Muscat – 48 hours of wonderful relaxation

It is not easy to understand the structure of Muscat. Oman’s capital is a tangle of historic villages that have grown together and new business and residential districts. We catch our first glimpse of the sprawling metropolitan area from Yiti Street, which winds its way down into the city in narrow serpentines from the last foothills of the Hajar Mountains. We saved Muscat – uncharacteristically – for the conclusion of our trip to Oman. We wanted to take the last two days of vacation here calmly. But the peace and relaxation seemed impossible on the first drive from Ruwi across the city to Al Ghubrah. The masses of cars pushing bumper to bumper through rush hour traffic on the five- to six-lane motorways are a challenge. The second challenge is the numerous branches with ascents and descents. Although I was sitting on pins and needles the first time, I ventured out again the next day and drove across the city to Old Muscat. Practice makes perfect. The original core of the capital is located in a bay enclosed by rock walls at the southern end of the metropolitan area.

The splendour: Qasr al-Alam

The most beautiful view of the historic part of Muscat – today’s government district – is from the old pass road. This branches off at Riyam Park at the Corniche of Muttrah on the right hand side (Riyam Street). Afterwards, it is best to leave the car in front of the city gate and explore the palace and fortress complexes on foot. Today, Old Muscat is purely representational and appears squeaky-clean, clean and deserted on Friday mornings. Worth seeing are the two fortresses Mirani and Jalali as well as the largest of the old trading houses Bait Garaiza and the adjacent Al Khor Mosque with its striking blue domes. The dominant element of Old Muscat is undisputedly the magnificent and spacious palace complex, which tourists are only allowed to marvel at from the outside. A futuristic-looking building that was completed in the 1970s.

The hustle and bustle: Corniche Muttrah

Walking through the alleys of Old Muscat, I felt torn between scenes from science fiction movies and Sinbad the Navigators. Architecturally, a very special scenery. The atmosphere on the other side of the pass road at the Corniche of Muttrah is completely different. It’s a lively place to be. The only thing that is representative here is the wide waterfront. At the largest bazaar in the country, everything that can be useful for daily needs is offered for sale. Cloths, carpets, pots, jugs, curved daggers, children’s clothing, silver jewellery, incense, rose water and cashmere scarves. Haggling is part of it. Even if the Omanis set reasonable starting prices, there is not much left to be gained compared to Morocco or Egypt.

The must-see: Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

A must-see attraction is the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, which was built in the Al Gubrah district (about a 30-minute drive from Old Muscat) and completed in 2001. It is the only mosque in Oman that is allowed to be entered by non-Muslims. Public visiting hours are daily (except Friday) from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. It is recommended to visit the mosque as early as possible in the morning. We combined our stop with the drive to the airport and were not there until around 10:00 am. Unfortunately, about 20 cruise ship coaches were on site at the same time. After the 10 days in Oman without mass tourism, I had a little shock at the sight of all the people. Nevertheless, the mosque is one of the most impressive structures we have seen on our trip. The highlight is the Swarovsky crystal chandelier, which is mounted in the middle of the large prayer hall.

The Oasis: The Chedi Muscat

Relaxed beach holidays in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the big city, is that possible? That’s possible. Since my stay at the Chedi Andermatt as part of a winter research trip, I have had my eye on the Chedi Muscat. The beautifully designed complex in the Al Ghubrah district is the perfect backdrop for relaxing beach holidays. As a possible alternative, we looked at the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa in advance. The choice fell on two nights of luxury at The Chedi. The travel box has grimaced slightly. But we were not disappointed. Here in this green oasis, we let our minds wander on the deck chairs after the extensive city explorations in the morning. We ordered delicious wraps and iced coffee and enjoyed the sweet idleness to the fullest.

Sights and hotel tips for Muscat

• Overnight stay at The Chedi Muscat in a superior double room from around 250 CHF per night/room incl. breakfast. However, prices are highly dependent on the season and occupancy. At the end of March, for example, we paid twice as much per night.
• If you like seafood, I recommend a dinner at the Beach Restaurant
• The visit to the Sultan Qaboos Mosque is free of charge. Important: Legs and arms must be completely covered (including men) and women must wear a headscarf
• On Friday, many shops are closed in the morning due to Friday prayers
• Also worth seeing are the Royal Opera House and the Omani French Museum