Find places in Bahrain

Must-Haves

• Bab Al Bahrain (Manama Souq)
  The old customs gateway that marks the entrance to the souq and the start of any walk through old Manama.
• Bahrain National Museum (Al Fateh Highway)
  The best introduction to Dilmun, Tylos and Islamic Bahrain, with a full hall of burial mound finds.
• Al Fateh Grand Mosque (Juffair)
  One of the largest mosques in the world, with free guided visits for non-Muslims outside prayer times.
• Bahrain National Theatre (Al Fateh Highway)
  A dramatic glass and timber theatre beside the National Museum, hosting concerts and festival shows.

Fun for Everyone

• Bait Al Quran (Hoora)
  A museum of rare Qurans and Islamic calligraphy in a striking modern building.

Must-Haves

• Manama Souq (Old Manama)
  Narrow lanes of spice, textile, perfume and gold shops that still feel like a working market.
• Gold City (Manama Souq)
  A covered arcade of jewellers where Bahrain's famous gold and pearl pieces are sold by weight.
• Moda Mall (Bahrain World Trade Center)
  Luxury shopping beneath the twin sail towers with built in wind turbines.

Fun for Everyone

• The Avenues Bahrain (Bahrain Bay)
  A long waterfront mall with a promenade, cafés and shops facing the sea.
• City Centre Bahrain (Seef)
  The island's biggest mall, with a cinema, Magic Planet and the Wahooo water park inside.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Haji's Café (Manama Souq)
  A decades old souq café serving Bahraini breakfasts, chai and balaleet at shared tables in the lane.

Fun for Everyone

• Lilou Artisan Patisserie (Adliya)
  A pretty French style café for brunch, cakes and people watching on a busy Adliya corner.

Must-Haves

• Saffron by Jena (Manama Souq)
  Home style Bahraini cooking in an old souq house, from machboos to balaleet and karak.

Great for Date Night

• CUT by Wolfgang Puck (Four Seasons Bahrain Bay)
  A polished steakhouse with views over Bahrain Bay and the city lights.
• Mirai (Adliya)
  Long popular modern Japanese restaurant and lounge, a classic Adliya night out.

Fun for Everyone

• Block 338 restaurants (Adliya)
  A walkable grid of cafés, galleries and restaurants with murals and outdoor seating in the cooler months.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Al Abraaj (Adliya)
  A popular Bahraini chain for grilled fish, mixed grills and Arabic mezze at sensible prices.

Great for Date Night

• The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain lounges (Seef)
  Beachside and lobby bars in one of the island's grand resort hotels.
• Bahrain Bay waterfront (Bahrain Bay)
  An evening walk past fountains and towers with hotel terraces for a drink after.

Fun for Everyone

• Juffair nightlife strip (Juffair)
  A dense cluster of hotel bars, pubs and late night spots popular with expats.

Must-Haves

• Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay (Bahrain Bay)
  A tall luxury hotel on its own island with private beach and skyline views.
• The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain (Seef)
  A classic beach resort with a private lagoon and island beach close to the malls.

Great for Date Night

• The Merchant House (Manama Souq)
  A boutique hotel on the edge of the old souq, stylish and walkable.

Fun for Everyone

• Gulf Hotel Bahrain (Adliya)
  A long established hotel with many restaurants, close to Adliya's dining streets.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Downtown Rotana (Manama)
  A good value business hotel near the souq and the diplomatic area.

Must-Haves

• Spring of Culture (Across Bahrain)
  A season of concerts, theatre and art held across the country in late winter and spring.

Fun for Everyone

• Shop Bahrain (Across Bahrain)
  A national shopping festival with promotions, raffles and family events in the malls.
• Bahrain National Day (Across Bahrain)
  Celebrations, lights and fireworks around mid December.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Ashura processions (Old Manama)
  A major religious commemoration in old Manama, best observed respectfully from the side.

Must-Haves

• Pearling Path (Muharraq old town)
  A UNESCO listed trail of pearl merchants' houses, shops and the seashore that tells the story of pearling.
• Shaikh Isa bin Ali House (Muharraq old town)
  A nineteenth century ruler's home with wind towers that cooled rooms long before air conditioning.
• Siyadi House (Muharraq old town)
  A pearl merchant's house with fine carved wood and stained glass beside its own mosque.

Off the Beaten Path

• Bu Maher Fort (Muharraq seashore)
  The small fort and visitor centre where the Pearling Path begins, reached by boat or road.
• Shaikh Ebrahim Center for Culture and Research (Muharraq old town)
  A cultural centre that has restored a series of old houses as libraries, galleries and music rooms.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Halwa Showaiter (Muharraq Souq)
  The famous family halwa makers, where you watch the sweet being stirred and taste it warm.

Must-Haves

• Emmawash (Muharraq)
  A Bahraini breakfast institution for balaleet, eggs with tomato and fresh bread.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Muharraq bread bakeries (Muharraq old town)
  Tiny bakeries slapping khubz onto clay ovens, eaten hot with cheese or date syrup.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Muharraq Souq (Muharraq old town)
  A covered local market for sweets, spices, fabrics and household goods with little tourist polish.

Fun for Everyone

• Marassi Galleria (Diyar Al Muharraq)
  A newer seafront mall with an aquarium and views over the beach.

