The historic town of Zabid is famous for its university and was the capital and cultural center of Yemen from the 13th to the 15th century. The remains of the university can be visited today as well as its Great Mosque.
The old walled city of Shibam is famous because of its unique architecture. Most of the buildings are tower houses that can have up to 16 stories, and they are built out of mud bricks. This is why Shibam is also known as “the oldest skyscraper-city in the world.â€
Other important cities in Yemen are Al - Hodeidah “the Cinderella of the Red Sea,†which is said to have the most beautiful sceneries in the whole country, the old city of Ibb, the port of Mukkalla (near the Gulf of Aden) where you can feel the Indian influences, the ancient city of Marib and so on.
The Socotra archipelago has been long admired for its biodiversity, having many unique or endangered species of flora and fauna. In June 2008, the island was included in the UNESCO world natural heritage sites.
Besides visiting all these breathtaking cities and their legacies, there are many other things you can do in Yemen, like witness or participate in camel racing, practice diving in the Red Sea and admire the great coral reefs, paraglide, trek and hike. Also, the beaches of Aden, Mukkalla and Socotra are not only extremely beautiful, but you may rest assured that they will never run out of sun.
