Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Sharjah has earned the title of “the city from the fairy tales of Scheherazade”. On the way to the city from the airport, two- and three-story mansions, domes of mosques and arrows of minarets first appear on the sides, then multi-story buildings with shops on the ground floor; in the evenings, shop windows are flooded with light so that the goods seem to be displayed right on the street.

The city of Sharjah lies just 13 km from the city of Dubai. These two cities have already “touched” their outskirts, and, apparently, will very soon turn into one big metropolis. Sharjah is the only “dry” state in the UAE, which not only prohibits the use of alcoholic beverages, but even their presence in your luggage is considered a criminal offense. The rulers of Sharjah are close to the ruling house of Saudi Arabia, which considers itself the main zealot of the purity of Islam. Therefore, the requirements of the Koran in Sharjah are observed in all strictness, including foreign tourists.

According to ANDYEDUCATION, Sharjah is the third largest of the seven emirates that make up the UAE. Its territory is approximately 2600 sq. km.

Location
The emirate of Sharjah is located along the coast of the Persian Gulf. Three other parts of Sharjah, located on the coast of the Gulf of Oman – Kalba, KorFakan and Dabba El Hasn. The capital of the emirate, Sharjah, overlooks the Persian Gulf. Here are the office of the Ruler, government offices, companies, banks and hotels.

The Emirate of Sharjah is the third largest of the seven emirates that make up the UAE. Sharjah is the only emirate that has territory in both the eastern and western parts of the country. Because of this, its landscape is very interesting, which ranges from vast deserts to mountain ranges and coastal areas. The total area of ​​the emirate is 2600 sq. km. Sharjah is a very well maintained green city with an amazing lagoon with beautiful parks and gardens.

The territory of the emirate is divided into several enclaves – the city of Sharjah, the town of Korfakkan and several other settlements on the coast of the Indian Ocean, and Al Daeed – oases in the desert. Sharjah
citylies just 13 km from the city of Dubai. These two cities have already “touched” their outskirts, and, apparently, will very soon turn into one big metropolis.

The population of the emirate of Sharjah exceeds 435 thousand people! The discovery of natural gas deposits has led to fundamental changes in this region. Sharjah’s participation in trade is significant, thanks to the vigorous development of the cargo turnover of the large local port of Khalid, and the construction of a modern international airport has increased the already considerable flow of tourists.

History
The history of Sharjah begins from those distant times, when relations with the East were still in their infancy. The coming to power of the Kassim family clan marked the beginning of the flourishing of trade, and by the beginning of the 19th century, Sharjah was the most important seaport in the lower Persian Gulf.

Tourism
The tourism potential of this vibrant emirate is impressive, as Sharjah offers a wide variety of hotels, fine dining and a wide range of sporting activities, from traditional cricket to surfing and scuba diving. In addition, every year hundreds of thousands of guests of the emirate from all over the world take part in the events of the local Expocentre, which impresses with the thematic diversity of its numerous fairs and exhibitions. An important resort area of ​​the emirate of Sharjah is Khorfakkan with its excellent beaches and water activities.

Intricate abstract sculptures, fountains, a fiery rampage of advertising stretch for kilometers. The purely modern look of the city is combined with oriental flavor. There are very few old buildings. Like the modern complex of the Fish Market in Deira or the Gold Market in Dubai and Deira, Sharjah has a similar attraction – the new Central Market, which has earned the nickname “steam locomotive” from Russian tourists: it seems to consist of several sections – “cars”, crowned with wind towers-fans. Arches, slots, ornate ornaments, countless shops that you can’t get around in a whole day (especially since at 12-16 o’clock, at the hottest time, they are closed) – it is no coincidence that this place is considered the main attraction of Sharjah, famous for its carpets and golden products.

Of course, there are also large shops where you can enter by car and then gradually climb up on foot. On the roof, Italian, Chinese or Indian restaurants are arranged. In restaurants in Sharjah, there is a “dry law”, in contrast to the large restaurants in Dubai.

Hotels
Most hotels in Sharjah are built along the coastline on the Laya spit, in the northern part of which is the port of Mina Kalid and the Old Market. On the side of the strait, a recreation center has been created on the spit, where you can do water sports, walk along the embankment and admire the gardens. There is also the third highest (after Geneva and Jeddah) fountain, beating directly from the bay.

Sharjah is home to a variety of high-end hotels offering unlimited opportunities to practice a variety of sports, from the traditional favorite cricket to surfing and scuba diving. An important resort area of ​​the emirate of Sharjah is Khorfakkan with excellent beaches and exciting water activities. The wide King Khalid lagoon is world famous for its 100-meter fountain. There is a shopping center with several hundred stores.
It is worth visiting the textile bazaars of the city. The vegetable and fruit markets have an abundance of exotic fruits and vegetables, and the fish market has a huge variety of seafood. As in any eastern market, bargaining is appropriate, this will bring great pleasure to the seller, while the price can be lowered several times. Recall that in the emirate of Sharjah there is a dry law, which means that you will not find alcohol even in the bars of a five-star hotel.

There are many hotels located right on the seafront, which makes Sharjah one of the favorite holiday destinations for tourists. But it should be emphasized that this is the most strict emirate in terms of morals. Here you can not sunbathe “top-less” even on the territory of the private beach, you can swim in the sea only on the territory of the hotel’s private beach. This is a “non-alcoholic emirate”, where alcohol is completely absent even in hotels. Sharjah is a good holiday destination for those who want to combine an inexpensive holiday on the shores of the Persian Gulf with the opportunity to shop in Dubai, located just 10 minutes away.

Sharjahis the city of “National Culture”. On the shores of the Khalid Lagoon, the oldest district of the emirate, Merej, is located, which is the museum treasure of the UAE. One of the largest in the Middle East, the King Faisal Mosque, which can accommodate up to 3,000 worshipers, demonstrates the commitment of Sharjah politics to Islamic traditions.

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates