The Muharraq Pearling Path

Before oil, Bahrain's wealth came from the sea, from the finest natural pearls in the world, harvested by generations of divers from the oyster beds of the Gulf. The Pearling Path, a UNESCO World Heritage Site winding through the atmospheric old city of Muharraq, commemorates this defining chapter of the island's history. The trail links a series of beautifully restored traditional buildings, the grand houses of pearl merchants, humbler dwellings, shops, mosques and the shore where the diving dhows set out, along with the last surviving oyster beds. Wandering it, through winding lanes of coral-stone and gypsum architecture, tells the poignant, human story of the pearling age.

What you actually see

• The merchant houses - the restored homes of the pearl traders.
• The traditional architecture - the coral-stone and gypsum buildings.
• The old lanes of Muharraq - the atmospheric historic city.
• The oyster beds and shore - the sites of the pearl diving.

When to go

November to March, the cool season, for comfortable walking through the old city, as the summer heat is intense; the winding lanes of Muharraq are especially atmospheric in the cool of the evening. The path is best explored slowly on foot, ideally with a guide or the interpretive materials to bring the pearling history to life.

Honest expectations

The Pearling Path is a heritage trail of restored buildings and interpreted sites rather than a single grand monument, so it rewards those interested in history and traditional architecture, explored slowly on foot with some context; parts of old Muharraq are workaday and the restoration is ongoing. As a moving and well-conceived way to trace the defining, pre-oil pearling history that shaped Bahrain, though, through atmospheric old lanes and merchant houses, it is a rewarding cultural highlight.

Nearby

The Bahrain Fort, Manama and the Al Dar islands are within reach.