Switzerland on the Arabian Sea, Oman, Middle East
The Sultanate of Oman, to my mind, bears an unexpected resemblance to Switzerland, chiefly for its remarkable sense of order. The roads are immaculate, even far into the hinterland. In Muscat, the capital, traffic is meticulously monitored; people are unfailingly courteous, their smiles as warm as the sun. The villas — bathed in brilliant white and punctuated by graceful arches, latticework and recessed windows that recall Omani stylistic nuance — gleam a pristine white, as if freshly dusted with snow. Gardens brim with blossoms in shades of blue, pink and violet, and not a single petal appears anything less than perfectly tended.
Pristine white residences and immaculate flower‑bed parterres in Muscat, Oman – photographed by Barbara Athanassiadis
Travellers can admire this harmonious aesthetic in the flowerbeds lining the streets — an endless ribbon of colour that a small army of gardeners is constantly pruning. I was told that Sultan Qaboos bin Said developed a love of flowers during his studies in England, which perhaps explains the great attention devoted to their presence throughout the city.
The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat — a breathtaking space of marble, light and artful craftsmanship.
Banks, major public buildings and corporate offices follow a modern architectural idiom reminiscent of the Mediterranean, where stained glass and white plaster prevail. The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque — among the largest mosques on the Arabian Peninsula — is built entirely of white marble from India that dazzles under the fierce sunshine. Within lies a vast hand-woven carpet from Iran, reputed to be one of the largest of its kind in the Arab world, its intricate patterns unfolding in silent splendour within the soaring dome.
Old Muscat and its role in trade since ancient and medieval times.
By contrast, Muscat’s old town and its harbour possess an intimate, almost enchanting charm. Everything is built on a smaller scale and follows traditional Arabic lines, exuding the quiet mystery of a place to which traders have sailed since antiquity. The sea here is a deep, lustrous blue, set against stark rocky hills and stretches of sand where the desert comes to rest. In the old town stands the Sultan’s principal residence, adorned in turquoise, white and gold, while the surrounding villas overflow with flowers rather than being barricaded behind high, forbidding walls.
The iconic Al Alam Palace, Old Muscat: one of the Sultan’s principal ceremonial residences.
My guide — an imposing Bedouin who had studied in England and served as the first cartographer of the Sultanate — delighted me with stories of Omani life, which has changed beyond recognition in recent decades. As a boy, he travelled from his desert village to Muscat on camelback, part of a slow-moving caravan. Today he returns to that same village in a modern jeep with so many switches on its dashboard that it resembles the cockpit of an Airbus. His village was typical of those scattered across the desert, encircled by towering dunes of sand so fine it felt like sifted flour, and we frequently encountered camels wandering alone across the landscape.
The author at Nizwa Fort, in the old capital of the Sultanate of Oman.
Before reaching the desert proper, one passes through ancient towns, each with its casbah, old fort, mosque and Qur’anic school, each possessing a character entirely its own. Many lie nestled within mountains or valleys that once shielded them from invaders. Beyond these mountains lies the border with Saudi Arabia and the vastness of the Empty Quarter — the world’s largest continuous desert, a place so immense and so unforgiving that only a handful of people have ever managed to cross it.
Nizwa, the heart of Omani heritage, comes alive each year with its iconic cultural festival.
*These impressions were penned in my travel journal during my very first visit to the country in February 2008. Since then, I have returned several times, each time observing with fresh appreciation how Oman has grown and evolved in remarkable ways, yet always with a profound respect for its traditional architectural heritage, the deep roots of its ancient culture, and the enduring tapestry of its history.
Embark on a journey with my Books in English