You'll find some of the world's most beautiful carpets in Bahrain. Carpet shops, many of them located in Manama and Adliya, carry exquisite Persian rugs as well as almost equally gorgeous – and less expensive – carpets from Turkey, Afghanistan and China. You'll be able to find a large, handwoven carpet as a centre piece to your living room or a small one that may even become a wall tapestry.

Unlike machine made carpets, which do not wear well and decline in value, hand-woven Persian rugs actually age wonderfully and appreciate in price. If you are unsure how to judge a rug, ask the store owner – they are more than happy to explain what to look for, usually over a cup of gahwa (Arabic coffee).