The Old Walled City of Zabid

Zabid, on the hot Tihama coastal plain of western Yemen, is a historic walled town of great importance, a UNESCO World Heritage site that was for centuries one of the intellectual and religious capitals of the entire Arab and Islamic world. From the ninth to the fifteenth centuries it flourished as a renowned centre of learning, its Great Mosque and university among the oldest and most celebrated in the region, drawing scholars from far and wide, and it is remembered as a birthplace of algebra's early study. Its atmospheric maze of whitewashed, decorated brick houses, mosques and old markets preserves a distinctive and deeply historic Yemeni townscape.

What you actually see

• The Great Mosque - the ancient university-mosque of Zabid.
• The whitewashed houses - the decorated brick homes and lanes.
• The old markets - the historic souks of the walled town.
• The town walls - the remains of the historic fortifications.

When to go

November to March, the coolest months, are essential for the low, hot Tihama plain, where summers are intensely hot and humid; the mild winter is the time to explore the old town's mosques, lanes and markets in comfort. The whitewashed houses are handsome in the clear winter light.

Honest expectations

Zabid lies on a remote, hot coastal plain and has faced challenges in preserving its historic fabric over the years, so it is a quieter, more scholarly heritage town than a grand monumental site. As a former great capital of Islamic learning and a UNESCO World Heritage walled town of deep historical importance, though, Zabid is a genuinely significant and atmospheric place.

Nearby

The Tihama coast and the port city of Al Hudaydah lie in the region.