Lifestyle
Pearls of Bahrain: Journey through history, heritage
It is never easy to say goodbye to a favorite destination. On July 24, 2026, I left the majestic city of Istanbul for Islamabad via Bahrain, flying with Gulf Air for the first time in nearly 15 years. The airline, long renowned for its warm hospitality and elegant service, welcomed me aboard once again.
What did surprise me, however, was the atmosphere on the flight. Nearly half the seats were empty, and many passengers appeared anxious. The recent military conflict between the United States and Iran had disrupted travel across the Middle East, prompting flight cancellations, rerouted air traffic and growing uncertainty among travellers.
A region once widely regarded as one of the safest transit hubs had suddenly become a source of concern for many international passengers.
Despite the tense circumstances, Gulf Air’s cabin crew remained calm, attentive and exceptionally professional. As soon as they learned about my deep vein thrombosis (DVT) condition, they kindly arranged a more comfortable seat to ensure I could travel with greater ease.
It was the first of many thoughtful gestures that reflected the airline’s commitment to passenger care. In Bahrain, Gulf Air provided me with complimentary treatment at King Hamad University Hospital with consultant Dr. Walid Hassan Assar.
Spirit of Arab hospitality
Even during a period of regional uncertainty, Gulf hospitality continued to shine. The Gulf countries have long attracted visitors from Europe and beyond, particularly during the summer months, offering world-class airlines, modern airports, luxury hotels and a distinctive blend of tradition and contemporary culture.
My journey was a reminder that, while conflicts may disrupt travel, genuine hospitality often remains unchanged.
What impressed me most was the country’s cosmopolitan character. People from across the world have made Bahrain their home, creating a welcoming multicultural society where tradition and modernity exist side by side.
For travellers, Bahrain offers far more than a convenient transit stop – it is a destination where history, commerce and Gulf hospitality come together in a uniquely memorable way.
During my long layover before my connecting flight to Islamabad, I decided to explore the vibrant capital, Manama, a trending city often regarded as one of the Gulf’s leading financial and commercial centers.
Story of Bahrain
The moment I stepped into Bahrain International Airport, my attention was drawn to a striking red-heart advertisement by Bahrain Duty Free featuring a nostalgic image from the country’s pre-oil era and the caption: “Travelling is a gift. Share it.” It was a simple yet powerful message, reminding me that every journey offers stories worth sharing.
Bahrain’s story is one of remarkable transformation. Before the discovery of oil, the kingdom was renowned for its pearl divers, goldsmiths, farmers and bustling trading ports that connected merchants from across the region.
Today, it has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation with an impressive skyline, reclaimed islands, smart urban developments, luxury shopping malls, scenic waterfront corniches and magnificent mosques. Yet beneath its contemporary façade, Bahrain continues to preserve the traditions that shaped its identity.
For centuries, Arab Bedouins and Turkic nomads treasured camels and horses as indispensable companions. More than mere beasts of burden, they were the lifeline of desert survival, providing transport, food and resilience in some of the world’s harshest landscapes.
Although times have changed, this deep cultural bond endures. Today, prized Arabian horses and majestic black camels remain powerful symbols of heritage, prestige and identity.
As I travelled across the Middle East, I noticed that camels were everywhere – not just in the desert, but in everyday life. They appeared in souvenir shops, public sculptures, sporting events, logos, festivals and traditional artwork, serving as enduring emblems of the region’s history and culture.
Even in rapidly modernizing cities, the camel continues to represent the spirit, resilience and traditions of the Arab world.
Exploring cultural heritage
For history enthusiasts and heritage explorers, Bab Al Bahrain is far more than a shopping destination – it is a gateway to Bahrain’s rich cultural legacy.
Standing at the entrance to the historic Bab Al Bahrain Souq, the landmark is surrounded by an array of attractions, from dazzling gold and diamond jewellery stores to food courts, cafes, art galleries, clothing boutiques, and souvenir and antique shops.
Visitors can browse handcrafted treasures, including colorful hanging lamps, traditional dhow models, woven date-palm baskets, bakhoor, Arabic coffee pots, clay pottery and the iconic floor mattresses used in a traditional majlis, offering a glimpse into Bahrain’s enduring craftsmanship.
Among the standout stores is Made in Bahrain, a showcase of locally crafted products that proudly celebrates the kingdom’s heritage. The shop displays exquisite wooden boat models, including the boom, once used for long-distance trade, and the banoosh, renowned for fishing and pearl diving.
