Sana'a
Yemen · 2250 m
Description
Sana'a is the capital of Yemen and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth, set on a highland plain at twenty two hundred metres. Its walled old city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and looks like nowhere else, thousands of tower houses of rammed earth and fired brick rising six and seven storeys, each one banded with white gypsum tracery around the windows and topped with fanlights of coloured glass. The Souk al-Milh spreads through the lanes in sections by trade. Bustan gardens are watered between the towers. The old city is walked rather than driven.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 3 to 6 days (optimal 4 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: March – May or September – November
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Old City of Sana'a (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Tower houses with gypsum tracery and qamariya windows
- Souk al-Milh and its trade quarters
- Great Mosque, one of the earliest in Islam
- Bab al-Yemen city gate
- Bustan gardens between the towers
- Samsara caravanserais of the souk
- National Museum in the Dar al-Shukr palace
- Rooftop views over the tower city at dusk
- Jambiya daggers and the silver market
- Dar al-Hajar rock palace at Wadi Dhahr(Day trip)
- Salta and Yemeni highland cooking
Getting there
- Airports:
- SAH