Fun for Everyone

• Arad Fort (Arad)
  A fifteenth century fort by the sea, lit up at night and a short drive from the airport.
• Arad Bay Park walk (Arad)
  A promenade around Arad Bay for evening walks and views of the fort.

Off the Beaten Path

• Old Muharraq walking lanes at dusk (Muharraq old town)
  Quiet alleys, wind towers and murals that come alive as the heat fades.

Fun for Everyone

• Marassi Beach (Diyar Al Muharraq)
  A long, managed sandy beach with cafés and family areas beside Marassi Galleria.

Great for Date Night

• Vida Marassi Al Bahrain (Diyar Al Muharraq)
  A modern resort hotel on Marassi Beach.

Fun for Everyone

• Address Beach Resort Bahrain (Diyar Al Muharraq)
  A large beach resort with pools beside Marassi Galleria.

Must-Haves

• Qal'at al-Bahrain (Karbabad)
  The UNESCO listed fort and tell where four thousand years of capitals were built on top of each other.
• Qal'at al-Bahrain Site Museum (Karbabad)
  A calm museum explaining the layers of the site, with a good café facing the fort.
• Barbar Temple (Barbar)
  The foundations of a series of Dilmun temples built around a sacred freshwater spring.
• A'ali Burial Mounds (A'ali)
  Giant royal burial mounds from the Dilmun era, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Off the Beaten Path

• A'ali pottery workshops (A'ali)
  Family kilns built into the old mounds where potters still throw jars by hand.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Budaiya Farmers Market (Budaiya Botanical Garden)
  A winter weekend market of local produce, honey, plants and home cooking.

Off the Beaten Path

• Date farms along Budaiya Highway (Budaiya)
  The green belt of date palms and old villages that shows rural Bahrain.

Fun for Everyone

• Budaiya Highway cafés and restaurants (Budaiya)
  A long road lined with relaxed cafés and family restaurants.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Machboos at a Budaiya family restaurant (Budaiya)
  Spiced rice with chicken or fish, the national dish, in an unfussy local setting.

Fun for Everyone

• Bahrain Fort sunset walk (Karbabad)
  Walk the walls and shore path as the sun sets over the old capital.

Fun for Everyone

• Novotel Bahrain Al Dana Resort (Sanabis)
  A family resort hotel on the north coast near the Bahrain Fort road.

Must-Haves

• Bahrain International Circuit (Sakhir)
  The Formula 1 track that hosts the Grand Prix, with track days and karting through the year.

Fun for Everyone

• Bahrain International Karting Circuit (Sakhir)
  Race karts on a professional track, open to visitors most days.
• Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park (Al Areen)
  A large outdoor water park themed on the ancient Dilmun civilisation.

Must-Haves

• Bahrain Grand Prix (Bahrain International Circuit)
  The island's biggest event, a night race with concerts and a buzz across the country.

Fun for Everyone

• Bahrain International Airshow (Sakhir Airbase)
  A large biennial air show with public flying displays.

Must-Haves

• Tree of Life (Southern desert)
  A lone mesquite tree that has survived for centuries in the bare desert.

Fun for Everyone

• Al Areen Wildlife Park (Al Areen)
  A desert reserve with Arabian oryx, gazelles and birds seen on a guided bus tour.
• Al Jazayer Beach (South west coast)
  A public beach in the south with shallow water and weekend family picnics.

Off the Beaten Path

• Jebel Dukhan (Southern desert)
  The low highest point of Bahrain, with oil field views and desert drives.
• Winter desert camps (Sakhir)
  Seasonal tented camps where Bahraini families gather on cool winter nights.

Off the Beaten Path

• Bahrain First Oil Well and Oil Museum (Awali)
  The site of the first oil well in the Arab side of the Gulf, with a small museum.
• Awali town (Awali)
  The leafy old oil company town, a curious slice of mid century company life.

Great for Date Night

• Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea and Spa (Zallaq)
  A beach resort with a big thalassotherapy spa on the quiet west coast.

Fun for Everyone

• Amwaj Lagoon (Amwaj Islands)
  A walkable waterfront of cafés and restaurants around a calm lagoon.

Great for Date Night

• Amwaj Lagoon restaurants (Amwaj Islands)
  Waterside dinners with marina views on the island's main promenade.

Must-Haves

• Art Rotana Amwaj Islands (Amwaj Islands)
  A beach resort with a private beach and pools close to the airport.

Fun for Everyone

• Amwaj Islands beach apartments (Amwaj Islands)
  Holiday apartments with beach access, good for families and longer stays.

Fun for Everyone

• Amwaj Lagoon cafés (Amwaj Islands)
  Morning coffee by the water before the heat sets in.

Must-Haves

• Shaikh Salman bin Ahmed Al Fateh Fort (Riffa)
  A hilltop fort with views over the Hunainiya valley and a small museum.

Great for Date Night

• Royal Golf Club (Riffa Views)
  An eighteen hole desert course with a clubhouse terrace.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Isa Town Traditional Market (Isa Town)
  A big, bustling local market for fabrics, household goods and bargains.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Riffa machboos houses (Riffa)
  Local restaurants serving fish and chicken machboos to families.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Karak stands in Riffa (Riffa)
  Roadside karak and paratha stands that stay busy late into the night.