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Muscat is essentially a collection of small cities and towns separated by serrated ridges.

In total it stretches along perhaps 25 kilometres of the coastline.

Exploring Muscat

At its heart is old Muscat, a walled city with a natural harbour watched over by the twin fortresses of Jalali and Mirani, where the Sultan has his palace. Nearby, the historic commercial district of Muttrah spreads along the shore of a wide bay and it is here that you’ll find the old souq and the fish souq.

The houses have delicately styled balconies that betray the influence the Portuguese once had in the area. Qurm is a largely residential area where most of the hotels can be found.

Oman Dive CenterCentred on the sculpted contours of Qurum Natural Park it has a long stretch of beach to enjoy. Between Qurm and the airport at Seeb is a long ribbon of residential suburbs, one of which is home to the modern Sultan Qaboos Mosque, a beautiful piece of architecture combining traditional Arab and Persian influences with a dash of modernity.

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Audley Travel specialist Sophie

Start planning your tailor-made trip to Muscat by contacting one of our Oman specialists

Suggested itineraries featuring Muscat

Our itineraries will give you suggestions for what is possible when you travel in Muscat, and they showcase routes we know work particularly well. Treat them as inspiration, because your trip will be created uniquely by one of our specialists.

Map of Muscat

Places & hotels on the map

    Places near Muscat

    Accommodation choices for Muscat

    We've selected a range of accommodation options for when you visit Muscat. Our choices usually come recommended for their character, facilities and service or location. Our specialists always aim to suggest properties that match your preferences.

    Ideas for experiencing Muscat

    Our specialists seek out authentic ways to get to know the places that could feature in your trip. These activities reflect some of the experiences they've most enjoyed while visiting Muscat, and which use the best local guides.

    • Muscat City Tour
      Lanterns at Sultan Qaboos Mosque, Oman

      Muscat City Tour

      Muscat City Tour

      Begin at Sultan Qaboos Mosque, completed in 2001, it is an enormous place of worship. With a large men's prayer hall, an adjacent women's prayer hall and further space in the courtyards and passageways, a total of 20,000 worshippers can gather at one time, making this one of the largest mosques in the world.

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