine’s has defensive walls that house chapels, a library museum, and what is claimed to be a descendant of the Biblical burning bush.
Rising more than 2,000 feet (600 meters) above the Atlantic Ocean, Lion’s Head peak presides over Cape Town and can be spotted from nearly everywhere in the city, but the real treasure is the view from the peak. Hike the steep trail the top to be rewarded with views of the coastline, cityscape, and neighboring Table Mountain.
Thought to be one of Arabia’s oldest marketplaces, Muttrah Souk is a maze of shop-crammed lanes and squares hidden off Muscat’s Muttrah waterfront. Open day and night, the souk lures travelers with its Arabian Nights atmosphere and outlets piled with Omani handicrafts, household goods, clothes, and spices.
South of Dubai Creek, the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood—sometimes referred to as the Bastakia Quarter—is comprised of wind tower (barjeel) houses, courtyards, and lanes dating from the late 1800s when Persian merchants first settled the area. As Dubai’s oldest district, it’s filled with museums and cultural attractions.
Also known as Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, the little town of Moulay Idriss is Morocco’s spiritual capital and home to the nation’s most important pilgrimage site, the Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss. It’s a traditional place, with whitewashed houses rolling over the hills and a relaxed vibe compared to hectic Fez or Marrakech.
Jericho is an ancient biblical town, with early settlements traced back 10,000 years, possibly making it the earliest site of human civilization. Located in the occupied Palestinian Territories, and reached by traveling through the Judean Desert, Jericho is filled with archaeological ruins, monasteries, mosques, and other religious and historical sights.
Occupying a waterfront spot on the harbor of Old Muscat, Al Alam Palace is the official ceremonial palace of the Sultan of Oman. Mushroom-shaped columns and a vivid gold-and-blue facade make it one of Muscat’s most arresting sights.
Discover the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts and Crafts, housed in an 18th-century fondouk (a type of travelers inn) in Fez, Morocco. Offering visitors an opportunity to immerse themselves in the city’s past, the museum showcases ancient artifacts as well as exhibits displayed in the splendor of the building’s elegant courtyard.
A flawless crescent of deep, fine sand, which rolls on for miles to the south of town, Agadir Beach (Plage d’Agadir forms the heart of this seaside resort. A wealth of cafés and restaurants offer food and drink, with loungers for sun worshippers, while water sports run from Jet Ski to boat trips and deep-sea fishing adventures.
Alexandria’s most beautiful green space, the Montazah Palace Gardens extend along the seafront and around 19th-century Montazah Palace, which is closed to the public. Highlights include beaches, avenues of palms, and an ornate pink bridge, as well as manicured flower beds and well-maintained lawns.
Narrow streets inside high city walls weave together historical landmarks in Icherisheher, the neighborhood that makes up the Baku Old City. Around every corner, visitors will find mosques, caravanserai, and the enormous Palace of the Shirvanshahs complex. Carpet shops and food stalls make the area a hit with window shoppers and snackers.
Leggy giraffes and lumbering elephants roam the stark white salt pans that cover Etosha National Park in Namibia. In one of Africa’s oldest and largest game parks, you’ll find broad savannah plains, shrubbery dusted a ghostly white from the desert dust, and plenty of animals that are easy to spot against the minimal landscape.
Egypt’s oldest surviving mosque, the Mosque of Amr ibn Al-As offers a window into the city’s medieval beginnings and cultural mores, and is one of Old Cairo’s most intriguing sights. Constructed in 641 and rebuilt many times since, you can can explore the mosque outside prayer times to experience its impressive prayer hall, courtyard, and minarets.
Formerly the main residence of the sultan, the Royal Palace of Fez (Fes Dar el-Makhzen) is still used by the King of Morocco when he is in the city of Fez. Surrounded by high walls, it spans an area of 195 acres (80 hectares). It is closed to visitors, who can only admire the imposing and ornate main entrance from the outside.
Once a colonial beef ranch, the Ol Pejeta Conservancy is now a leading wildlife sanctuary. Backdropped by Mount Kenya’s snowy peaks, the 90,000-acre (36,422-hectare) savanna preserve is home to several safari must-sees, including East Africa’s largest black rhino population and the last northern white rhinos in the world.
The impressive Cape Town Stadium, built to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup and formerly known as the Green Point Stadium, is Cape Town’s architectural and entertainment centerpiece. With a capacity of 55,000 people, the venue hosts everything from rugby matches to big-name performers. Visitors can catch a game, show, or explore the stadium on a tour.
One of the most beautiful Islamic colleges in all of Fez, the 14th-century Al-Attarine Madrasa (Medersa el-Attarine is a tribute to medieval Moroccan craftsmanship. Gorgeous mosaic tiles, filigree plasterwork, and fine carved cedar decorate the courtyard and the prayer hall, while the upstairs rooms show how simply aspiring scholars lived.
Smack dab in the heart of modern Dubai, the Mall of the Emirates is more than the city’s second-largest mall. The multilevel center, one of Dubai’s most popular destinations, draws visitors with a huge array of international stores and leisure attractions, from fashion outlets and restaurants to theaters and an indoor ski resort.
