Places of Interest Around Kuwait City





	The charm of Kuwait City invites visitors and residents alike to spend hours exploring historical and cultural points of interest, all of which are situated within short driving distances from each other. An oasis in the desert, the city offers a fascinating blend of the old Arab world with clear evidence of a modernized Gulf state. Beginning in the 1930s, slowly at first, the city began to develop from a nomadic port town into a booming Middle Eastern metropolis. With prosperity well in hand, the city expanded its downtown area (Safat) into a network of residential and commercial communities. An infrastructure, including multi-laned highways, facile movement of goods and services, and international airline connections arose in parallel conjunction with skyscrapers, homes, and population. Today the expansion continues non-stop, accommodating Kuwaitis and foreign residents with modern living quarters and a plethora of work opportunities.

	To the southwest of Safat lies Shuwaikh Port, the main Kuwait University campus, and a large industrial area. Across town to the



		Kuwait Tower - A Different Perspective

southeast and bordering on the Gulf is Salmiya, a primarily expatriate residential area where shopping is as diverse as the cosmopolitan ethnic mix. Kuwaiti-owned villas built on government granted land occupy various corners of outlying districts. Dahiat Abdullah Al Salem, Yarmouk, and Qortuba, considered as some



		Safat Square

	of the most prestigious neighborhoods, rest to the south of Safat. A drive anywhere throughout the Kuwait City area leads the observer to pause at the enormity of the task the Kuwaitis have undertaken in transforming their barren desert land into a living landscaped city.


		Whether visited by day or by night, the Kuwait Towers, a coastal landmark located at Ras Dasman along the Arabian Gulf Road, promise a panoramic view of the city and Gulf area. Designed to evoke the image of the traditional Arabian rose-water sprinklers, the towers won the coveted Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1980. Enclosed within the upper sphere of the tallest structure (187 metres) are a revolving observation post and a coffee shop. Within the lower, larger sphere (79 metres high), buffet luncheons and dinners are served daily from 12:00 noon to 3:30 p.m. and from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. in two restaurants. These imposing towers also store approximately 4.5 million gallons of water for local use. Parking facilities are provided, and visitinghours are daily from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. (Tel: 244-4021)