Latest Middle East Headlines

Abu Dhabi is known for its eponymous capital city, but few people visit Al Ain, the Emirate’s second city. Elizabeth von Pier finds enchantment in the desert.

Egypt’s tourist industry is in very poor shape. Nick Redmayne travels to the Sinai and finds neither revolution nor coup has done much to improve the lot of the Egyptian people.

In 1973 Iran was a very different place – and being a British diplomat was an advantage. Martin Berthoud makes the most of his rank.

There’s a great deal to do in the Middle East’s most popular tourist destination. Lucy Barker runs through the best things to do in the United Arab Emirates.

Devika A Rosamund takes the legendary ‘Magic Bus’ to India in the 70’s, but breaks away in Teheran to continue independently. Her journey suddenly gets a whole lot slower.

Lured away by Petra and other headline sights, few visitors to Jordan head fifty miles out of Amman to explore ancient castles marooned in sand. Elizabeth von Pier finds the experience peaceful and entrancing.

In the middle of Kit Mayers’ fascinating book about the 16th Century explorer Anthony Jenkinson is a tiny passage where he explains the difference between the grand divide in mainstream Islamic thought. Admirably concise and clear.

When Ignacio M Delgado flies into Egypt’s capital, he makes plans with his map. But the city confounds his itinerary and leads him, surprisingly, to Al-Muizz Street.

Israel is often in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Paul Woollacombe says that in holiday season it can be a great beach destination.

Tough times for the tourist industry in Egypt. Catherine Oughtibridge ventures into the Valley of Kings and finds all is not well amongst the tombs of an ancient civilisation.

Gordon Kerr”s new book, ‘A short history of the Middle East’ is admirably concise. His explanation of the creation of the state of Israel is a masterpiece of clarity.

Gordon Kerr’s latest history book gallops through the tortuous history of the Middle East. This section explores how France sculpted borders onto Syria and Lebanon in the gap between World Wars.

There’s no easy way into the Middle East’s sacred city for many of its rural neighbours. Hasheemah Afaneh takes half a day to clear Israeli security in a family visit to her nearest town.

Looking for an inexpensive blast of winter sun? Dubai’s your best bet. Gemma James from Travelbag has the scoop.

Jordan’s iconic Nabatean highlight has plenty to inspire visitors. But Thomas Dowling finds it also has a fair selection of sophisticated – and often young – hustlers who are well used to visitors.

Dubai is the standout star of Middle Eastern tourism and there’s always plenty going on. There are, however, a few major events that might just influence when you choose to visit: Paul Woollacombe rounds up your options.

Israel is one of the Middle East’s most exciting tourist destinations. Shlomo SIXT has some tips for planning a family visit to a country that combines beach, beauty, history and culture.

Despite the headlines much of the Middle East remains perfectly safe – and largely devoid of tourists. Lucy Barker says there are at least five must-see sights that should be on every bucket list, and now’s a great time to get them to yourself.

Don’t boycott the Middle East: they need your tourist dollars. Nick Bush has some first-hand advice for divers to help them make the most of the Red Sea reefs.

You hear a lot of news about Israel but not a great deal about its beaches, bars and nightlife. Ben Cooke sets the record straight: people do just live there, and in some style.

Even before Isis Iraq was already a deadly place. Robin Ratchford has two armed guards for his expedition to downtown Bagdad, which involves checkpoints, security checks and vegetables for sale.

When all news is of Isis, most travellers shy clear of Iraq. But neglect – and a lack of tourists – mean many of Mesopotamia’s ancient treasures are crumbling back to dust. Joseph Shawyer says this might be your last opportunity.

As a volunteer teacher in the occupied territories of the West Bank, Jonathon Engels finds that even for a Westerner life under Israeli occupation is routinely alarming. And for the local Palestinians, it’s prison.

Tom Allen escapes his military escort in Yemen’s southern deserts but soon meets a group of refugees, fresh from a boat from Somalia. And when they ask for his help he has little to offer.

Tom Allen is woefully unprepared for his cycle ride out of Aden, passing as it does some of the world’s most dangerous insurgent areas. So when the army comes to his help it seems natural to accept a lift.

Thanks to good air links and little or no taxation, Dubai is something of a tour operator’s darling. Anthony Toole, however, is resolutely unimpressed.

Seven-year-old Robin Ratchford was fascinated by a postage stamp from Yemen, in the heart of Arabia. Thirty years later he finally gets to visit Sana’a, the capital, but finds the country’s newest stamps hardly live up to the original.

Back in the 90’s the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was .. er .. very much like it is now. Allan Jack, working in the oil industry, explains how daily life played out for the expatriate community.

It’s easy enough to get visas in London. Almost every country has embassies. But Jason Smart is in Qatar. Doha is different, and getting an Indian visa had been a nightmare – but Bangladesh proves a breeze.

It’s famously easy to get disoriented in the narrow alleys of Yemen’s ancient capital, but Robin Ratchford has two maps and counts every step. It makes his walking tour feel rather like a treasure hunt – but doesn’t stop him getting lost.

Though rarely a stickler for tradition, John M Edwards does appreciate, just once a year, a good traditional Thanksgiving feast. Lamb-strewn Istanbul treats his requests with contempt and he does little better in Kusadasi.

The ‘Arab Spring’ swept away not just Egypt’s leaders but also most of its tourists. Kerry-Ann Virgo and Nicholas Hussain, undeterred, are charmed by the Nile Valley’s tombs, temples, treasures – and people.

Tehran’s leading celebrity chef preserves traditional Persian cooking in a show that has run for 16 years. Jackie Abramain gets plenty of tastes of Iranian food when she meets Saman Golriz for a restaurant crawl in the capital.

Globetrotting cyclist Charlie Walker pedals south from Wadi Haifa for the long hot journey to the capital, Khartoum.

Donning a headscarf, Anna Rudycheva crosses into Iran – and walks into an unexpectedly warm welcome. This is her guide as to what to see and do.

The latest installment from Charlie Walker’s three-year bike-ride around the world sees him pedal through Iraqi Kurdistan, dodging fast imported cars and endless cups of tea.

Somehow I don’t think Michael Bucaria intended to visit Morocco. I think he bolted it onto his travels around Spain. But his daytrip into Africa proves an outstanding success.

Officialdom aside, Andy McGinlay finds travelling in Iran refreshingly easy. As ever, its the Iranians themselves who make everything work.