Named after the south Iran town of Bastak by its Persian settlers, Bastakia is a web of restored mud-and-stone houses, squares, and narrow alleys. Among them are wind tower houses, whose towers circulate breezes around the interiors, plus museums, art galleries, shops, and cafes. Explore for an authentic feel of bygone Dubai, when the city was little more than a small pearl-trading port.
Many city tours that encompass Old Dubai include Bastakia, often as a brief stop after Dubai Museum, in the nearby 19th-century Al Fahidi Fort. Tours devoted to Dubai’s heritage usually incorporate a stroll through Bastakia, while others focus wholly on walking tours around the enclave. Other travelers come here independently to relax and explore.