The loose itinerary was one of 24-hour perfection: a stop at The Pearl’s development centre for an immersive walk across to the Porto Arabia boardwalk, a meander through the maze of Souq Waqif’s alleyways for an authentic Arabic lunch, and finally a short drive back to the souq to see how it transforms in the evening.

As the economic centre and capital of the richest country in the world, over the full day of exploration, I fell in love with the city, citizens and a culture that has somehow endured in authenticity regardless of Western influence (unlike Dubai).

Almost no stretch of land from its four million square metre artificial island to the souq’s spice-scented falcon shops is untouched by construction and, rather than being material for Holidays From Hell, it is all surprisingly inspiring. The city purrs with anticipation over their turn as hosts of the FIFA World Cup 2022 (they will be the first Arab country to do so), almost overflowing with opportunity and excitement.

I cannot wait to return over the next few years to see how the city develops.

 Souq Waqif

 Sumptuous Yemeni meal