Hotels near Mutrah Corniche

The Mutrah Corniche runs about 3 km along the harbour, from the fish market at the western end to Mutrah Fort at the eastern. White merchant houses with carved balconies face the water on one side, dhows and the royal yacht sit on the other, and Portuguese-era watchtowers stand on the ridge above. It is the most photographed stretch of Muscat and the easiest thing on this list to fit into a spare hour.

Walk it around 5pm when the heat drops and the stone turns amber. Mutrah Fort, built by the Portuguese in the 1580s, charges 0.5 OMR (about 1.20 EUR) and takes 20 minutes to climb for the best harbour view in the city. The Mutrah fish market at the far end is worth a look before 9am, when the night's catch of kingfish and tuna is still being sorted. Parking along the Corniche is free.

Pro Tip: Climb the Riyam incense burner monument at the eastern end 40 minutes before sunset. It is a free 10-minute stair climb and gives you the whole Corniche curve with the mountains behind it.