What is Sharjah famous for?
Sharjah is the third-largest metropolitan city, the industrial hub of UAE. The city is better acknowledged for preserving its rich heritage and culture, that is why it is crowned with the name ‘Cultural Capital of the Arab World’. The only city of Sharjah overlooks the Persian Gulf. Sharjah offers a unique combination of administrative and commercial centres, cultural and traditional sites, recreational areas, lush green parks and has several museums that cover areas of archaeology, history, science, arts, heritage and Islamic art and Arab culture. Therefore, the city has much more for industrialists, educationalists, pilgrims, publishers, speakers and history lovers. One of the interesting facts about the city is that consumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited in this city and hotels and restaurants need a licence to serve liquor to guests, thus the city is considered as one of the main attractions among religious people especially within the Islamic tourists.
Here are the best places in Sharjah
- Sharjah science museum- If you are visiting with your kids, then you will be unable to ignore visiting this place. The whole museum is structured to remain occupied with fun filling activities such as solving puzzles, strengthening grip and balancing among others.
- Central market- Famous for its blue tile design, hence named ‘The Blue Souk’. It houses more than 600 shops making it a major shopping attraction. It has one more authentic structure called the ‘Arabian Bazaar’. From electronics to utensils, gold and clothes, you can buy many things from this market.
- Khalid Lagoon- Located right in the middle, Khalid Lagoon is famous for the third-largest fountain in the world. One can sit and enjoy near the magnificent fountain throwing water up to a height of 100 m.
- Al Noor Island- Once here, get ready to dive deep into the glory of art and nature of the island. The Butterfly House is another major attraction of the region, which is also home to about five hundred different species of butterfly.
- Sharjah Heritage Area- The Sharjah Heritage Area is lined with museums and souks to learn about Emirati history and buy wooden, silver and gold artefacts.
- Qanat Al Qasba- It is a suburban entertainment centre famous for conducting interactive activities. The famous Ferris Wheel which is known as 'Eye of the Emirates' overlooks the entire city.
- Sharjah Natural History Museum and Desert Park- It is a great place for kids, giving them a dose of learning about different plants and animals in the UAE. The Geology Hall witnesses excellent audio-video presentations that will show you how life on earth began.
- Sharjah Archaeological Museum- It has notable excavations and artefacts that date back to the stone age. Learn more about ancient civilizations developed in the region with ancient cemeteries, tombs and houses. The inscriptions manifest the information relating to the times 2500 yr back.
- Sharjah Art Museum- It showcases an array of the most valuable Arab artefacts. It is considered to be the largest art museum in the UAE, including seventy-two galleries supported by stunning art displays from some of the finest Arabic painters.
- Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization- The museum holds great cultural and religious significance. The museum exhibits thousands of exclusive artefacts reflecting the Islamic Civilization from 7AD - 20 AD. It is a great place for history and art buffs. Everything is arranged in seven different galleries.
Airport in Sharjah
Located approximately 13 km from the city center, Sharjah International Airport services the entire city along with a few other neighboring ones.
- Airport address- Sharjah International Airport, Sharjah - United Arab Emirates
- IATA code- SHJ
