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Muscat, Oman Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat

The old port city of Muscat still maintains much of its traditional charm, surrounded by city walls with town gates and flanked by the twin forts of Jatali and Mirani, built in the 16th century by the Portuguese. Sultan Qaboos bin Said has been Head of State for over thirty years and one of the city's main attractions is the Sultan's Palace (Al Alam) in Old Muscat.

The Oman Museum, in Medinat Qaboos just outside Muscat, covers the history of Oman, while the National Museum charts the Al Said dynasty with collections of costumes and jewellery.

The Armed Forces Museum is located in Bait Al Falaj Fort and demonstrates Oman's military history.

Bait al Zubair is Oman's newest museum and has a vast collection of ancient household equipment, costumes and weapons, with a full-scale Omani village and souk outside the museum.

The annual Muscat Festival encompasses a number of events and exhibitions, many of which are held in Shati A'Seeb Park, highlighting folklore shows and displays of traditional Omani social and cultural activities as well as aquatic competitions, hot-air ballooning, and a four-wheel drive adventure across Oman.

Ramadan and Eid al Fitr are the most important religious festivals and are celebrated with great enthusiasm in Muscat.