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Places To Visit In Kuwait – The Treasure Of The Middle East!

If you’re yearning to travel to a place full of exoticism and incredible culture, a place where you can avidly dabble in ancient architecture and other forms of rich arts & city culture, then Kuwait cannot be overlooked. Comfortably sandwiched between Saudi Arabia and Iraq, facing the Persian Gulf, Kuwait awaits to dazzle all its visitors with the wonders it homes. Let’s dive into some of the best places to visit in Kuwait!

Explore the Grand Mosque

Best Places to Visit in Kuwait - Grand Mosque
Photo by Cajetan Barretto on Flickr

You don’t have to be a follower of the Islam religion – to explore this historically relevant architectural masterpiece that’s famously known all over the Middle East. Nestled in an area of 220,000 square feet, The Grand Mosque is the largest mosque in Kuwait. It’s a must-add to your list of places to visit. Tours are given free, but it’s vital that you call ahead and inform and dress appropriately. The mosque guide and the staff are quite warm and welcoming.

Many tourists have left with only good things to say about the tour and the architectural marvel they were able to witness. The vibrant colours on the high ceilings, the beautifully crafted columns and arcs, the mesmerising tiled floors can leave you awestruck amid other things.

Reflect on beauty at the Mirror House

Places to visit in Kuwait - Mirror House
Photo by Samira Akil Zaman on Flickr

Just 10 minutes away from Al Shaheed Park is another one of many incredible places to visit in Kuwait. This stunning creation is famously known as the Mirror House as well as the Khalifa & Lidia Qattan Art Museum. Doing absolute justice to its name, the Mirror House only contains mirror glass creations.

To tour this marvel, you must make an appointment ahead, and the creator herself will give you the pleasure of touring the house while sharing the most incredible stories that inspired her to create these beautiful works of art, which are truly one-of-a-kind. A gracious haven for any travelling art aficionado.

Tour the Kuwait Towers

Places to visit in Kuwait - Kuwait Towers at Night
Photo by Cajetan Barretto on Flickr

Facing the Persian Gulf, the three standing white towers have become an iconic landmark of Kuwait. Reaching a height of 187 meters, the towers certainly draws a lot of attention to them. If you have the opportunity of viewing the city from the shores of the Persian Gulf – especially at night, then you’ll see these symbolic towers all lit up and glowing in all their architectural glory.

Tours to the towers are available. You can enjoy some good food with a great view, and even visit a museum dedicated to the fallen soldiers to understand the significance of the building and its connection to Kuwait’s history. A top contender in any traveller’s list of places to visit in Kuwait – especially if they’re first-time visitors.

Kuwait Skyline at Night

Explore the Alseif Palace

Photo of Al Seif Palace
Photo by Ignacio Gallego on Flickr

Located just opposite the Grand Mosque is the historic Seif Palace. Constructed in the 1880s – the most recognizable part of the majestic architectural structure is the Watch Tower. All covered in stunning blue tiles and a pure golden roof, the tower stands out like a blue and gold gem of the Palace.

An ancient symbol of beauty – set amidst the modern city of Kuwait, overlooking the Gulf. There’s much history attached to this olden edifice. Unfortunately, it is not open to tourists –but if you’re finishing your visit at the Grand Mosque, just feel free to drop by and observe in close range.

Visit the Tareq Rajab Museum of Islamic Arts

Pieces at Tareq Rajab Museum, Kuwait
Photo by Hussein Alazaat on Flickr

With more than five decades of collecting over approx. 30,000 pieces, which includes Islamic paintings, artefacts and some tasteful photographs from the ancient times – the Tareq Rajab Museum of Islamic Arts is another place you should add to your list of places to visit in Kuwait. Walking through the heavily laid out exhibits can be a little overwhelming.

From ceramic treasures to collections of exotic looking jewellery, glassworks, and more – It’s going to be like taking a stroll through the history of Kuwait and its closest neighbours!

Shop at the Souk Al-Mubarakiya

Shoppers at Souk Al Mubarakiya, Kuwait City
Photo by Erin Johnson on Flickr

Located just minutes from the Kuwait National Museum, facing Kuwait Bay, is the oldest market in Kuwait. Built-in 1920 it’s where traders and merchants would gather to exchange goods. While the original structure remains well maintained and protected, there are added modernisations amplifying the allure to this lively souk.

If you want a firsthand experience of the local scene, the street culture and the incredible food, a stroll across this famous souk is necessary. There’s plenty of parking space. You’ll find fresh produce, unique aroma filled antique shops to exotic perfumes and herbs, and so much more! Worth adding to your list of places to visit in Kuwait.

