🇾🇪 Yemen

10 best places in Sana'a

Sana'a is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth, a forest of multi-storey mudbrick towers laced with white gypsum filigree.

Sight

Old City of Sana'a

A UNESCO-listed maze of centuries-old tower houses decorated with intricate white plasterwork.

Sight

Bab al-Yaman

The historic gate that once funneled camel caravans into the walled old city.

Museum

National Museum of Yemen

Houses Sabaean relics, ancient inscriptions and treasures of the pre-Islamic South Arabian kingdoms.

Sight

Great Mosque of Sana'a

One of the oldest mosques in Islam, said to date to the Prophet's own lifetime.

Sight

Al-Saleh Mosque

Yemen's largest mosque, its towering minarets visible from across the city.

Market

Suq al-Milh

The bustling salt market where spices, silver and curved jambiya daggers all trade side by side.

Sight

Dar al-Hajar (Rock Palace)

An elegant palace that seems to grow straight out of a rock outcrop in the Wadi Dhahr valley.

District

Bait Baws village

An ancient hilltop settlement with a ruined fort and sweeping views over the capital.

Museum

Traditional house museums

Restored tower houses that reveal how Sana'a's well-to-do families once lived.

Café

Tahrir Square cafés

The place to sip qishr, a spiced coffee-husk brew flavored with ginger.

FAQ

Is it safe to travel to Sanaa right now?

Honestly, no. Yemen's armed conflict is ongoing, the capital is under the control of one side, and most governments advise against all travel with no consular help available. Insurance, evacuation and bank cards do not work in the normal way there.

What is the old city of Sanaa known for?

It is a UNESCO site and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth: tower houses of mud brick trimmed with white gypsum and set with stained glass qamariya windows. The quarter is more than a thousand years old, and parts have been damaged by fighting and heavy rain.

Do you need a visa for Yemen?

Almost everyone does, and getting one now is extremely hard: consular services are patchy and entry in practice depends on who controls the airport and province you are heading for. Flights into Sanaa are limited, and any rule here can change within a week.

Should you consider moving to Yemen?

No. The humanitarian situation is severe and the economy is shattered, and the foreigners on the ground are mostly aid workers under strict security protocols. If the Arab world appeals to you as a base, Oman, the UAE or Jordan are the realistic options.