Things to Do in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Quick facts: With more than 300 works of art, this is the largest art collection in the Gulf. The building spans four floors with natural light pouring through huge windows and creating incredible shadows on the marble floor.

Highlights: On the third floor, the personal collection of Sheikh Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, ruler of Sharjah, is displayed. He spent decades collecting works by Arab modernists. Among them is a painting depicting the moment the first constitution of the United Arab Emirates was signed, painted the same year the nation was born.

Quick facts: On an island of 47,000 square meters, art and nature merge in an impressive light spectacle with more than 100,000 bulbs. At night, the treetops turn into vivid light sculptures, while butterflies flutter freely in the glass pavilion during the day.

Highlights: Hours spent in the Firefly Garden reveal 50 giant metal fireflies blinking in perfect rhythm with the real insects. The art pavilion by Dutch designer Tord Boontje is covered with 1,200 hand-cut glass leaves that sparkle like dew in the sun.

Quick facts: Located in a former market hall on an artificial island, this museum holds more than 5,000 objects that tell stories about Islamic science, art and everyday life. Its 12-meter dome is covered with a golden mosaic that reflects sunlight like a jewel.

Highlights: On the ground floor there is a unique collection of rare manuscripts and miniatures, including palm-sized copies of the Quran dating from the 7th century. Particularly impressive is the room dedicated to astronomy where you can see precise models of Islamic astrolabes used by sailors in the 9th century.

Quick facts: Along the Al Qasbe canal stands an impressive 60-meter-high panoramic wheel offering spectacular views of the coastline. Every year, more than 3 million visitors enjoy walking along the water, the cafes, and the evening light installations.

Highlights: When darkness falls, the entire canal turns into a gallery of light. Hundreds of spotlights in pastel colors illuminate the water and create a mirror effect. The best moment is five minutes before sunset, when the sky and the canal merge into shades of orange and purple.

Quick facts: Under the water, more than 20 sea pools hide over 100 species of animals native to the UAE coast. The youngest visitors delightedly watch rays 'wave' at them as they glide right next to the glass.

Highlights: In a huge transparent acrylic tunnel, you can stand while two-meter-long sharks and giant rays swim right above your head. The sounds of sea currents and muted blue light create a feeling as if you yourself are breathing underwater.

Quick facts: Every evening, the fountains shoot water up to 100 meters into the air with a light and music spectacle that lasts 20 minutes. On the three-kilometer-long waterfront, there are 14 restaurants, cafes, and shops visited by more than 3 million people annually.

Highlights: At night, the entire waterfront turns into a mirror reflecting the lights from the fountains and surrounding skyscrapers, and the scent of fresh coffee mixes with the salty air. In the center, there is a mosque completely clad in white marble that changes color to gold when illuminated by the sunset.

Quick facts: This renovated city center covers 100,000 square meters and contains more than 100 traditional houses, shops and courtyards. The former commercial center of the city is today home to numerous art galleries, museums and craft workshops that revive old trades.

Highlights: Every evening at dusk, the old alleyways and courtyards are illuminated by the soft light of lanterns, creating a magical atmosphere that cannot be experienced anywhere else in the Gulf. Particularly interesting is the Museum of Islamic Civilization located in a renovated 19th-century market, where you can see a rare 13th-century manuscript of the Quran.

Quick facts: On almost 60 hectares of desert landscape sits a complex that combines a natural history museum, a botanical garden, and a wildlife center. More than 100 species of desert fauna live here, including Arabian oryx antelopes that were once completely extinct in the wild.

Highlights: Night tours with special lighting reveal desert animals that are otherwise completely invisible during the day, from scorpions that fluoresce under UV light to nocturnal desert rodents. A particularly moving moment is when, in the silence of the night, you hear the growl of the Arabian lynx, one of the most endangered cats in the world.

Quick facts: The former residence of the ruling Al Qasimi family, this fortress from 1823 witnessed the maritime and trade history of the entire region. Walls as thick as 70 centimeters were built from coral stone and plaster, and the interior preserves a traditional wind tower that cooled the rooms before the era of air conditioning.

Highlights: You will be surprised by the secret passage that connects the main building with the nearby mosque, a former escape route in case of siege. The most impressive detail is the hand-carved wooden beams and teak doors brought by traders from Zanzibar, and each story carries the scent of the sea and distant travels.