Jeddah
Saudi Arabia · Makkah · 12 m
Description
Jeddah is the gate to Mecca, the Red Sea port through which pilgrims have arrived for fourteen centuries, and the most relaxed of the big Saudi cities. Al-Balad, the historic centre, is a UNESCO World Heritage site of tall coral-stone merchant houses with carved wooden roshan balconies, restored street by street and busiest after dark. The corniche runs for thirty kilometres past the King Fahd Fountain, which throws seawater three hundred metres up, and the reef wall a short boat ride offshore gives Saudi Arabia its best accessible diving.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 2 to 5 days (optimal 3 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: November – March
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Al-Balad historic district (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Jeddah Corniche and its waterfront parks
- King Fahd Fountain
- Al-Rahmah Floating Mosque
- Bab Makkah and the Al-Balad souqs
- Nassif House and its roshan balconies
- Red Sea diving on the offshore reef wall
- Seafood at the Jeddah fish market
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on the Corniche Circuit (approx. December)
- Fakieh Aquarium
- Jeddah Season and the corniche festivals (approx. June - July)
- Tayebat International City museum
- Red Sea Mall and the Tahlia Street shops
- Obhur Creek beach resorts and its water sports
- Al-Shallal Theme Park
- Corniche open-air sculpture collection
Getting there
- Airports:
- JED
- Train stations:
- Jeddah Sulaymaniyah (Haramain High Speed Railway), King Abdulaziz International Airport (Haramain High Speed Railway)
- Seaport:
- Reachable by ship or ferry