Why choose this tour ?
An excursion to the most characteristic and traditional corners of Muscat, from souks to museums, to discover the true heart of the city • The Grand Mosque (visiting time between 8 am to 11 am) • Opera House exterior photo stop (photo stop at 10:30 am) • The Muttrah suk (visiting time afternoon between 9:30 am to 1:00 pm • Al-Alam Palace (Sultan palace-photo stop) • Exterior of the fort of Al-Jalali (Photo stop near Al Alam palace)
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What makes Premium Muscat half day excursion-Italian guide a unique experience ?
he mosque is built from 300,000 tonnes of Indian sandstone. The main musalla or prayer hall is square and 74.4 by 74.4 metres (244 by 244 feet) with a central dome rising to a height of 50 metres (160 ft) above the floor.[4] The dome and the main minaret (90 metres (300 ft)) and four flanking minarets (45.5 metres (149 ft)) are the mosque’s chief visual features. The main musalla can hold over 6500 worshippers, while the women's musalla can accommodate 750 worshipers. The outer paved ground can hold 8000 worshipers and there is additional space available in the interior courtyard and the passageways, making a total capacity of up to 20,000 worshipers.[5] The mosque is built on a site occupying 416,000 m2 (4,480,000 sq ft)and the complex extends to cover an area of 40,000 m2 (430,000 sq ft). The newly built Grand Mosque was inaugurated by Sultan of Oman on May 4, 2001 to celebrate 30 years of his reign. This hand-woven carpet was produced by Iran Carpet Company (ICC) at the order of the Diwan of the Royal Court of Sultanate. The carpet measures over 70 by 60 metres (230 by 200 feet), and covers the 4,343 m2 (46,750 sq ft) area of the praying hall. The chandelier above the praying hall is 14 metres (46 feet) tall and was manufactured by the Italian company Faustig. Since the mosque is 90 metres (300 feet) high, the chandler looks proportional, but it used to be the world's largest chandelier
Many people come to Mutrah Corniche just to visit the souq, which preserves the chaotic interest of a traditional Arab market even if it is housed under modern wooden roofs. The shops that sell Indian and Indian artifacts and some antique dealers are crowded among the most traditional fabric, hardware and jewelery stores. Bargaining is provided even if the discounts tend to be small. The cards are generally accepted in most shops, but they bring money in exchange for better offers in euros and dollars. The main entrance is through the Corniche, opposite the pedestrian traffic light. The main attraction of Muttrah is the famous Souk Muttrah, probably the most popular tourist attraction in the country. This is Muscat in its most magical form: a deafening labyrinth of narrow and fragrant alleys full of colorful little shops stacked with incense and bukhoor trays, old silver khanjars, Bedu jewels and other exotic paraphernalia - one of the few markets in the world where you can buy gold, frankincense and myrrh under one roof. You could spend many pleasant hours here, bargaining for crafts and trying to make sense of the maze, especially if you venture far from the heavily toured main road to the perched streets. The souk can be somewhat misleading at first sight: it is much larger and much more confusing than one might initially suspect. Heading from the main entrance onto the corniche, it is possible to cross the souk in less than five minutes, following the main artery that bisects the area from north to south. This stretch - more lively after dark - is where you'll find the most touristic (and expensive) shops in the souk, flanked by well-restored old buildings under a wooden roof and crowded with an eclectic mix of Omanis clothes and coaches left. In reality, this is only a small part of the overall complex, which continues for a considerable distance on both sides, especially to the west. Turn right from the main street and, if you know where you are going, you can go back to the Muttrah Gold Souk, the building that faces the corniche a couple of hundred meters west of the main entrance of the souk, passing through a charming series of alleys full of gold and silver jewels along the way. Other alleys branch out in every direction, flanked by more and more rough shops and in the end they shoot you from the souk or return to the corniche or in the tangle of secondary streets and alleys that wind in the area behind Sur al Lewatia
The Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) is Oman's headquarters for arts and musical culture. The opera house is located in the Shati Al-Qurm district of Muscat on Sultan Qaboos Street. Built on the royal orders of Sultan Qaboos of Oman, the Royal Opera House reflects the exclusive contemporary architecture of Oman and has a capacity to accommodate up to 1,100 people. The complex of the work consists of a concert theater, an auditorium, formal landscape gardens, a cultural market with retail stores, luxury restaurants and an art center for musical, theatrical and opera productions. The ruler of Oman, Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said has always been a fan of classical music and the arts. In 2001, the sultan ordered the construction of an opera house. Initially called "House of Musical Arts", the name "Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM)" was finally chosen. This opera house, built by Carillion Alawi, became the first in the world equipped with interactive multimedia technology of Radio Marconi display seatback system, was officially inaugurated on 12 October 2011, with a production of the opera Turandot, directed by the Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo
Al Alam Palace is the ceremonial palace of His Majesty the Sultan. The palace is located in the heart of Old Muscat, surrounded by the forts of Al Jalali and Al Mirani and will soon be facing the National Museum of Oman. The former Sultan lived in a house called Bait Al Alam which was demolished in the early 1970s to build this new palace in its place to be the official residence of the Sultan of Oman. Sultan Qaboos rarely remains in Al Alam Palace since he seems to prefer his other residences in Al Seeb or Manah. However, this palace is the one most used to receive high-ranking official guests and has in the past hosted characters such as the Queen of England and the Queen of the Netherlands. The palace is not open to the public, but tourists can walk around the courtyard and the guards in front of the building at any time. The Palace is surrounded by a number of other interesting government buildings such as the Ministry of Finance which has a beautiful gate that should not be missed by visitors to the building. You can see the gate of the Ministry of Finance walking along the right side arches of the building and crossing one of the two exists there. Al Alam Palace is surrounded by fortresses of Al Jalali and Mirani, which unfortunately are not open to the public. Both fortresses were built in the 16th century around the time of the Portuguese invasion of Muscat. You can take a close look at both forts and get a breathtaking view of the back of the building by driving through the Al Alam street near the French museum of Oman where you can almost literally park your car behind the building.
Tour Description & Additional Info:
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Wheelchair accessible
- Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Infant meals not included
- Minimum age is 18 years
- At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
- Refunds will not be issued if tour/activity is missed due to late or non-arrival of cruise ship
- Dress code is formal
- Dress code is smart casual
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
Options To Choose for Your Trip:
- Professional guide
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Port pickup and drop-off
Not Included
- Excess luggage charges (where applicable)
- Food and drinks
Trending Nearby Tours Likely To Sell Out
Special Instructions:
- This Tour is Provided by OMAN SAFARI.
- Tour Timezone & Starts at Asia/Muscat.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted.
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- This Tour is Rated 5 Stars based on 25 valid reviews on VIATOR.
- Minimum 1 Travelers is required to book.
- Maximum 15 Travelers is accepted for booking.
• Dress code is formal • Comfortable walking shoes are recommended • If you have not already specified, you MUST advise supplier as soon as possible your Ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and departure time so that appropriate arrangements can be made All flight times are approximate and subject to change due to weather conditions and weight restrictions. Hotel pickups commence approximately 30 - 60 minutes prior to this time, exact pickup time will be advised on reconfirmation. Hotel pickups commence approximately 30 - 60 minutes prior to this time Times are subject to change due to local traffic conditions. Tour departs within walking distance of the cruise port Valid from the time of first use, for the consecutive days selected. Valid from the time you exchange your voucher, for the consecutive days selected.
