Planning to travel to the Middle East? Here are all the reasons that you must stopover in Kuwait. Though the city wouldn’t come first to your mind while penning down your checklist, it is certainly worth a visit for its lovely Arabian culture and warm hospitality, interesting museums, and rare architecture.
Situated between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Kuwait is like a diamond in the rough of the Middle East and lesser-known for its tourism culture. It’s perhaps due to its past which includes mainly the conflicts with Iraq and its outcome thereafter which restricted them to move forward with commercialism. But Kuwait still stands to be known for its remarkable architecture, beautiful beaches and much more. The people are truly welcoming and aesthetic in their traditions and customs. Here are some interesting places and things to look out for:
House of Mirrors
Located in Qadsiya, the house is still private property so appointments have to be made prior to weekday visits. The interior and exterior of the house are completely made of broken glass as a work of superb art. The stunning work has been done by Italian born Lidia al-Qattan, sculptor, jeweller and painter, who is married to Khalifa al-Qattan, a renowned Kuwaiti artist. They are the original owners of this house. Their daughter had once broken a piece of mirror and it inspired Lidia to do something artistic and went ahead to create this beautiful setting. A really intriguing fact is that Lidia al-Qattan used only four simple items to create this glamorous art ie. a filer, a tablespoon and two different types of knives to cut the glasses. You have definitely got to check out the Art therapy room and the Stairs of Inspiration.
Grand Mosque
You just cannot miss paying a visit to the biggest Mosque of the city which is true to its name – the Grand Mosque. It’s located in the heart of the city and all traditional religious celebrations take place in this mosque only. It is known worldwide for its brilliant architecture and considered one of the apprized landmarks in the city. Muslims gather here in abundance during the last 10 days of Ramadan. It also holds a library with numerous Islamic reference books and documents. Women have a separate hall for worshipping and are asked to get into their traditional attire which is an abaya and a headscarf(both provided).
The Liberation Tower
As it is evident from its name, the Liberation Tower is a symbol of Kuwait’s liberation from the Iraqi invasion which led to a renaissance. It is the second-largest tower in the country and known worldwide for its magnanimous architecture. The tower also includes a revolving restaurant and an observation platform at the top and definitely worth a visit for its monumental and historic significance.
Kuwait is truly a destination worth exploring but there a few key points to keep pay attention to while planning a visit.
- Kuwait has a conservative culture and its visitors are expected to respect its laws and customs in every way possible. Consumption of alcohol, pork, indulging in homosexuality, heterosexual sex outside of marriage, and pornography are illegal.
- If it is the holy month of Ramadan then visitors are not expected to eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum in public. It is considered illegal and one could be fined or imprisoned for it.
- Clothing should not be revealing and tight-fitting clothes are also not encouraged.
Book your trip to Kuwait with Kuwait Airways
Kuwait Airways is the national airline of Kuwait and connects to many Middle Eastern countries and the rest of the world including India, Bangladesh, London, Malaysia, New York, Paris, and Rome. They have been providing top-class services to their customers and won various awards for their outstanding customer service. Complimentary services across all cabin classes, a wide-range of meal options, web check-in facility, 24/7 online customer support are some of their key takeaways. They also have a program for frequent flyers called the Oasis Club where one can enjoy the privileges of preferential seating, luxury lounges and much more.
Here are some of the things you can do in Dubai – Dabbling in Dubai. Fancy a trip to China? Travel: China The beautiful, A Blend Of Old And New Cultures
