Cheap flights to Kuwait from £103

Nestled between Iraq and Saudi Arabia along the coast of the Arabian Gulf lies the “fortress built near water” – Kuwait. After its invasion by Iraq in 1990 the country was severely destroyed but has re-emerged as one of the most progressive, modern countries in the Middle East. Travellers taking flights to Kuwait will land in Kuwait City. Shiny skyscrapers, luxurious beach resorts and of course the svelte Kuwait Towers dominate the city’s skyline.

Like most countries in the Middle East the first inhabitants were vagrant Bedouins who lived in tents in the desert as well as a tribe known as Utub of Qurain. When the Al-Sabah family were appointed in 1760 the country slowly became a major trading port; the inhabitants would make a living through selling spices between India and Europe, and the divers among them sold priceless pearls. Then, in 1936 the first oil wells were sunk and Kuwait’s oil supply was flowing. Today petroleum accounts for nearly 90 per cent of its export revenue, making it one of the richest countries in the world.

Visitors packing their suitcases before their Kuwait flights should pack light – the shopping here is extraordinary. Designer labels, high street brands and jewellery – lots and lots of jewellery can be found in its gigantic malls and markets.

Kuwait insider information

• The Liberation Tower, named after the multinational force that freed Kuwait, is, at 372 metres (1,220 feet), the tallest structure in the Middle East. Its construction was interrupted by the first Gulf War and it was opened officially in 1996. There is a revolving observation level and a restaurant at 150 metres high. Kuwait Towers, in the east of the city, also has a revolving observation deck and a restaurant.
• The old dhows at Dhow Harbour were used for fishing and pearl diving. The Fateh-El-Kheir, built in 1938, the oldest surviving dhow, is docked at the Scientific Centre.
• The central city souk is composed of the remains of 20 different interconnecting souks such as the Souk Al-Hareem. There are also souks in Fahaheel and Jahra. The fish souks display catches from the Arabian Gulf. The main ones are on Arabian Gulf Street.
• The National Museum is made up of four buildings and a planetarium. It was looted and burnt during the invasion, but 90 per cent of the artifacts have been returned. The Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah (House of Islamic Antiquities) has one of the world’s finest collections of Islamic art, spanning the 8th-18th century. The Tareq Rajab Museum has collections of books, ceramics, jewellery, manuscripts and metal work.
• The Grand Mosque, across from the Seif Palace, is the largest mosque (45,000 square metres) in Kuwait. Apart from the massive building, there is a large garden and a courtyard.
• Al-Qurain House, near the Qurain housing area, is now a monument to those who lost their lives fighting the Iraqi army in 1991. There is a mounted Iraqi tank at the Jahra Gate roundabout at the end of Fahd Al-Salem Street and beside the entrance of the Ministry of Information in Soor Street, there is a walk-through exhibition of scenes from the Iraqi occupation.