About
Sanaa is the capital of Yemen, a mountain city in Asia whose historic core is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visitors come for the Old City, where the streets, houses and markets have been preserved as a living example of Islamic architecture.
The Old City
The Old City is known for its tower houses, tall structures decorated with intricate geometric patterns. Many of their windows are fitted with alabaster, which filters the light inside. Walking through the lanes, you pass these facades and the minarets that rise above the rooftops, giving the city its distinctive skyline.
Markets and crafts
The souks are the busiest part of the city. Stalls overflow with frankincense, spices and traditional crafts, and the bustle of buyers and sellers makes the area lively to explore on foot. Browsing here is a good way to see everyday life alongside the old buildings.
What to expect
- A mountain setting, with the city set high among hills
- Architecture that reflects centuries of continuous settlement
- Markets selling incense, spices and crafts
- Minarets and tower houses best seen by walking the older streets
Sanaa suits travellers interested in history, architecture and traditional markets. Because the Old City is compact and dense, most of the visit is spent wandering its lanes, looking up at the houses and stopping at the souks along the way.