Future Bucket List Adventures - The Middle East

The Middle East

The Middle East is a geographical and cultural region located primarily in western Asia, but also in parts of northern Africa and southeastern Europe. Some of the places I would like to visit in the Middle East are Egypt, Petra in Jordan, Turkey, Morocco, Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

Egypt

Egypt is on of the oldest and most fascinating civilisations in the world. The country links northeast Africa with the Middle East both geographically and culturally. I have visited Egypt in the past with an ex boyfriend. Together, we visited an area called Sharm El Sheikh, which was popular 15-20 years ago for its cheap package holidays and snorkelling in the Red Sea. Egypt is not somewhere I would choose to visit as a solo female, however, if I were to find love again and travel with a boyfriend, (or travel with family or friends), I would love to see some of the historical monuments in Cairo and Luxor.

Past trip to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

Sharm El Sheikh is an Egyptian city located on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, popular for its snorkelling and scuba diving of the Red Sea. It was a few months before my trip that I learnt to swim (age 25) in preparation first experience of snorkelling in Sharm El Sheikh. We visited Sharm El Sheikh in the late 2000's for 7 nights.

Cairo

Cairo is the capital of Egypt, and is located next to the Nile River. The most famous attractions in Cairo are the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. The city is also home to the Egyptian Museum, which is home to a trove of antiquities including royal mummies and gilded King Tutankhamun artifacts.

Marriot Mena Cairo Hotel

The Marriot Mena Cairo Hotel is a 5 star resort, which offers a taste of modern luxury at the base of the ancient Pyramids.

Luxor

Luxor is a city on the east bank of the Nile River in southern Egypt. It's famous for being the site of ancient Thebes, the pharaohs’ capital at the height of their power, during the 16th–11th centuries B.C. The Valley of the Kings and the Luxor Temple are two of the most well known attractions in the city.

Petra in Jordan

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Petra (ancient capital city of the Nabataean people) was recently proclaimed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The ancient site of Petra in Jordan can be visited on a day tour from Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt.

Turkey

Turkey, also called Türkiye, country that occupies a unique geographic position, lying partly in Asia and partly in Europe. The city of Istanbul in Turkey is the only capital city in the world which spans two continents.

Cappadocia

Cappadocia is a historical city in Turkey, famous for its otherworldly landscape that was formed over years of erosion of volcanic eruption deposits, and hot air balloons.

Sultan Caves Suites Hotel

Perched atop Aydinli Hill, this Sultan Cave Suites is a unique hotel that offers cave rooms, furnished with antiques from throughout Turkey.

Morocco

Morocco, a North African country bordering the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, is distinguished by its Berber, Arabian and European cultural influences.

Marrakesh

Marrakesh, a former imperial city in western Morocco, is a major economic center and home to mosques, palaces and gardens. The medina is a densely packed, walled medieval city dating to the Berber Empire, with mazelike alleys where thriving souks (marketplaces) sell traditional textiles, pottery and jewelry. A symbol of the city, and visible for miles, is the Moorish minaret of 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque.

La Sultana

La Sultana Marrakesh is a luxury historical hotel in UNESCO listed Medina with magnificent rooftop views, flower-filled courtyards and elegant rooms.

Ouzoud Waterfalls

The Ouzoud Waterfalls, the highest waterfalls in North Africa, and can be visited on a day trip from Marrakesh.

Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen, or Chaouen, is a city in the Rif Mountains of northwest Morocco. It’s known for the striking, blue-washed buildings of its old town. Leather and weaving workshops line its steep cobbled lanes.

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), also known simply as the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, situated at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. The UAE is famous for its skyscrapers in the cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Dubai

Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates known for luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture and a lively nightlife scene.

Burj Al Arab

The Jumeirah Burj Al Arab commonly known as Burj Al Arab, is a luxury 7 star hotel and architectural masterpiece in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is a megatall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, it is the world's tallest structure, with a total height of 829.8 m.

AURA Sky Pool

Suspended 200 metres in the air, the AURA Sky Pool is the world's highest 360° infinity pool offering incredible views of the iconic Dubai skyline.

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, sits off the mainland on an island in the Persian (Arabian) Gulf. Its focus on oil exports and commerce is reflected in the megastructures and extreme wealth of the city.

Anantara Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort

The luxury Anantara Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort is perched in the legendary Liwa Desert in the Empty Quarter, the largest uninterrupted sand desert in the world.

Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

Sir Bani Yas Island is part of the Al Gharbia region of the United Arab Emirates. It's dominated by the Arabian Wildlife Park, with its roaming giraffes, cheetahs and gazelles.

Alula

The Banyan Tree AlUla is a luxurious desert resort that showcases other-worldy rock formations, canyons, and cliffs.

These are just some of the places I would visit in the Middle East in the future.