Visit the Kuwait National Museum

National Museum of Kuwait
Photo by Kuwaitsoccer on Flickr

It’s time to thrill the history and culture buff in you. To do that you need to add the Kuwait National Museum to your list of places to visit in Kuwait. It is THE museum to visit. The museum has several sections – from that, the Heritage Section and the Planetarium Section gains a proper fondness from first-time visitors.

Elaborate exhibits gain your undivided attention – like the mock-up of an ancient souk. You can expect many incredible displays, with much information to absorb. It’s all about the history and culture. It’s a treasure trove of knowledge.

Hang out at The Avenues

Avenues Mall
Photo by EnGxBaDeR on Flickr

From diverse shopping options to food options, the Avenues promises you a world-class mall experience. Whether you’re out to splurge or not, a trip to this mall is essential. It’ll give you a clear idea about Kuwait’s current shopping culture.

You can make it a day trip. That’s right, that’s how big this mall is. You can visit the cinema, watch the latest movies in cinematic luxury. Each floor has a set of diverse restaurants, each specializing in different cuisines. It’s just about the best place to do your shopping and enjoy the day!

Relax at the Al Kout Beach

Al Kout Beach
Photo by Abdul Basith on Flickr

Want to move away from the cityscapes, and enjoy some fresh air, coastal views? Add Al Kout Beach to your list of places to visit in Kuwait. While the vibe’s super chilled, and the area has many chic and funky restaurants/cafes and hotels, it is an ideal place to unwind and relax. Also, don’t forget to go see the dancing water fountain show – which usually happens at night in front of the Al Kout Market. It’s worth staying back to enjoy the show. The best time to visit would be the spring and summer.

Travel Through Time at the Kuwait Red Fort (Red Palace)

One of the places to visit in Kuwait - Red Fort
Photo by Kuwaitsoccer on Wikimedia Commons

This historic fort’s named the Red Fort because of its alluring red clay structure. The architecture looks simple yet incredibly enticing to observe. Another spacious tourist location that’ll make you feel like you have stepped back in time. Its main goal was to protect the land’s agriculture. From life-size clay figures to mock farm scenes – there’s much to explore.

The Kuwait Red Fort also has a Visitor centre for those who would enjoy diving deeper into the details. Since it’s close to the Jahra Pools Nature Reserve, you might even get visits from some very cool wetland birds!

Drop by the Historical, Vintage & Classic Car Museum

Vintage Car Museum, Kuwait
Photo by Helgex on Flickr

You don’t have to be a car enthusiast to enjoy this epic museum – that’s entirely dedicated to automobiles from different Eras. With a good selection of cars on display, each with a rich story to tell – which public figure owned the car to where it came from. The cars are not the only exhibits here, there are some incredibly cool vintage bikes for the visitors viewing pleasure.

The Museum now has included more interactive sessions to keep it rather interesting for kids and adults. Definitely worth including in your list of places to visit in Kuwait.

Admire the Bedouin Culture of Kuwait at Al Sadu House

Al Sadu House

Location

An Islamic architectural house, Al Sadu House is a heritage site and a museum. With a diverse collection of artefacts, the museum is located beside the National Museum of Kuwait. At one point in history, Al Sadu House was a traditional home occupied by locals, which is exactly what signifies the importance of the place today.

The museum preserves the Bedouin style of weaving; it has several rooms that demonstrate the Bedouin weaving methods. The collection of artefacts includes fine embroidery and metalwork used for the occupation of weaving by Bedouin nomads. You can visit the museum from 9 AM to 8 PM, and there’s no entrance fee.

Enjoy a Stroll at the Green Island

Green Island
Photo by Rameena Ans on Flickr

If you’ve visited all the tourist attractions you planned to visit in Kuwait and still have some spare time you could drop by the Green Island. This island is more or less a park facing the Persian Gulf. Back in the ’90s, it was one of the most happening places you could visit, but now it is somewhat forgotten.

You can take a stroll in the evening or even hire a bike to explore this spacious park. It can be relaxing, and if you’re feeling hungry there’re several cafes around the premises you can grab a bite from. Overall many visitors do claim that the place is not well maintained. That’s something you can be the judge of should you chose to drop by.

Spend time at the Al Shaheed Park

Places to Visit in Kuwait - Al Shaheed Park
Photo by Ahmad Mohammed on Unsplash

If you’re looking for a place to take a stroll or sit and chill – especially after touring the city, then you need to head to the Al Shaheed Park. Smack bang in the middle of the city with stunning skyscrapers in view it’s quite a sight to see even at night when the buildings are lit up! With green footpaths and other botanical creations in view, it is quite ideal for a leisurely walk at any point of the day. Is it worth including in your list of places to visit in Kuwait? Yes.

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