Open-air antiquities: Mleiha park in the UAE and the Pyramid of Cestius in Rome
Archaeology lovers are usually offered museums with display cases and labels. But there are two places where ancient history lies right out in the open. One spreads across the UAE desert, the other stands in the center of Rome.
Mleiha became the UAE's first archaeological park, while the Pyramid of Cestius has just reopened to visitors after a long restoration. These are two very different trips, but both are worth it if you're looking for real archaeology rather than another room full of plaques.
Ad: this article contains affiliate links. We earn a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.
Two stops for archaeology lovers
💡 In short:
- Mleiha in the UAE: Stone Age artifacts, dunes, and jeep safaris.
- Pyramid of Cestius in Rome: an ancient tomb at the Porta San Paolo, free entry.
- Pyramid visiting conditions: 09/2026, verified on the official Soprintendenza website.
Site | Where | What to see | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
Mleiha Archaeological Centre | Emirate of Sharjah, UAE | Stone, Bronze, and Iron Age artifacts | paid, tens of dirhams |
Pyramid of Cestius | Rome, Italy | 1st century BC tomb at the Porta San Paolo | free, booking required |
Mleiha Archaeological Park in the UAE
The park occupies a stretch of desert in the central part of the Emirate of Sharjah, near Fossil Rock. The road runs along a desert highway, so fill up on fuel beforehand.
© Robert Haandrikman · CC BYPhoto: Robert Haandrikman, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia CommonsMleiha Archaeological Centre opened as the country's first archaeological park. The exhibition covers the Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages, as well as the pre-Islamic period of Mleiha. Artifacts found by archaeologists are displayed in a separate hall, and the collection keeps growing. Among the finds is a stone tool around 125,000 years old (according to Roadmento): it is considered one of the oldest traces of Homo sapiens outside Africa.
The exhibition is compact: you'll get through the hall with finds faster than you expect. Outside, however, the visit stretches out, especially if you add a safari and quad bikes. Don't combine Mleiha with Abu Dhabi on the same day.
What to do besides looking at display cases
The park isn't limited to the artifact hall. You can ride a quad bike across the sand dunes, go paragliding, or head out on a safari in powerful jeeps. Each activity is booked separately and paid on top of the entry ticket. Bring water and closed-toe shoes: the sand heats up by midday.
What they promise to build
The park's creators say they don't intend to stop there. Plans include a hotel, several restaurants and cafes, and an observatory for stargazing. They haven't announced opening dates yet, so don't plan an overnight stay inside the park in advance.
Tickets and visiting
Entry is paid: an adult ticket costs several tens of dirhams, a child ticket is cheaper (as of: 09/2026). Activities like the safari or paragliding are priced separately. Opening hours vary by day of the week, so check them on the center's website before heading out.
see hotels in Sharjah on Trip.com
Pyramid of Cestius in Rome
The Pyramid of Cestius stands at the Porta San Paolo, almost right up against the Aurelian Wall. It is the tomb of Gaius Cestius Epulo, a Roman magistrate of the 1st century BC (according to the Rome tourist office). Nearby lies the non-Catholic cemetery Cimitero Acattolico, where foreigners were buried.
© Chabe01 · CC BY-SAPhoto: Chabe01, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia CommonsHistory and restoration
The pyramid was built according to a will in 330 days. The fashion for Egyptian tombs came to Rome after the Battle of Actium, and the Pyramid of Cestius remains the only such monument to survive to this day. The monument was closed for restoration for three years. It reopened on September 4, 2026, and until October 31 visitors are allowed inside through free timed sessions (according to Soprintendenza Speciale di Roma). Groups are small, maximum 30 people, and the visit takes about 45 minutes. Spots go quickly, so book in advance.
The previous restoration, which washed the layer of urban smog off the stone, was funded by Japanese patron Yuzo Yagi. In 2013 he donated about one million euros for the work (as of: 2013, Artribune).
The current work was carried out under the state program PNRR Caput Mundi and overseen by Soprintendenza Speciale di Roma (according to Il Plurale). Restorers reinforced the masonry and refurbished the area around the monument.
How to get there and what's nearby
Getting there is easy: get off at Piramide metro station (line B), and the pyramid will be right in front of you. Nearby stand the Porta San Paolo and the Via Ostiense museum. If you have time, walk to the Cimitero Acattolico cemetery: it's quiet there, with many old gravestones and almost no tourists.
Tours and tickets in Rome
Guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and activities — most offers can be cancelled free of charge.
See offers on TiqetsThe widget loads once you give your consent.
How to plan both trips
For Mleiha, set aside half a day including travel. You can get there by car or taxi, and once there you'll want to see the hall and ride across the dunes. Don't combine the park with another excursion in the Emirates.
The Pyramid of Cestius, on the other hand, is woven into the center of Rome, so a morning is enough. If you've booked a free session, arrive early and don't schedule a city tour back to back. Build your route along metro line B: the pyramid, Porta San Paolo, and the Colosseum sit on it almost in a row.
⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions
Can you go inside the Pyramid of Cestius?
Entry inside is only through timed sessions with booking. After the restoration, visiting is free, but spots are limited (according to Soprintendenza). The schedule runs until the end of October 2026, after which it will be extended or changed.
How much does entry to Mleiha park cost?
An adult ticket costs several tens of dirhams, children are cheaper. Jeep safaris, quad bikes, and paragliding are paid separately. Exact prices depend on the season and the set of activities, so check them at the ticket office or on the center's website before your trip.
How to get to Mleiha from Dubai?
The park lies in the central part of the Emirate of Sharjah, near Fossil Rock. From Dubai, the drive takes just over an hour by car; from Sharjah it's about 50 km on the map. Public transport doesn't go there, so rent a car or take a taxi.
What to see near the Pyramid of Cestius?
A couple of minutes' walk away is the non-Catholic cemetery Cimitero Acattolico with gravestones of foreigners. Nearby stand the Porta San Paolo and the Via Ostiense museum. Along metro line B you can reach the Colosseum in a few stops, so both points are easy to combine in one day.
When is the best time to visit Mleiha?
The most comfortable time is from November to March, when it's not so hot during the day. In summer the desert heats up, and long walks across the dunes quickly become tiring. Arrive at opening time or closer to evening: there's still enough light, and tours run more calmly.
Can you combine Mleiha and Rome in one trip?
No, the UAE and Italy are far apart, so plan two separate trips.
In short: what's worth booking
If you're traveling to the UAE for history, choose Mleiha. If you're already in Rome, come to the Pyramid of Cestius in the morning and book a free session in advance while access inside is open.
For a trip around the Emirates, pick hotels in Sharjah and Dubai in advance, and leave extra time for Roman tours: book a Rome tour on GetYourGuide.
A small editorial team writing guides for independent travel. We travel ourselves, but we haven’t been everywhere, so we check prices, opening hours and how to get there against official sources.