During my visit, a young Bahraini official vendor, Abdul Aziz Alhajri, kindly offered me a guided tour of the collection. Alhajri explained that every boat model is handcrafted from authentic saaj (teak) wood, preserving the techniques and traditions that have shaped Bahrain’s maritime history for generations.
At the entrance, on the right-hand side, stands the Bahrain Post Museum, locally known as Bareed, the Arabic word for “mail” or “post.” The museum traces Bahrain’s postal history through an impressive collection of stamps, some dating back to the era of the British Raj.
Its exhibits showcase stamps commemorating historical events, Bahrain’s cultural and religious traditions, the royal family, and the kingdom’s economic development.
Beyond its stamp collection, the museum preserves early postal artifacts, including envelopes, official seals, mail-handling instruments and vintage letterboxes. One of its most remarkable features is its meticulously organized archive of stamps from around the world, arranged by country in chronological order.
Admission to the Bahrain Post Museum is free, making it a worthwhile stop for history enthusiasts and philatelists alike. However, at the time of my visit, the museum’s cafe and public restrooms were closed for maintenance.
My next stop was the iconic Al-Fateh Grand Mosque, a living piece of splendid art and decor. Additional must-visit places include the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bahrain’s Fort and Seef Mall, where traditions meet modernity.
The mall is home to an impressive mix of global brands, including clothing and footwear outlets, luxury perfume boutiques, jewelry and watch stores, and a spacious food court catering to diverse tastes.
It also features a football gallery inspired by the 2026 FIFA World Cup, adding a unique attraction for sports enthusiasts. Despite these offerings, the mall sees relatively few shoppers.
The downturn reflects the wider economic uncertainty that has affected the region following the conflict between the United States and Iran, which has disrupted travel, consumer spending, and business activity across parts of the Middle East. Bahrain’s hospitality and retail sectors have been among those feeling the impact.
At the Golden Tulip Hotel, staff members Bhagat and Nada worry about the future as bookings have fallen sharply. The usual influx of Saudi weekend visitors and European tourists has dwindled, leaving hotels with fewer guests and growing uncertainty.
If the conflict continues, Bahrain’s tourism-dependent businesses will face even greater financial strain. The wider conflict has disrupted regional air travel, prompted travel advisories and weakened confidence in the Gulf as a tourist destination, affecting hotels, airlines, restaurants and other businesses across the region.
A 190-year-old Greek Orthodox church in Kayseri, central Türkiye, whose restoration was completed last year, stands out for its striking wall paintings and is set to become part of the Cappadocia tourism circuit.
Built in 1836, the Church of St. Eustathios is an important historical and cultural landmark in Kayseri’s Incesu district and features numerous paintings and other remnants on its interior walls.
The three-aisled, vaulted church underwent restoration by the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality in 2021. Its load-bearing walls and historic fabric were reinforced using materials and techniques compatible with the original structure.
The stonework and frescoes, or wall paintings, inside the church were preserved, while Karamanlı inscriptions – Turkish written in the Greek alphabet – depicting various scenes, as well as charitable endowment records, reliefs and carvings on the walls, were conserved and brought to light.
Restoration of the church was completed last year using archival photographs and documents as references to ensure the building remained faithful to its original appearance. The site, known for its distinctive wall paintings, will serve as the Incesu City Museum.
More than 80% of the exhibition and interior arrangement work has been completed. The church is also being prepared for inclusion in the Cappadocia tourism circuit, with nearby destinations such as Avanos, Ürgüp and Göreme located 45 to 50 kilometers (28 to 31 miles) from Incesu.
Tayfun Talaslı, head of the municipality’s Historical Buildings and Museums Branch Directorate, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the three-aisled, vaulted church, built on a rectangular plan, is an example of classical Greek Orthodox architecture in Anatolia.
Talaslı said the building served as a place of worship until the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Türkiye, after which it was used for various purposes, including as a military warehouse, archive, theater and vocational school.
He said restoration work began toward the end of 2021 under a protocol signed between the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality and Incesu Municipality and was completed last year.
Talaslı emphasized that the main principle guiding the largely completed exhibition and interior arrangement work was to avoid causing any damage to the historic structure and said preserving the building’s original character was a top priority throughout the restoration.
“We used old photographs of the church as references during the restoration. We also based the project on art history reports that took into account the oral histories of people who once lived here,” he said.
He said the remaining work is expected to be completed soon, after which the museum will open to visitors.
“We are creating a museum on the ground floor of the building, which we have repurposed as the Incesu City Museum, focusing on the city’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage,” Talaslı said.
