Dubai is notable not only for its epic skyscrapers and attributes of a luxurious life. There are places here that seem to have remained untouched since the last century, as if no oil had ever been found on the Arabian Peninsula.
One of such urban districts is Bastakiya, located between two old markets on the берегу Dubai Creek. Almost all of its buildings are historically authentic or restored with documentary precision, corresponding to the times when Iranian merchants came here and settled. It is even surprising that such a large district has remained untouched, given the very high cost of land in Dubai.
Nowadays Bastakiya is a historical monument, one of the city's main tourist attractions. Here you can visit museums, wander through the narrow streets of old Dubai, visit souvenir shops, have tea at a cafe, or dine in a restaurant. Be sure to notice the wind towers, innovative for the beginning of the 20th century, which served to ventilate and cool the lower floors of the houses.
We also recommend dropping by Bastakiya in the evening, when it gets dark and the buildings are illuminated from inside and outside - it is a mesmerizing sight, as if stepped out of the pages of Scheherazade's tales.
