Muscat has been inhabited since at least 1000 BCE and for centuries was an important trading port on the Maritime Silk Road. Today it is the capital of the Sultanate of Oman and its most important and populous city (at 812,000). It is home to a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society, and receives the largest number of foreign visitors to the country.

Wedged between the Arabian Sea and the rugged Western Hajar Mountains, the city referred to as Muscat is in fact several smaller towns which have grown together over time. These include old Muscat (also known as the 'walled city'), site of the royal palace; Mutrah (also spelled Matrah or Matruh), once a fishing village and home to the labyrinthine Mutrah Souq; and Ruwi, which is the commercial and diplomatic quarter of the city. The metropolitan area covers 3,500 km2, and this tripartite division can be inconvenient for the visitor especially as much accommodation is a fair distance from sights of interest.

Unlike other cities in the Gulf, notably in the UAE and Qatar, Muscat does not have an ultramodern skyline. Following the preferences of the Sultan, modern construction is required to adhere to traditional Arabic architectural styles, resulting in a more low-key urban landscape.

- Wikivoyage