Festival

Sana'a Summer Festival

Date: all through June Quite a popular tourist summer fair, this event is all about the lifestyle in Sana'a. Held around the Bab al-Yemen in the Old City Area, the Summer Festival is a lively display of color, food, and folk dance. The main attractions are put up near the Bab al-Yemen, including craft and souvenir stalls, and kiosks selling local cuisine at discounts. Secondary events are held at public parks and squares, and even streets, around the city. These include art exhibitions, swings and rides for children, and displays of women’s handicrafts. Al-Sabeen Park holds a free workshop for children and youth where they can learn the basics of art from youthful, up-and-coming artists around Sana'a.

City guide

Overview & visitor information

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Mouloud

Activity

Date: 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal (Lunar Calendar) This event marks the birth of the Holy Prophet in the year 670 AD, and is generally a pleasant, cheerful day. Families get together at dinners, and mosques organize special gatherings and readings.

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National Unity Day

Activity

Date: 22 May A very significant day in the lives of all Yemenites, commemorating the day North and South Yemen became united as one republic. The day is declared a public holiday, and there is a general air of enthusiasm amongst the locals as families visit public parks and squares where processions and other public exhibitions are held.

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Ramadan

Activity

Date: month of Ramadan (Lunar Calendar) A month of fasting and religious observance for the Muslims, during which eateries around the city are open only after sunset. It is considered unpleasant to eat out in public during the daylight hours, as everyone around you would be fasting.

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Eid-al-Fitr

Activity

Date: 1 Shawwal (Lunar Calendar) The primary religious festival for Muslims around the world, marking the end of the month of fasting. A day of thanksgiving, festivity, and spreading cheerfulness. A three-day public holiday, Eid is celebrated with much zeal, and you will get to eat a lot of sweet treats that are otherwise not so commonly sold out on the streets. Ideal time to photograph cultural/religious life!

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Revolution day

Activity

Date: 26 September A day of national significance, in remembrance of the revolt of South Yemen against the ruling Imams of the North. The day is marked with a number of public exhibitions, speeches by religious and socio-political figures, and is declared a public holiday.

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National Day

Activity

Date: 14 October This day commemorates the revolution against British occupancy of the Southern territories.

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Independence Day

Activity

Date: 30 November The day that marks the expulsion of the last British regiment from Yemeni soil. It is a public holiday, with excitement and merriment, especially amongst the children. Lots of street activity!

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Muharram (New Year)

Activity

A public holiday, marked with visits to relatives, solemn prayers, and resolutions for the New Year. More of a formal event than a wild, cheerful one. Date: Lunar Calendar

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Eid-al-Adha

Activity

Date: 10 Zilhaj (Lunar Calendar) A second Eid festival, commemorating the willing sacrifice of Ismai’l by the Prophet Abraham. Residents slaughter animals and the meat is distributed largely among the poor and needy. Leftovers are used for mouthwatering local cuisine, and neighborhood barbecues. Make sure you make a few local friends, and this event will be especially delightful!

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Christmas

Activity

Date: 25 December Even though Yemen is largely Muslim, it contains a significant Christian population that celebrates its holidays with much enthusiasm. Christmas marks one of the most happening events in Sana'a. Festivities start right from the eve of Christmas, a night before the actual day. Lights are put up, kiosks are arranged out on the streets, and acts of worship are carried out all night long in local churches. Bonfires are arranged at public places, and invitations are open to all – the bonfire is more of a general merrymaking and eating/singing festival rather than a strictly religious one.

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What to do with Children in Tow

Activity

Sana'a is not really much of an amusement for children, unless your six year old has a hereditary interest in anthropology or history. Yemeni children have few activities besides running about in streets populated by men with daggers – not much of a concern for the mothers, as there are no kidnappers or pedophiles around. It is pretty common to see a swarm of kids rolling along a street or public square, chasing anything from a stray dog to a worn-out tire – this in itself provides ample entertainment for a group of toddlers accompanying you.

