This weekend in Bahrain leans towards a bit of everything, with enough on the calendar to suit a slow midweek reset, a busy family Saturday, or a long Friday lunch that runs well into the afternoon.
There are options for people who want to move, whether that means an early morning with the family or something gentler on the water as the light fades. For anyone after a quieter pace, a handful of sessions invite you to slow down, make something with your hands, or spend time looking at good work alongside others.
Food sits at the centre of the weekend too, with brunches and limited-run menus across the island giving you plenty of reasons to gather at a table.
It is the kind of mix that works whether you are planning the whole weekend or deciding on the day. Here is what is worth your time.
A slow, screen-free Thursday evening shaped around the small pleasures of journaling. Sukoon pairs cups of matcha with a hands-on session crafting your own funky junk journal, all materials provided, all the room you need to take your time. Set against the calm of Hamala Hills, it’s the kind of midweek pause that quietly resets the rest of the week.
A morning built around movement, memories, and the kind of family time that earns its own keepsake. Marassi Galleria teams up with Duounlu and The Factory for a Father’s Day social run, opening the mall up to dads, kids, and the easy energy of a shared start to the weekend. A raffle draw rounds things out with prizes to take home, with limited spots keeping the run pleasantly intimate.
A ladies-only afternoon shaped around movement, stillness, and small acts of care. Orangery hosts a full-bodied celebration of International Yoga Day with yoga led by Walaa, sound healing by Svara, a LUSH workshop to craft your own fresh face mask paired with a hand and arm massage, and afternoon tea served in Orangery’s pretty surroundings. Goodie bags and a gift voucher from Carousel Fitness round things off, making it the kind of slow, sensory afternoon that lingers well past the last cup of tea.
A new kind of photography meet-up, built on the quiet pleasure of looking at prints together. Hosted by Khurram Salman, Photo Jam launches with a session on travel photography, swapping projectors and stages for physical prints laid across a table and the kind of open, considered conversation that good work invites. Visual storyteller Fadhi Muhammed joins as the inaugural featured photographer, bringing a body of work shaped by surrender to the unknown. Whether you shoot film, digital, or simply use your phone, the door is open.
A gentle, golden-hour way to round off the weekend on the water. Island Activities reopens its sunset kayak tours from Bahrain Bay Beach, with a 90-minute paddle led by a guide and a few quiet perks tucked in along the way, water and ice cream included as the light turns soft over the bay. It’s an easy, low-effort outing that lands somewhere between sport and a proper sunset moment.
Extended by popular demand, and bigger than just about anything else this summer. The Big Bounce Arabia will remain at the Exhibition World Bahrain for an extended run from 10 – 20 June, with its 16,000-square-metre spread of giant slides, oversized obstacle courses, and properly action-packed inflatables built for kids and grown-ups alike. With ten days on the calendar this time, there’s plenty of room to fit it in.
A communal dining experience that asks you to put the phone away and simply be present. Avli by tashas is gathering guests around one long table for a three-course Mediterranean menu served family-style, starting with green salad, tuna carpaccio, and lamb keftedes, moving through miso seabass, lemonato baby chicken, and gemista, and closing with chocolate parfait and baked cheesecake. The evening’s centrepiece is a special dish prepared by Chef Vlassia, drawn from her own family recipes and shared at the table, with the recipe sent home with every guest at the end of the night. Arrive as strangers, leave as friends.
The Brunch Affair returns with à la carte signature dishes, including surf-and-turf beef fillet with béarnaise, teriyaki-glazed duck leg, slow-cooked BBQ Angus beef brisket, and miso hamachi finished with Korean chilli, alongside a vibrant buffet of seafood, BBQ, and burrata stations. Expertly crafted cocktails like the spicy jalapeño margarita and espresso martini round out the spread, with a live pianist setting the mood for the long, easy afternoon.
A proper Friday brunch built for stretching long into the afternoon. Bo.Sabi opens its weekly spread with live entertainment, unlimited selected beverages, and pool access folded into the package, the kind of full-bodied set-up that turns lunch into the whole plan. Easy energy, good company, and just enough indulgence to set the tone for the rest of the weekend.
A long, easy Friday lunch built for the whole table. Al Waha at The Gulf Hotel sets out a spread of flavours to share, with live entertainment running through the afternoon to keep younger guests just as happy as the grown-ups. It’s the kind of brunch that turns a regular weekend into something a little more memorable.
Sumosan marks International Sushi Day with a limited-run menu shaped around the quiet artistry of Japanese cuisine. The Art of Sushi brings together a premium selection of signature sushi and maki creations, each one a study in precision, balance, and flavour. A short window, and a proper one for anyone who likes their sushi treated with the kind of care it deserves.
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