Yemen » Things to see

See the Great Mosque of Sana'a, the oldest and largest of the mosques in Sana'a and one of the oldest in the Muslim world, constructed in the lifetime of the Prophet and enlarged in AD705.

Tour the National Museum in Taherir Square in Dar al-Shukr (Palace of Gratefulness); it contains engravings of pre-Islamic times, bronze statues, a beautiful mashrabia (cooling place for water) and several examples of folk art.

Visit Rawdha, some 8km (5 miles) north of Sana'a, a garden city famous for its sweet grapes, the mosque built by Ahmed ibn al-Qasim and the Rawdha Palace, now used as a hotel.

See Amran, lying on the edge of the fertile basin of al-Bawn. The city is surrounded by the old clay city walls of pre-Islamic, Sabean origin.

Visit the modern Red Sea port of Hodeida and see the fish market, where fishing boats have been built from wood in the same way for hundreds of years.

Tour the walled city of Sa'dah. The al-Hadi Mosque is still an important institution for education in Zaydism. It is possible to walk along the top of the city walls, which offer good views of the city.

Visit the port of Aden with its biblical history and fine museums. Crater, the oldest part of the city, lies in the crater of an extinct volcano and is where the most ancient constructions in Aden may be seen.

Shop for souvenirs in Sana'a's 1,000-year-old Bab al-Yemen Market, which is divided into 40 different crafts and trades. The spice market is one of the best to visit. Other markets include the Souk al-Nahaas selling embroidered head-dresses, belts and jambias (curved daggers).

Enjoy the subtropical climate of Wadi Wa'aar, lying between Sana'a and Sa'dah in the north. Out of this rises the Shahara, a huge mountain massif, the highest point being nearly 3,000m (9,840ft) above sea level. This can be climbed by foot or by 4-wheel drive car.

Lounge on several superb beaches fringing the Indian Ocean at Little Aden, situated in the crater of an extinct volcano; this is an area of small fishing villages in sheltered bays. Hike and camp on Socotra Island; the island's remarkable landscape is home to a huge array of wildlife and plants.

Walk amongst Yemen's early crops of grapes in the strikingly fertile Sad'ah Basin.

Dive in the balmy Red and Arabian seas, or take to the water for a spot of sailing.

Scale Hadda Mountain and take in picturesque villages dotted with orchards growing apricots, peaches, walnuts and almonds.