Travel Postcard: 48 Hours in Sanaa

SANAA (Reuters Life!) - Got 48 hours to explore the city of Sanaa? Chaotic, colorful but conservative, Sanaa makes an impression on the visitor. The main day of rest in Muslim Yemen is Friday so plan short breaks accordingly. Reuters correspondents with local knowledge help visitors make the most of this ancient city:

THURSDAY

5 p.m. - As soon as you arrive in Yemen, make a beeline for Old Sanaa. Use the last sunlight of the day to explore the narrow lanes of this magical old city on foot. Gaze up at the traditional tower houses that lean against each other in a quarter that has been declared a Unesco World Heritage site.

6 p.m. - Stop off at the Burj al-Salam Hotel in Old Sanaa and enjoy a cup of tea from the restaurant-cafe on its rooftop, one of the best settings in the city. The views are spectacular and this is a great place to take photos and enjoy the sunset.

7 p.m. - Stay at Burj al-Salam for an al fresco buffet dinner. If you fancy a change, head to the new part of town -- it lacks the charm of Old Sanaa but has more dining options. Dining in Sanaa is a simple affair so if you expect something fancy you will have to go to one of the international hotels. Otherwise, Hadda Street has a range of more upmarket, yet authentic restaurants where you can try traditional Yemeni grilled and roasted dishes.

FRIDAY

9:30 a.m. - Head to a coffee shop near the entrance to the markets at Bab al-Yaman, the imposing gate to Old Sanaa. Sample a cup of coffee the way the Yemenis like it -- made with light-roasted husks it looks more like tea than the strong black stuff most of us know. Yemen was one of the first countries to cultivate the coffee bean and was a major exporter in the 17th and 18th centuries. Breakfast on bread smothered in Yemeni honey, completely natural and delicious in all its varieties.

10:30 a.m. - Spend the morning exploring the open air markets in the walled city of Old Sanaa. Don't miss Souq al-Milh, or the Salt Souq, where you can buy everything from salt, to spices and more. These are genuine markets where the locals shop, not the usual tourist traps, though there are good souvenirs to be found. Pick up a jambiyeh, one of the curved daggers Yemeni men wear in their belts to this day.

1:30 p.m. - Fill up on traditional Yemeni dishes, including salta, local stew, at Al-Fakher restaurant on Hadda Street.

3:30 p.m. - After the hustle and bustle of the market, savor the tranquility of Sanaa's Great Mosque, once an important centre of Islamic learning. Ladies should make sure to dress modestly and cover their hair. Many mosques only allow Muslims inside but wardens can sometimes be persuaded if you are polite.

4:30 p.m. - Head to the National Museum, known for its collection of pre-Islamic artifacts in one of the oldest cities on the Arabian Peninsula.

8 p.m. - After resting and freshening up, go to the new part of the city for dinner. Try the Bedouin-themed Al-Fanoos on Hadda Street and take time over your meal. There are no cinemas, bars or nightclubs in Sanaa, which is largely dry, but if you are desperate for a drink you can get a beer at one of the major international hotels.

SATURDAY

9 a.m. - After breakfast, head out of Sanaa to the hilltop village of Kawkaban, Arabic for Two Planets, less than hour northwest of Sanaa. Take a taxi for the trip. Once there, enjoy the views, check out the remains of an old citadel and cisterns, then go for a walk or hike in the cool mountain air. The locals are friendly and will show you around or you can ask for a guide at one of the local hotels. A good place to start is the small market town at the bottom of the hill, which is around an hour's walk uphill.

1 p.m. - On the way back, stop off at one of Sanaa's qat souqs and watch the flurry of activity as Yemeni men buy bundles of the mildly narcotic shrub. There are different grades for different prices and they go on sale from around 11 a.m. to around 2 p.m., though women may feel uncomfortable in this male-dominated souq.

2 p.m. - After a busy morning, enjoy a leisurely Lebanese lunch outdoors at Al-Walima Restaurant on Hadda street.