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Skyscrapers

Building

The neighborhood contains multistoried residential buildings, some of which have been standing for more than four centuries. Constructed out of local basalt stone and ornamented with intricately carved friezes and moldings, the facades of these houses form a continuous, harmonious urban fabric that can, when viewed at a distance, generate a splendid skyline as a backdrop for the modern city, and, when viewed up close, give a nostalgic but welcoming feeling that leaves many a traveler spellbound.

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City Wall and Gate

Building

The seven centuries old, 40 feet high mud wall that goes around the old city is also quite well-preserved, and is a sight in itself. It contains the Bab-al-Yemen, a large portal that celebrates the entrance into the old city. Out of the original six gates that marked the entry into Sana'a, it is the only one surviving in its original shape. Slip into a time warp as you pass through the large gate, being sucked into a busy marketplace that has existed at the very same place for centuries. You can go up to the top of the gate for some splendid views around the marketplace below, and the old town beyond. As trading activities cease around late evening, soft, hazy illumination lights up the gate, adding a visually alluring touch of magic to it.

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Al-Bab Art Gallery

Gallery

This is the small art gallery/museum that is situated, as the name suggests, right next to the Bab-al-Yemen. It allows passage from the street to the top of the Bab. Although you may just pass the gallery simply to get to the top of the gate to shoot a few photos, the gallery in itself isn’t such a disappointing sight either. It contains artistic work by up-and-coming artists, most of them young, energetic folk from around Sana'a, at quite affordable rates.

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Gardens

Garden

For a city with a shortage of public water supply, the old city area is pretty rich in horticulture. Almost every house has an attached courtyard garden, and scattered about the streets are hedges blossoming with colors more varied than those on a Photoshop palette. Larger gardens are situated close to mosques, as water is easier to come by. Some gardens are situated below the street, to catch any water that is draining off. Rooftop gardens, more of a private retreat, are also visible from the ground – you can see overhanging vines, multicolored plant pots, and tamed birds prancing about.

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Suq al-Milh

Market

The best preserved relic of a thousand years of Islamic rule, this is the richest marketplace in all the Arabian Peninsula. It is a large, open-air market, covered in patches by plastic, fabrics, wooden planks, hides, and any other material that the locals could find, giving a literal manifestation to the symbolic merging of cultures and ethnicities within the city. Divided into sections according to the types of goods on sale, including eatables, wearables, disposables, and the like. The marketplace is very active all through the morning, but mellows down towards the late afternoon, when the hawkers resort to qat and tea sessions. This is the ideal moment to strike up ridiculous bargains – vendors, in their laidback mood, usually comply.

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Hammam

Building

Bathhouses that are remnants of Turkish Ottoman legacy. Old Sana'a contains more than a dozen hammams, of which the Hammam al Maidan is the most popular among locals. It is open till late hours of the night, and contains separate bathing facilities for men and women.

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Henry de Monford French Cultural Center

Building

Located on Hadda Street, off al-Quds Street in the Old Town, this place is managed by a Franco-Yemeni agency, and organizes concerts, themed plays, educational lectures, cultural exhibitions, and linguistic classes. Visit this gallery/museum/cultural retreat to witness an amazing blend of local and French art in a variety of media.

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Attan Park

Park

A large green space for the public, located close to the Expo Apollo on al-Jazair Road. Splendid landscape, rich variety of flowering shrubs, and shaded sitting areas positioned strategically to give magnificent views, this is the place you would want to retreat to after a long, tiring walk in the Old Town.

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Al-Tahrir Square

road

The main public piazza of the city, this square acts as an intersection between two of Sana'a’s major urban districts. It is consequently lined with eateries and shopping outlets, features a mesmerizing fountain in the center, and is a popular hangout space for residents of the surrounding neighborhoods. In addition, the square also acts as the city’s cultural center – it contains 3 major museums of the country along its peripheries. Friday mornings are very active, as local men take leisure walks around the square, chatting away as time stands still, and vendors put up temporary stalls selling books and eatables. From here you can take a public bus to any part of Sana'a – after you have explored the cultural wealth surrounding the square!

