A trip to Nizwa

This time, the trip to Nizwa was more special. I have been to Nizwa several times, but the first time with my family. But with sleeping overnight for the first time.

I was tired and excited to hear the news that we would leave for Nizwa the next day. We returned from Hujrat al Sheikh, started preparations for Nizwa. We packed our bags and left a few things for the next day.

I booked a room at the Antique Inn Hotel in the center of Nizwa. I fell asleep happy and excited.

My dear readers, I will tell you starting with the weekend day, spent with my family, after breakfast we set off.

On the way to Nizwa we saw indescribable views, high and rocky mountains, valleys with shrubs, farms with old traditional houses and large and small settlements.

Nizwa, is the historical heart of the country, about 1.5 hours drive south of Muscat. It is bordered by the impressive Hajar Mountains to the west to the north and the endless Omani desert to the south.

Maria fell asleep on the way to Nizwa, although I was sleepy, despite the coffee I drank in the morning I tried to fall asleep. What disturbed my sleep was the argument we had on the way.

The road was long, but at the same time pleasant, no argument was going to destroy the happiness I felt. At the entrance to Nizwa, we got lost, but we found our way quickly. Before we stayed, we had lunch. I was hungry, I found a Yemeni restaurant, with traditional Arabic specialties. Where the food was delicious.

Antique Inn Hotel is located a 2-minute walk from Nizwa Fort and the old market, which offers the opportunity to explore the culture of the place. When we entered the hotel, we saw a peaceful garden, a spacious terrace and an outdoor pool.

At the entrance to the hotel there was an old fountain almost 300 years old. From the reception we learned that this one is the same age. We were amazed by this figure, the hotel being very spacious, comfortable, mysterious, emanating a positive energy. Everything was traditional, with a very nice balance of charm and amenities.

The Omani building was beautiful, in an old style, with traditional style rooms, with a beautiful terrace from where you could see the city from the window. The pool was very inviting, as was the roof and the restaurant. Finally we arrived in our comfortable room, in an old traditional Omani style, with a clean bathroom, where we had all the amenities.

We rested a little with the whole family, and went outside to the pool. My husband and daughter swam in the clean pool surrounded by the old buildings that looked down on us.

After that, we went upstairs to get ready to go out into the city for a walk, and we enjoyed the surrounding view. It was a sunny day, and there was a very pleasant wind blowing. We set off towards the old market in the center of Nizwa.

The city of Nizwa, famous for its handicrafts and agricultural products, has a large market with a wide range of products. It is one of the most important in the country, next to Muttrah. The market was crowded with different vendors, who sold: from meat, fish, fruits and vegetables to spices, dates, gold and silverware. Nizwa is famous for its silver jewelry, which is considered the best in the country. Its inhabitants are masters of making khanjars (curved daggers), known for their distinctive style and patterns. They also make copperware, coffee pots, swords, leather goods, and ceramics.

After strolling through the old market of Nizwa and buying a few things, we set off to explore the old streets of Nizwa village.

Another location that I discovered with my family was the Al Aqur Wall, which is the pride of the city of Nizwa. While we were walking through the narrow streets of the village of Aqur, we also had a snack so as not to charge with energy and strength to explore more of the area. The breeze outside did not please and did not encourage us to stay outside and not enjoy the view that does not surround us.

After the coffee that we had in a cafe in the village of Al Aqur, it gave us energy to visit the Al Aqur Wall.

We learned the history of this wall, the residents of Nizwa who have units of effort to restore the old wall around the Al Shahba Fort, it has become not only a symbol of the pride of the wilayat of Nizwa, but also a model that inspired future generations to preserve the rich legacy of the governor of Al Dakhiliyah.

The restored wall was inaugurated on January 8 in the village of Al Aqur. Al Aqur Wall and Aqur Square are approximately 1,950 meters long, of which approximately 700 meters were restored at a cost of 4,000 riyals. The wall stretches over date orchards, old adobe houses and offers a view of the city of Al Shahba. The wall is decorated with beautiful lighting and a geometric design that matches the neighborhood and the design of the castle. The wall includes 6 towers, the tallest of which is 13 meters.

Al Aqur Wall has cafes, restaurants selling traditional food, a photo booth for taking photos, souvenirs in traditional Omani costumes, as well as a large market for walking and organizing events.

The revival of ancient houses abandoned decades ago has today become a tourist destination on the international map. Al Aqur Historical Village contains 18 rooms 7 years ago, in the meantime it has grown to 200 rooms. The number is growing, with many quality facilities. There are over 15 cafes, two museums, a public library and two mosques, a center for the introduction of Islam, a Quranic school and a clinic, considering that the first hospital in Nizwa was in the Al Aqur quarter.

In ancient times, the wall protected the people from invaders and thieves. In the past, the old neighborhoods were mostly surrounded by walls. However, its walls differ according to their importance. Some of its walls are the walls of houses, and this neighborhood was the command center of Oman. 

The Imam or Sultan was present in this neighborhood. Governors, officials, judges, advisors and scholars were also there. Therefore, its fortification was very important.

In the evening after walking around Al Aqur with our family and enjoying the view around us, we decided to go to the hotel not to ask, to feed Maria and not to rest a little. We looked for a supermarket nearby so as not to stock up for the next day.

We bought something, had dinner at a restaurant and returned to the room. Maria was tired and fell asleep immediately. We got ready for sleep, we were tired and happy with our experience that we had in the city of Nizwa.

I will never forget this beautiful experience that we had in the village of Al Aqur and in Nizwa. We fell asleep, because the hotel exudes a positive, interesting and mystical energy at the same time.

The next day, Sunday morning, Maria was the one who woke us up for a new adventure at the Museum through the ages. We packed up our personal belongings, left our room tidy. We loaded our things into the car and set off for the Museum of the Ages with our family.

Located in Nizwa, one of the oldest cities in Oman, it took us about 20 minutes to get to the Museum. The museum is inspired by the extraordinary landscape and geometric profiles of the Al Hajar Mountains and its canyons. The Oman Museum of the Ages is a celebration of the rich history, culture and economic growth of the countries over time, while also providing a compelling perspective on the future of Oman. The museum is a cultural and educational landmark for both citizens and visitors. The immense scale of the building, as it rises from the desert floor and stretches to the horizon, is something to admire.

We entered the beautiful and tall museum with our family, paid the 2 riyals entrance fee and set off to explore. The museum transports visitors through the nation’s 800 million-year history through a series of immersive, high-tech experiences. The building emerges from the landscape as a series of geometric, angular forms that dialogue with the backdrop of the peaks and ridges of the Al Hajar mountain range. In harmony with the architecture, the exhibition design celebrates Oman’s rich heritage, dating from prehistory to the present day, through the latest intensive technologies.

The immense scale of the building is, it includes galleries, a knowledge center about impression about the library, an auditorium, a workplace, accommodation and studios for resident artists, conservation workshops, a café and social and research spaces.

We were on a vast and extensive journey through the centuries and millennia, following Oman from its earliest inhabitants in prehistory to the present day, through a succession of eras, dynasties and civilizations. Of particular importance is the modern rebirth of the nation in the 1970s, when Oman experienced a remarkable period of economic, technological, political and social modernization.

We finished this mini-tour of the museum, at the museum's pastry shop, we had a delicious breakfast. We left the museum delighted with the trip we had, back to Nizwa. We went to the Mall to entertain Maria, there we had lunch, and ate a delicious local ice cream.

We returned home relaxed, delighted with the trip we had. We enjoyed the weather outside and the view that surrounded us. It was a trip that I will never forget.

 

Written by Bogus Elena