Middle East

We’ve been umming and ahing about whether we should continue to content focused on travel in the Middle East and North Africa right now what with everything going on in the world. But after a lot of thought we decided that people still need reminding of what a beautiful place the world is, and of what’s waiting for us beyond our front doors when this is all over.

Beirut is a city that gets under your skin. There’s something about the ‘keep-calm-carry-on’ (and while we’re at it, let’s have a cocktail) attitude of Beirutis that reminds you to enjoy life while you have it; to make the most of every day and just have fun. If you’re visiting Lebanon or have a layover in the city, here’s our one-day-itinerary to help you get the most out of 24 hours in brilliant Beirut.

Yemen: The poorest country in the Middle East; The corner of the Arabian Peninsula widely ignored as the oil monarchies of the Gulf rose to riches and global prominence; And now, embroiled in a deadly civil war protracted by the interference of external powers, further destabilising an already war-torn region. Yemeni politics can be highly confusing for outsiders. These 10 books will help you understand this complex country and the ongoing conflict.

Trying to understand the Middle East is complicated at best and impossible at worst. News stories give conflicting views of developments on the ground and much of the mainstream media coverage is steeped in stereotypes and lacking in nuance. The following list of podcasts are essential listening if you’re interested in the region – they deconstruct Middle Eastern history, politics, culture and the economy to give you a clearer picture of what’s going on in this fascinating and often misunderstood part of the world.