“Visitors will be able to trace Incesu’s history, learn about notable figures who were born here or left their mark on the city and explore its architectural heritage,” he said. “We will highlight a wide range of local treasures, from the Kara Mustafa Pasha Complex to the Roman-era milestone that has become one of the symbols of Incesu.”
Talaslı said visitors will also be able to see ceramics and other archaeological finds unearthed in Örenşehir, while the museum will offer a broader look at Incesu’s heritage, from its cuisine and population to the 1923 population exchange and the city’s historical development.
“We will cover everything from who the building was commissioned for to the area’s flora and fauna, geological structure, agriculture and grape production,” he said.
The Karaelmas Touristic Express, which operates between Ankara and Zonguldak, will return to the rails on Oct. 2, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced, offering travelers a chance to explore the region’s natural, historical and cultural treasures by train.
In a written statement, Uraloğlu said the tourist train, launched by TCDD Transportation in cooperation with the Western Black Sea Development Agency (BAKKA) and the Zonguldak Provincial Special Administration, contributes to tourism-focused rail travel between Ankara and Zonguldak.
The train will begin this year’s service Oct. 2, Uraloğlu said.
The Ankara-Zonguldak service will depart on Oct. 2, 16 and 30 and Nov. 13, while trains traveling from Zonguldak to Ankara will depart on Oct. 3, 17 and 31 and Nov. 14.
Trains from Ankara to Zonguldak will leave at 11 p.m. on Fridays, while return services will depart Zonguldak at 11 p.m. on Saturdays. The train will have a total of seven carriages, including six sleeper cars and one dining car, with a capacity of 120 passengers.
The Karaelmas Express first operated as a tourist service in 2025, completing four outbound and four return journeys along the Ankara-Zonguldak-Ankara route, for a total of eight trips.
Since its inaugural journey, the train has offered passengers a different way to discover the Western Black Sea’s natural, cultural and industrial heritage, Uraloğlu said.
“For the 2026 schedule, passengers traveling from Ankara to Zonguldak will make sightseeing stops in Yenice, while those on the return journey will stop in Çankırı and Kalecik,” Uraloğlu said. “This journey, stretching from Yenice’s natural beauty and Zonguldak’s history to Çankırı’s cultural heritage and Kalecik’s local treasures, will bring rail travel and tourism together.”
Venice is looking at expanding its tourist entry fee, applying it for a longer period of the year and raising the daily charge to as much as €30 ($34), a senior official in the city government has said.
Budget and taxation councilor Michele Zuin said the current fee of €5 to €10 ($5.7 to $11.5 ) was too low to safeguard against overtourism, but said the new price for 2027 would have to be discussed and agreed with the government.
“The current €5-10 charge is affordable for virtually everyone; the risk is that it no longer has the deterrent effect that this measure is supposed to have,” Zuin told the Sunday edition of regional daily Il Gazzettino.
In remarks that were widely picked up by national media on Monday, the councillor said there was “even talk of (going up to) €50 ($57),” but added that authorities could settle for a maximum charge of €30.
The tourist fee, applicable only to day-trippers, was introduced in 2024, in a world first. Early bookers get to pay the lower rate and there are several exemptions, including for children under 14.
In 2026, it was operational on selected days from April 3 to July 26, from 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and brought into city coffers more than €5.2 million ($5.9 million) from the sale of just under 680,000 entry tickets.
In a city that has long suffered from overtourism and depopulation, local officials say the scheme is meant to encourage visitors to avoid the most crowded periods of the year, such as the May Day public holiday.
Tokyo tourist hot spot Shinjuku will impose a ban on more than half of its holiday rentals, including homes on Airbnb, an official said Monday, after a surge in complaints about visitors.
Known for its buzzing commercial and entertainment district, the ward hosts nearly 10% of Japan’s 42,000 short-term rentals.
But it also has a large residential population, who have become increasingly exasperated with tourists who fail to properly dispose of rubbish, smoke where they’re not supposed to, and make too much noise.
A Shinjuku official supervising holiday rentals told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the district was “planning to revise the current ordinance … to ban private lodging” in residential zones and areas near schools.
“As the number of private lodging businesses has risen, complaints and troubles around them have increased,” the official said on customary condition of anonymity.
More than 50% of short-term rentals in Shinjuku face a ban under the new rules, he said, adding that the plan would formally be announced by the Shinjuku mayor on Tuesday.
Shinjuku’s policy will apply to existing properties, he added.
The move comes as other cities around the world attempt to crack down on private lodgings available on Airbnb and other platforms, including New York City and Barcelona.
Like elsewhere, overtourism has emerged as a major issue in Japan.
Residents of Kyoto and other hot spots have expressed annoyance at selfie-taking crowds as well as traffic congestion and soaring land prices.
