---
node: dest_sharjah
type: destination
slug: sharjah
title: "Sharjah"
lead: "Sharjah is the cultural capital of the United Arab Emirates, a more traditional emirate next door to Dubai. It is known for its museums, restored heritage quarters and Islamic arts rather than glamour and nightlife."
published: 2026-08-10
updated: 2026-08-10
image_file: sharjah.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AL_NOOR_MOSQUE_AND_ISLAND.jpg"
image_author: "SHARON VISHAKHAM"
image_license: "CC BY-SA 4.0"
---

## Overview

The third-largest of the emirates, Sharjah sits right beside Dubai but keeps a quieter, more conservative character, and it has invested in culture where its neighbour chose spectacle. Named a capital of Islamic culture, it holds a cluster of well-regarded museums and a restored old heart of souqs, mosques and courtyard houses around its creek and lagoon. Alcohol-free and family-minded, it offers heritage, art and a calmer face of the Gulf within reach of Dubai's airport.

## Highlights

The Heart of Sharjah is a restored quarter of traditional houses, souqs and the arts area around the creek, with the Blue Souq nearby for carpets and gold. The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization and the art museum lead a strong museum scene. The corniche, the lagoon and the mosques give a gentler, more traditional counterpoint to Dubai next door.