Sharjah is one of the seven emirates of the Gulf country the United Arab Emirates or UAE. It has also been awarded the title of the Cultural Capital of the Arab World in 1998 by UNESCO and again as the Capital of Islamic Culture in 2014. It is the third largest city in the UAE and one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Sharjah is a must visit for any lover of Islamic art and history as it boasts many world class museums. It is also a visual feast to walk around the inner city of Sharjah with its blend of traditional and modern Islamic architecture with many beautiful mosques dotting the entire city. The city is also a commercial centre and with the set up of its two major Free Trade Zones in recent years, Sharjah is witnessing massive foreign investment in the industrial sector. Sharjah is a landscaped city with many beautiful gardens, promenades and desert parks to enjoy on foot. The city is designed to represent to the world the perfect blend of traditional and contemporary style while keeping the tenets of Islam at its core. Sharjah is a ‘dry’ city, which means that consumption and sale of alcohol is prohibited without a liquor permit. It also has strict decency laws that require men and women, tourist or residents, to dress conservatively and appropriately.