A fort town at the foot of the Hajar mountains
Nizwa was once Oman's capital and remains the centre of its interior, set among date palms at the foot of the Hajar Mountains. Its seventeenth-century fort has a massive round tower with views over the oasis, and the souk sells silver khanjar daggers and pottery. On Friday mornings a livestock market draws buyers from across the region. Jebel Akhdar and Jebel Shams, with Oman's deepest canyon, are close by, as are the hill fort of Bahla and the castle at Jabrin.