We spent two days exploring Muttrah, the old commercial centre of Muscat. We explored the old souq, walked the length of the corniche, and indulged in a delicious high tea at a grand hotel.

MUTTRAH SOUQ

The famous Muttrah Souq is an absorbing labyrinth of narrow, perfume-laden alleyways packed with colourful little shops stacked high with exotic paraphernalia. The souq is a lot larger, and a lot more confusing, than you might initially suspect. Heading in from the main entrance on the Corniche it’s possible to walk across the souq in under five minutes, following the main thoroughfare which bisects the area from north to south. This stretch is where you’ll find the souq’s most touristy (and expensive) shops, but this is just a small part of the overall complex, which continues for a considerable distance to either side via a fascinating series of narrow back streets and tiny alleyways heading off in every direction Stall after stall you’ll find textiles, handicrafts, souvenirs, jewellery, fabrics, hardware, beads, antiques, coffee pots, lamps and more. This is one of the oldest souqs on the Arab peninsula, and although it is popular with tourists this is very much a market for local people. It is crowded and bustling, and the smell of spices and incense (especially frankincense) permeates the air. It is said that Muttrah Souq is the only place you can buy gold, frankincense and myrrh in the same location!

Muttrah Corniche

Before the discovery of oil, Muttrah was the centre of commerce in Oman, and it is still one of the largest seaports in the region. There is also a huge fish souq, and the importance of the fishing industry is illustrated by a number of fish sculptures scattered along the Corniche.

Muttrah Corniche stretches for 3km along the waterfront, an elegant promenade lined by restaurants, cafes and traditional markets. We had a lovely stroll, watching the many seagulls and admiring the view, including a glimpse of one of world’s largest superyachts Al Said, belonging to the sultan of Oman.

Sur al-Lawatia

The beautiful Al Lawatia Mosque (officially named Masjid al-Rasool al-A’tham – Mosque of the Great Prophet), is the principal mosque of the Lawati tribe in Muscat. Dominating the skyline of the Muttrah Corniche the 15th century building is a fine example of Islamic architecture. The most striking feature is the brightly coloured onion dome and blue minaret decorated with mosaic detail that bears scriptures from the Qur’an. Like almost all mosques in Oman, Al Lawatia is not open to non-Muslims, so we did not go inside.

Lawatis are a leading tribe in Oman. Traditionally, they were prominent merchants in the port city of Muttrah working in incense, jewellery and clothing businesses as well as in general trade. The community occupied a gated quarter of Muttrah known as Sur al-Lawatia. The quarter still boasts attractive houses with a unique Islamic architectural style, adjacent to the mosque.

High Tea at Al Bustan

Al Bustan Palace opened in 1985, originally built to accommodate visiting heads of state for the GCC Summit that year. Designed to represent Omani culture and hospitality at the highest level, the hotel has become an icon, and a landmark. Although now a hotel run by Ritz Carlton, it also continues to be an actual palace, with some floors managed by the royal family. The vision that you see as you enter Al Bustan Palace is quite breath-taking (and impossible to capture on film). While the exterior is somewhat reminiscent of an Omani fort, the lobby is the epitome of luxury with its soaring pillars, domed ceiling, fountain and stunning chandelier. The scale is hard to grasp in these images, but the lobby is 38 metres (124 ft) high, and the crystal chandelier (I’m told) has the largest number of crystals of any hotel in the world! The lobby glimmers with gold and polished marble and features elements of traditional Omani architecture.

Several friends had suggested we must try the High Tea at Al Bustan. The high tea was delicious, and it felt very luxurious sitting in the stunning lobby listening to live music and being waited on.