Middle East

Oh, the exotic and romantic Middle East! This region covers a vast area that goes from Egypt to Qatar and is home to some of the most fascinating World Wonders.

On this page, you will find useful information about the region including basic facts, what to see and do while you’re there as well as my travel-related posts.

WELCOME TO THE Middle East!

Basic facts

Population: 537 million (as of 2025)
Language: Arabic is the most common language that is spoken in the Middle East, with others being Farsi, Hebrew, Turkish and Kurdish. Did you know I actually learned Arabic when I lived in Geneva (Switzerland)? It was the hardest language I’ve learned so far but I love a good challenge!
Territories: the region comprises around 20 countries.
Best time to visit: given the usual extreme heat, the best seasons to explore the region are during the spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) time.
Fun fact: did you know there are no rivers in Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia?

Things to do

Visit Petra (Jordan), one of the new seven Wonders of the World

Explore the ancient Egyptian pyramids

Good to know

The Middle East is a vast and diverse region. As such, it can be divided in three areas:

the Maghreb: this refers to the western part of the Middle East and covers Northern Africa. It includes countries such as Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.
the Mashreq: on the eastern side of the Middle East, this large area covers Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Turkey: a vast country bridging Europe and Asia.

If you’d like to buy some souvenirs in the Middle Eastern countries, be ready to haggle!