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Dar Fez Restaurant

Cuisine: Moroccan Address: Movenpick Hotel, Berlin Street, Dhahar Hemyer, Sana'a Timings: 6pm to 1145 pm A traditional Moroccan atmosphere awaits you at the Dar Fez Restaurant. This place is ideal for couples and business groups, due to its serene ambience and polite service. The food isn’t that bad either – you will get to experience some of the best authentic Moroccan cuisine outside of Morocco.

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Zorba’s

Cuisine: American/Greek Address: Hadda Street Illy coffee in the morning, special milkshakes and lemon and mint juices in the afternoon, and a Greek menu all day long. Also available are pizzas, sandwiches, finger snacks, desserts, and soups. Outdoor seating in the evenings. Take-away and delivery options also available. Friendly staff, clean and well-maintained interior. Appropriate for couples.

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Palace Restaurant

Cuisine: Chinese Address: Sheraton Hotel, Berlin Street, Sana'a Timings: 7pm to 11pm. Come for the soups and the spicy noodles! Spices added as per your taste. Pleasant interior, with richly colored oriental elements. Nice place for couples.

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Broadway

Cuisine: International Address: Sheraton Hotel, Berlin Street, Sana'a Timings: Saturdays to Thursdays, 6pm to 1am A fascinating rooftop restaurant, open for dinner only. Take in the view of the city at night as you chew on your tasty American and Continental order.

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Al-Fakher

Cuisine: Middle Eastern Address: Hadda Street Phone: +967 1 427888 / 427999 An expensive place, definitely not worth the price. You can get better varieties of the same food at any other Hadda Street diner, at much lower prices. This place has a pretty interior, however, so it may be good for a business meeting. Menu includes Egyptian and Lebanese dishes, and seafood. Some of the soups are also worth tasting.

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Déjà vu

Cuisine: Coffee/Snacks Cuisine: Hadda Street Small café with a rather scrumptious selection of fast food, finger snacks, and meals on the go. Very well-maintained interior, and an outdoor court for the evening. Ideal for small business get-togethers. A full meal can get expensive, but light snacks and coffee for a small group are quite manageable.

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Al-Manqal

Cuisine: Middle Eastern Address: Amman, Sana’a Good quality, even if not truly authentic, Egyptian and Lebanese food. Also available is a limited grilled menu, and soups and noodles. Outdoor seating available in the evenings. Reservations needed in advance. Good for business travelers.

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KFC

Family-friendly

Cuisine: Fast Food Address: Al- Sabeen Street Phone: +967 1 509876 Fax: + 967 1 508884 Part of the international fast food chain. A variety of burgers, fried chicken, nuggets, and beverages available. Well-maintained interior. Appropriate for families. Take-away and delivery options available.

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Mumbai Darbar

Cuisine: Indian Address: Baghdad St City Centre, Sana'a This is the only Indian restaurant around the Baghdad Street area. Comparatively low prices, satisfactorily spicy authentic dishes, and a truly Indian ambience, comfy and friendly, from the charming sandalwood fragrances to the waiters’ traditional dresses. A welcoming patio and alluring interior. Polite staff, speaking English and Arabic. A favorite hangout for Indian and Pakistani tourists.

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Al-Shaibani Restaurant Super Deluxe

Cuisine: Yemeni Address: Hadda Street, across from Al-Komaim Centre Phone: + 967 1 266375 There are a lot of “Shaibani” restaurants around the city. Shaibani is not a chain, but the name of a region. This particular restaurant, the Super Deluxe, gives you the best Shaibani food at quite an affordable price. It offers traditional Yemeni dishes, like leg of lamb, bread and date, saffron rice, a variety of seafood and grilled food. Pleasant interior, polite staff, quick service. Ask for the English menu for a few good laughs!