gETAWAYS:
Be inspired by our breaks to Bahrain, a long weekend in Tallinn and a spa hotel in Burton
THE deafening roar of F1 engines reverberates from my eardrums to the pit of my stomach. Somebody offers me a pair of earplugs to muffle the sound, but I politely decline.
We are just metres away from the starting grid at the Bahrain International Circuit and there is no adrenaline rush like it – if you like supercars, that is.
The fact that we’re stonecold sober, watching from a ‘dry’ box to respect our local hosts, means we’re even more focused on all 57 laps as Sebastian Vettel cruises into pole position. Even the podium finish vetoes the traditional champagne spray in favour of a sparkling non-alcoholic drink called Waard – although take note that drinking alcohol isn’t banned in Bahrain for non-Muslims.
Home to a Formula One race since 2004, the annual spectacle in mid-April is undoubtedly Bahrain’s biggest tourism pull.
Revving up over three days, a schedule of practice sessions, driver meet-and-greets, pit lane walks and pre-race concerts (hello, Enrique Iglesias) means that hotels, hip restaurants and flights get booked up fast during the F1 window.
But, Lewis Hamilton and Co. aside, the small island state in the gulf is gearing up to be a tourist destination in its own right; like a baby Dubai of sorts – but with way more history and cultural pull.
Bahrain is made up of 33 islands but the majority of habitants are on mainland Bahrain and the island of Muharraq, which are connected by road. Islands such as Hawar and Umm An Na’san are mainly sanctuaries for Bahraini wildlife, like spiny-tailed lizards, sand gazelles and protected Socotra Cormorant birds.
“My grandfather was a pearl diver,” our city guide Fadhal proudly announces, “but that all changed with the arrival of oil.”
Bahrain, still known as the Pearl of the Gulf, first discovered oil in 1931, which coincided with the collapse of the once flourishing world pearl market.
We visit the very unassuming site of the first ever Oil Well No.1 at the foothill of Jebel Al Dukhan and check out the drilling equipment that helped trigger Bahrain’s boom. The clunky machinery is a far cry from the high-tech hydraulics we saw in action at the Formula One.
Now, with limited reserves and oil prices plummeting, Middle East countries like Bahrain have switched their focus from trade to tourism – attracting 200,000 visitors a week in the process. New Instagram-able additions include high-gloss hotels, like the Four Seasons Bahrain Bay, which you’ll find on its own exclusive island, and chic international restaurants, like Asia de Cuba.
Bahrain Bay, on the north coast of capital Manama, is the equivalent of Dubai’s mega-luxe The Palm – an ambitious 2.5 billion-dollar project that includes the new Wyndham Grand Manama Hotel, an iconic twisted glass structure that you can see for miles.
But despite the hype of shiny new development, it’s the Bahraini culture and history that’s perhaps the biggest draw for Brit first-timers.
We visit Haji’s Café, the oldest restaurant in Manama dating back to 1950, to refuel for a day of sight-seeing. A recent visit from celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck has made the authentic cafe even more popular with locals and tourists.
There’s no set menu because it changes by the hour, so we’re warmly welcomed by the charismatic owner with red tea and saffron milk as we receive plate after plate of surprise mini breakfast dishes (all for around £4 each). It’s a banquet of egg mixed with tomato and coriander, chickpeas, cheesy beans, warm Bahraini flat breads and fresh natural yoghurts.
Going back even further in time, to around 2,300BC, we brave the searing midday heat to explore an archaeological site which was once the capital of Dilmun, one of the region’s most important ancient civilizations. The ruins of the 16th century Portuguese fort Qal’at Al Bahrain, now a World Heritage Site, perch atop layers of human occupation.
Another trip highlight is wandering through the magical narrow alleyways of Muharraq, Bahrain’s second largest island and another World Heritage Site.
Extensive restoration projects – some still ongoing – have brought some of its oldest properties back to life.
We seek shade at Sheikh Isa Bin Ali House in Muharraq, which gives you a glimpse into how 19th century Bahraini royalty lived. With its ornate wall carvings and stained-glass windows, it’s considered one of the most impressive examples of Gulf Islamic architecture in Bahrain.
We make a pit-stop at the House of Coffee for a mid-tour energy boost, a modern space that was once three traditional Bahraini houses. Gahwa (Arabic coffee) is a big part of Arabian hospitality but it’s nothing like the black coffee you’d find at home. Lighter and sweeter, it’s often flavoured with cardamom and other spices.
Then it’s back to Manama, which is much buzzier and more atmospheric than the sleepy backstreets of Muharraq. We weave through the colourful markets, which have a constant chattering of sewing machines and locals haggling for produce.
The original location for Manama’s jewel trading, the Gold Suq is now a prime window-shopping location, with more than 30 family-owned stores selling nothing but gold. The purest available in Bahrain is 24 carat and the price per gram is £31.86 (around 15.50BHD). With his pearl-diving ancestry, it’s only fitting that our guide Fadhal takes us to one of Manama’s most prestigious pearl shops, Al Hashimi Pearls. The owner proudly showcases one of the most expensive types of pearl, dana, which can set you back around £20,000 for a necklace.
I wonder to myself who might splash out on such an expensive piece, but then, you never know, there might just be a Formula One driver just around the corner...