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Garden City, not just of the Emirates but certainly of the Arabian Peninsula. Al Ain - oasis, retreat, university town, granary - is the chief town of the Emirates' most fertile area and part of a large, historically critical oasis. Development in Al Ain has been extensive, much of it set in motion when Sheikh Zayed, the president of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi, governed the region. It's a charming city: building heights are restricted which is why it retains some of the atmosphere of a country town despite the gridiron layout of the streets.

Here is where the ruler's personal directive can be seen at work: making the desert green, and within the city, scores of fountains and acres of green parks emphasise just why Al Ain is the Garden City. Its history as an important Arabian oasis - known as Buraimi earlier and shared by Abu Dhabi and Oman - is evident all around. The Hili park to the north was developed as a setting for the UAE's leading archaeological monument, the Hili tomb.

Carved in relief on the slabs of the tomb are scenes that provide an extraordinary window on life here 4,000 years ago. Forts too abound in Al Ain. These once upon a time guarded the precious palm groves. Traditional mud-brick forts, like Jahili, have been carefully renovated, and several others are as impressive, like those at Murajib and Mazyad. Jebel Hafit is the dominant landmark in Al Ain, a rearing humpback of a mountain. At its foot is the Ain abu Sukhna, a sweet water spring that has been extensively developed as a resort. Also in Jebel Hafit's shadow is the Al Ain zoo, the largest in the Middle East. Here vast paddocks are home to flourishing herds of Arabian oryx, an endangered species.

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