Although not especially celebrated for its tourism opportunities, Saudi Arabia has some wonderfully enriching sites making it a memorable destination. Apart from the religious pilgrimages, there is growth in Saudi Arabia's leisure tourism sector, promising for those hoping to visit the country on holiday.The cities are bustling and vibrant. Riyadh offers excellent hotels and some breath-taking sights, including the Al Faisaliah golden geodesic dome, one of the tallest buildings in the region and the Al Musmak Castle, an important landmark and heritage site.The historic city of Jeddah is certainly worth the visit. The preserved ancient city is listed as a 'tourist site', as it is the city's seafront corniche, a popular spot with the air of a British seaside resort that draws the country's own domestic holidaymakers. Among it all, the magic of Arabia shines through in the souks(markets) where vendors enthusiastically tout everything from carpets to camel milk.Rules and regulations can sometimes make sightseeing difficult for foreigners wanting to travel independently, so booking tours is the safest and most stress-free option. However, sites like the ruins of 15th-century Dir'aiyah (the nation's first capital) and trips to the world's largest camel market make for one-of-a-kind experiences which make some sightseeing a must in this somewhat enigmatic country.
The clay and mud brick fort of the Masmak Fort is an important landmark and heritage site in the centre of Riyadh. Built around 1865, the site is associated with the foundation of the Saudi Arabian kingdom as the original stronghold of King Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Rasheed. The castle was the setting of the Idn Saud's legendary raid in 1902, where a spear was hurled at the main entrance with such force that the head is still intact in the main arch. Visitors can explore its impressive rooms, pillared mosque, gate, watchtowers, and well.
Address : 3153 Al Thumairi St, Ad Dirah, 6937
Website : www.arriyadh.com/ar/Tourism/Left/Musems/getdocument.aspx?f=/openshare/ar/Tourism/Left/Musems/hoson.doc_cvt.
Telephone : +966 11 411 0091
Opening times : Sunday to Thursday 8am-12pm, 4pm-9pm, Friday 4pm-7.30pm, Saturday 9am-12am
Just outside the original city walls, is the spectacular Al Murabba'a Historical Palace. Built in the early 1900s, the palace originally functioned as the private accommodation for the king of Saudi Arabia.Now a principal component of the King Abdulaziz Darat, an institute and library devoted to preserving Arabian history, the palace has been preserved as a living example of Arabian royal life in days gone by and is a site history lovers enjoy year after year. On the ground floor are the guard's room and storerooms, while upstairs visitors can view the reception salons, political offices, and private apartments.
Address : Khazzan Street
Website : www.arriyadh.com/Eng/Tourism
Opening times : Weekly 8am-3pm, closed on weekends.
The ruins of the historically significant city of Diriyah, statuesque and silent in the desert about 12 miles (20km) northwest of Riyadh city centre, provide an interesting excursion. The city, originally the stronghold of the powerful Saud family, was the site of an important Islamic reform movement in around 1745, when two influential imams called for the people to return to the true faith and abandon heresy, polytheism, and superstition. In its heyday, the city was the biggest in the Arab Peninsula, but was overtaken by Riyadh after being destroyed by the Turks in the early 19th century. The ruins of many of the mud-brick buildings remain to be explored.
Opening times : Saturday to Thursday 8am-6pm, 3am-6pm on Fridays.
Admission : Free
The place to see and be seen in Riyadh is at the remarkable Kingdom Centre, the fifth tallest building in Saudi Arabia, owned by a Saudi prince and built to an unusual elliptical award-winning design. The 99-storey colossus is the world's third largest building with a hole that visitors can walk across on the sky-bridge on the highest floor.Besides containing modern offices, apartments, the Four Seasons Hotel and a fitness club, the Kingdom Centre also houses a state-of-the art three-level shopping mall with more than 160 stores, anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue and Debenhams department stores. The centre also boasts dozens of world-class international restaurants.
Address : Al-Urubah Road, between King Fahd Road and Olaya Street, in the Olaya business district
Website : www.kingdomcentre.com.sa
As the birthplace of Muhammad and the site of his first revelation of the Quran, Mecca is the holiest city in the Muslim world and is the direction towards which the world's Muslims pray five times per day. The pilgrimage to Mecca as part of the Haj is the centrepiece of Islam's Five Pillars and a peak experience in the life of any devout Muslim. The city, unfortunately, cannot be visited by non-Muslims.The key sites in Mecca are the Masjid al-Haram, the Grand Mosque, which is the largest mosque in the world and can accommodate one million worshippers; Jabal Rahmah At Arafah, the tall white pillar marking the place where Adam and Eve met after 200 years of separation; and Muzdalifah, where pilgrims pray and collect stones to be used in the Haj rituals. Hira is another important landmark, a cave on the mountain Jabal Al-Nûr where Mohammed received his first revelations from the angel Jibreel.Mecca is located in the Sirat Mountains, 45 miles (72km) from Jeddah. The city's entire economy depends on the Haj, and the large number of pilgrim immigrants from all over the globe has made it one of the most diverse in the Muslim world. The area is also considered an important archaeological site, with fossil discoveries nearly 30 million years old.
Located in the mountains near Mecca, Ta'if is a popular summer holiday resort in Saudi Arabia. One of the few places in the region that is open to non-Muslims, Ta'if is a lush region known for its rose farms, as well as grapes, pomegranates, and honey production; there are said to be more than 3,000 gardens in the area. The fragrant valleys are especially good for hiking, but for those less keen on a workout can take a cable car to the top of the mountain in Al Hada.There are some good restaurants and shops in Ta'if, and a popular souvenir is the rose water and perfume made from the rose farms in the area.There are plenty of things to see and do in Ta'if, such as the Al Rudaf Park, a large natural park with interesting rock formations and a small zoo. 25 miles (40km) to the north is the Rock Carving Site that was the site of a huge pre-Islamic souk or gathering places. Another interesting place is Wadi Mitna, the sanctuary for the Prophet Mohammed in the year 662. Visitors to Ta'if should also be sure to visit Al Shafa, a small village high in the mountains with incredible views.Non-Muslim visitors to Ta'if should be aware that they will need to take the non-Muslim Bypass when driving from Jeddah, which adds a few miles to the journey.
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