Saudi Arabia
The remnants of old Yanbu are not as extensive as some old towns along the Red Sea, but nevertheless it is worth going for a wander in the area directly…
Must-see attractions in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Arabic word qibla means 'direction' of prayer, and this mosque is said to have two. One facing Mecca, and another above the entrance (look where…
Northern Saudi Arabia
A lone rusting locomotive sits in the sun on its side, its funnel pointing downwards. Derailed and useless, this relic really evokes the impact TE…
Northern Saudi Arabia
This is one of the only surviving bridges of the Hejaz Railway left in Saudi Arabia. The beautiful 150m long red-and-grey-brick arches, stretching over a…
Eastern Province
One of the prettiest little mosques you are likely to see in Saudi Arabia, this mosque sits at the entrance to a historic Shiite neighbourhood. The mosque…
Mecca
This small mountain (761m) is where the Prophet hid for three days with his companion Abu Bakr from the Quraysh tribe. According to Islamic custom, an…
Northern Saudi Arabia
The haunting wreck of cargo ship Georgios G – ambitiously dubbed the 'Saudi Titanic' – sits half-submerged, rusting in the sun after becoming stranded on…
Al Buwayr Hejaz Railway Station & Fort
Northern Saudi Arabia
Sitting off the old Medina–Al Ula road is this refurbished black Hejaz Railway locomotive, almost complete with wagons in tow. There's also a crumbling…
Mecca
The 640m-tall Jabal Al Nour is the location of the tiny Hira cave and one of the most important Islamic pilgrimage sites. According to Islamic tradition,…
Saudi Arabia
Named after the spring that waters its garden, Dhee Ain is the perfect image of traditional, mountainous Arabia. Sand coloured two- and four-storey houses…
Jeddah
This mosque in the north of Jeddah sits on stilts and seemingly floats on the Red Sea. Visitors come to wander in the open courtyard and enjoy the cooling…
Saudi Arabia
As recently as half a century ago, many residents of Farasan Town still lived here. Now this collection of simple mud, coral and reed structures, many…
Al Ula
The fortress and three peaks of Jebel Khuraibah once formed part of the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Lihyan. Rock-cut tombs squat at the foot of the…
Riyadh
This museum is home to objects found during the Faw and Rabdha excavations (sites in the south and north of Saudi Arabia) by King Saud University in the…
Northern Saudi Arabia
Al Sharim Beach feels delightfully remote. The beach is literally the desert arriving at the sea, complete with camels who wander freely in the area. The…
Saudi Arabia
This beautiful station was part of the extensive Hejaz Railway that brought pilgrims to Medina from as far away as Damascus in Syria. Built on the orders…
Saudi Arabia
An excellent guided tour in English takes visitors through this private museum's interesting collection, which includes models showing the evolution of…
Jeddah
One of Jeddah’s best-restored old coral houses, Naseef House belonged to one of Jeddah’s most powerful trading families and was later a royal residency…
Eastern Province
Completely reconstructed to reflect the souq's historic importance as a meeting point at the Hofuf oasis, Souq Al Qaisariah now feels a little bit like…
Saudi Arabia
Once a village on the outskirts of Abha, Al Bastah is now one of two neighbourhoods with a healthy number of old fort-like houses. These tall properties…
Saudi Arabia
Home of the world's biggest date festival, this is the largest date market on earth, and the complex resembles a small airport. At the height of the…
Saudi Arabia
This was once the village of Quba, where the Prophet Muhammad and his companions, migrating from Mecca to Medina, stopped in AD 622, and where the Prophet…
Saudi Arabia
Built on the site of an important traditional Najd market still functioning up until the 1970s, the Al Musawkaf market is set in a beautiful mock-castle…
Saudi Arabia
Go wandering in Buraydah's historic date-growing neighbourhood. As you walk in the shade of tall palms, the desert grass brushing your feet, local…
Mecca
Also known as the Mountain of Mercy, this granite hill is an important part of performing the hajj as pilgrims leave Mina for Arafat on the ninth day to…
Jeddah
The Mecca gate was historically the most important gate for Jeddah, Arabia's official pilgrim port. It stands at the start of the road that led to Islam's…
Eastern Province
This beautiful two-storey square building with neo-Mughal and neo-classical architectural features was opened in 1941 as a school for noble and royal boys…
Saudi Arabia
This is an important site in Islam's prophetic narrative. Around 85 martyred soldiers from the Battle of Uhud lie here in graves surrounded by a tall…
Jeddah
Built in 1930, this historic structure boasts some lovely Hejazi mashrabiyya (wooden lattice balconies). It's the former home of the wealthy Sharbatly…
Saudi Arabia
Once the location for sighting the moon to announce the start of the month of Ramadan and the firing of the daily cannon to signal the end of fasting,…
Saudi Arabia
Al Shafa, 25km southwest of Taif, is the highest mountain in the region and is accessed by paved roads. The 10,000-sq-metre Daka Mountain Park sits on the…
Jeddah
The colourful and frenetic fish market – west of the corniche – has at least 50 species of sea creature on display, ranging from hammerhead sharks to…
Eastern Province
This would have been an awesome castle when it was still standing. Fenced off but still visible from the street, only two towers remain of the 16th…
Riyadh
After visiting the umpteenth mall and restaurant, head a little further out towards Wadi Namar for a pleasant change. The 2km-long dam is surrounded by…
Riyadh
Addiriyah Park is a favourite oasis in Riyadh, and its verdant terraced seating areas offer stunning views of Al Turaif, a historic district of Al…
Saudi Arabia
We hope this immense fort-like palace will reopen one day. Impossible to ignore, the Qishlah (from the Turkish word for 'barracks') sits in the heart of…
Saudi Arabia
With the feel of a cluttered antique store, the private museum of Khalid Bin Hamoud Al Matrod is set in a traditional Najd house. The rooms, centred…
Riyadh
Sitting at the mouth of what was once Riyadh's western fringe in the neighbourhood of Ad Dirah, this reconstructed old city gate, made of mud and wood,…
Saudi Arabia
A remnant of the Ottoman era, this small bridge made of stone could well be the oldest bridge in Saudi Arabia. Measuring 32m across and 6m high, it spans…
Mecca
Formerly Al Zahir Palace, the 3435-sq-metre Makkah Museum has a collection ranging from images of Saudi Arabia’s important archaeological discoveries to…