In Shinjuku, the number of complaints over vacation rentals increased by around 40% in the fiscal year to March, the official said.
“Many complaints are about the violation of trash disposal rules while others include smoking and trespassing,” he said.
Shinjuku’s ban comes after the Japan Tourism Agency in July gave municipalities the right to regulate short-term lodgings if “a tranquil living and educational environment” is under threat or if they “hinder the maintenance of a permanent population and local community.”
Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto is also considering a ban on short-term lodging, but only for new rentals within residential and industrial areas.
Several Airbnb hosts contacted by AFP declined to comment.
Visitors to Hasankeyf, one of southeastern Türkiye’s major tourism destinations, are exploring the district’s historic and natural attractions through boat tours on the Ilısu Dam reservoir.
Located in Batman province, Hasankeyf is considered one of the world’s oldest settlements and continues to attract visitors with traces of civilizations that have shaped the region over centuries.
The district is known for historic landmarks including the Imam Abdullah Tomb, Zeynel Bey Tomb, Artuqid Bath, Hasankeyf Museum and Er-Rızk Mosque. The Ilısu Dam reservoir has also given the area a new character, offering visitors an opportunity to experience its landscape from the water.
Domestic and international tourists visiting Hasankeyf can tour its historic sites before taking boat trips across the reservoir to see its canyons and Hasankeyf Castle.
Before setting off, guides brief passengers on safety rules and provide information about the historic castles, caves and canyons along the route. The boat tours last about an hour, allowing visitors to take in the area’s natural and historic scenery.
‘The boat tour was excellent’
Mustafa Yıldız, who traveled from Manisa as part of a tour of the southeastern Anatolia region, said his group visited Hasankeyf after stopping in Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa and Mardin.
“I really liked Hasankeyf. The boat tour was especially excellent. We really enjoyed seeing the canyons and caves,” Yıldız told Anadolu Agency.
Ramazan Kızar, who traveled from Batman to visit the district, said Hasankeyf was an important destination for cultural and historical tourism.
Kızar said the boat tour gave him the chance to see the historic castle and canyons.
“Thanks to the boat tour I took with my daughter and wife, we are exploring Hasankeyf’s unique beauty,” he said.
52,000 visitors take boat tours
Şehmus Batıhan, a captain and member of the Hasankeyf Kale Tourism Cooperative, said the cooperative operates eight boats offering tours of the reservoir.
Hasankeyf becomes particularly busy with domestic and international visitors during the summer months, Batıhan said, adding that the boat tours have brought additional activity to the district alongside its historic sites.
Visitors are picked up at the harbor and taken on a tour covering the area where the old settlement once stood. The tours last approximately one hour, he said.
“About 52,000 guests have taken advantage of the boat tours in the past eight months,” Batıhan said. “We also provide our guests with information about Hasankeyf’s history during the tours.”
He added that many visitors from European countries join the boat trips.
“Visitors can see many important historical works here and they really enjoy the boat tours,” Batıhan said.
Bosnia’s capital, Sarajevo, is enjoying a robust summer season, with concerts, cultural events and its internationally renowned film festival drawing visitors from across Europe and beyond.
More than 100,000 tourists visited the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina in July, according to the Federal News Agency, as the city increasingly attracts travelers for its music, cinema, gastronomy and natural attractions alongside its historical heritage.
Three concerts by regional music star Dino Merlin at Kosevo Stadium in late July and early August attracted more than 200,000 people in total.
Visitors traveled from across the Balkans and other parts of Europe, putting hotels and private accommodation under significant pressure.
Sarajevo recorded nearly 78 million euros ($91 million) in fiscal turnover during the three concert days, with restaurants, cafes, shops and transportation companies benefiting from the influx.
The concerts were followed by a performance by British electronic music group The Prodigy on Aug. 13 and by the opening of the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF) the following day.
Established in 1995 during the final year of the siege of Sarajevo, the festival has developed into one of southeastern Europe’s leading film events. This year’s guests included Woody Harrelson, Emily Watson, Pawel Pawlikowski, Diego Luna, Asghar Farhadi and Celine Sciamma.
In addition to these entertainment and cultural events, Sarajevo offers a blend of Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian architecture, along with landmarks linked to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and sites preserving the memory of the 1992-1995 siege.
Its proximity to the Olympic mountains of Trebevic, Bjelasnica, Igman and Jahorina also allows travelers to combine a city break with hiking, cycling and winter sports.
Major events are becoming increasingly important for Sarajevo’s tourism economy by attracting new visitors, extending stays and boosting spending across the city.
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