Manama

Manama needs 2 days: the Bahrain National Museum, with the history of the 4,000-year-old Dilmun civilization, on one, and the Bahrain International Circuit, host of the Formula 1 Grand Prix since 2004, on the other. November-March avoids extreme Gulf heat. It's mid-to-high priced for the region. It was the center of the ancient Dilmun civilization, mentioned in Sumerian texts as a mythical paradise over 4,000 years ago, and its Sakhir circuit, the first Formula 1 track built in the Middle East, made it a regional pioneer in high-end sports tourism.