From central Muscat, it takes about two hours to travel to Nizwa by car. Luckily, the drive is scenic and enjoyable through hills. Road are very good. I passed the Omani Parliament and stopped at Qantab Beach on the way. It’s definitely worth the visit to see Nizwa fort (17th century) and castle, as well as the surrounding area. Be sure to go onto the roof for the beautiful views. Near the fort, the souqs (markets) are also interesting to visit. They’re separated by types of goods. For example, there is a specific meat market, and the one for fruit and vegetables also has sweets and baked goods.
Highlights
- Nizwa Fort from the 17th century
- Nizwa Castle and gardens including camels, goats and cows
- Old Town and Souqs
- Al Qala’a Mosque
- Falaj Daris irrigation system
- Oman Across Ages Museum
- Al Bilaad Historical Village
Before you go
- Nizwa was the capital of Oman in the 6th and 7th centuries AD
- The weather can be very hot during the summer months
- Falaj Daris, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the largest irrigation system in Oman
- Parking is free at the big lot near Nizwa Souqs, so search for Public Parking Nizwa Fort
Transport
- To get to Nizwa, you need to travel by car either driving or taking a taxi. It is about 2 hours from Muscat.
- Once you have parked at the main public lot, it is easy to get around on foot
Accommodation
- As usual I recommend checking reviews on Booking.com or using AirBnB
- I stayed in Mutrah for the whole visit to Oman, and drove from there so I did not stay in Nizwa
Food
Since I was only in Nizwa for a couple of hours, I didn’t have time to have a real meal. I had a nice gelato, one scoop of Luban (frankincense) and one of cinnamon, at Mine. It was perfect on a sunny day, walking around the streets in the old town.
Also, I bought some more sticky Omani halwa from the souqs at Al Qassabi.
FAQs
Q: Do I need a tour guide?
A: No, it is small and easy to find the places of interest. However, if you want to know more details about the fort and castle, then you may want to hire a guide.
Q: Do people speak English?
A: Yes, almost everyone spoke English
Q: Is it a walkable city?
A: Yes it is walkable
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