Muscat is essentially a collection of small cities and towns separated by serrated ridges. In total it stretches along perhaps 25 kilometres of the coastline. At its heart is old Muscat, a walled city with a natural harbour watched over by the twin fortresses of Jalali and Mirani, where the Sultan has his palace. Nearby, the historic commercial district of Muttrah spreads along the shore of a wide bay and it is here that you’ll find the old souq and the fish souq. The houses have delicately styled balconies that betray the influence the Portuguese once had in the area. Qurm is a largely residential area where most of the hotels can be found. Centred on the sculpted contours of Qurm Natural Park it has a long stretch of beach to enjoy. Between Qurm and the airport at Seeb is a long ribbon of residential suburbs, one of which is home to the modern Sultan Qaboos Mosque, a beautiful piece of architecture combining traditional Arab and Persian influences with a dash of modernity.