Sharjah
e plorex
Long before Abu Dhabi began improving its
cultural credentials, Sharjah was declared
the Unesco Cultural Capital of the Arab
World – and deservedly so. Once you have
penetrated the confusing outskirts of town,
the historic old town, located north across
Sharjah Bridge, is easy to navigate on foot.
Plan on setting aside several hours to ex-
plore its Heritage and Arts Area, as well as
the souqs and excellent museums.
One caveat: Sharjah takes its decency
laws very seriously, so do dress modestly.
That means no exposed knees, backs or
bellies – and that goes for both men and
women. It’s also the only emirate that is
‘dry’ (ie no alcohol is available anywhere).
The best...
̈ ghtsi Sharjah Museum of Islamic
Civilisation (p125)
̈ e to plac eat Sadaf (p127)
̈ e to plac shop Central Souq (p127)
Top Tip
If you’re visiting more than one museum
in Sharjah, a ‘Multi-Museum Ticket’ will
save you some dirhams. These cost Dh15 for
individuals and Dh20 for families and are
good for admission to several museums, as
well as a few smaller venues. You can pick
them up at any of the museums or the tour-
ist office.
Getting there & away
b su Buses to Sharjah’s Al-Jubail station
near the Central Souq and Heritage and
Arts Area depart every 10 minutes from
Al-Ittihad station (Map p206) in Deira
and from Al-Ghubaiba station in Bur
Dubai (Map p210). The ride takes about
40 to 60 minutes and costs Dh5.
c ra From the World Trade Centre round-
about, take the E11 (Sheikh Zayed Rd)
north to Sharjah where it’s called Al-
Ittihad Rd. Traffic can be horrible,
especially during rush hours, so it’s best
to travel in the late morning and late
evening. The drive can take from 30 min-
utes to two hours, depending on traffic.
Taxi A taxi from Dubai starts at about
Dh50, Dh20 of which is a tax that the
taxi driver has to pay to the Sharjah
authorities.n ed to Knowe
̈ ea ar code % 06
̈ cationlo 15km north of Dubai
̈ ourist T office %06-556 6777; www
.sharjah-welcome.com; 9th fl, Crescent
Tower, Buheirah Corniche, Al Majaz;
h7.30am-2.30pm Sat-Thu1 SightS
s arh Jah MuseuM of islaMic
ciVilisaTion Mu uSeM
(www.islamicmuseum.ae; cnr Corniche & Gulf
rd; admission Dh5; h8am-8pm Sat-Thu, 4-8pm
Fri) A short stroll north of the centre is
the fantastic Sharjah Museum of Islamic
Civilisation. The collection covers vari-
ous aspects of the Islamic faith, scientific
accomplishments in the Arab world and
1400 years of Islamic art – and without
one diorama in sight! Don’t miss head-
ing up to the cafeteria for a peek at the
central dome with its striking deep-blue
zodiac mosaic. The building, formerly a
traditional souq, is stunning in its orna-
mentation and design.b i al-aT naboodah h TiSoriC builDinG
(www.sharjahmuseums.ae; heritage & arts area,
al Sheyoukh; admission Dh5; h8am-8pm Sat-
Thu, 4-8pm Fri) In the 19th century, Sharjah’s
‘Who’s Who’ lived just inland from the Cor-
niche, between Burj Ave and Al-Maraija
Rd, today’s Heritage and Arts Area. Many
of the beautiful residences have been au-
thentically restored using traditional ma-
terials such as sea rock, coral and gypsum.
Wander through this labyrinthine quarter
to come upon Bait al-Naboodah, a former
prominent pearl trader’s home. The house
was renowned as a meeting place for mer-
chants, sea captains and pearl divers, hence
the large separate majlis (meeting room).
The original part of the house dates back
to 1845.F s arh Jah arT MuseuM Mu uSeM
(www.sharjahmuseums.ae; h8am-8pm Sat-Thu,
4-8pm Fri) Anchoring the Heritage and Artsd
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