Often referred to as the world’s oldest city, Sana’a has been Yemen’s capital since the country unified in 1990. Legend has it that Noah’s son Shem founded the city, shifting its exact location after a passing bird moved his original marking ropes further east. It lies on a plateau at 2,200m and there are several large mountains in the near vicinity. Since the 1960s the city has experienced a period of rapid growth and today is one of the fastest-growing capitals in the world.

The old city, named a World Heritage City by the UNESCO in 1984, is one of the most beautiful in the Middle East. Surrounded by ancient clay walls sometimes 9 meters high it boasts over 100 mosques as well as many old residences. At its heart is the Souq al-Milh which, although the name has its origins in the salt trade, now sells everything imaginable. The Great Mosque has been an important centre of Islamic learning for centuries and has the largest collection of old manuscripts in the country. The National Museum claims to be the largest on the Arabian Peninsular and has a good collection of regional artifacts.