Medina
Saudi Arabia · Al-Madinah · 620 m
Description
Medina is the second holiest city in Islam and the second most visited place in Saudi Arabia, receiving most of the millions who come for Umrah and nearly all Hajj pilgrims either before or after Mecca. The Prophet's Mosque stands over the tomb of Muhammad at the centre of an enormous marble plaza with retractable umbrellas, and around it lie the first mosque of Islam at Quba, the battlefield of Uhud and the Baqi cemetery. The Haram area at the centre is open to Muslims only, while the rest of the city is not restricted. The volcanic plain outside the city gives Medina its dates, the most prized in the Arab world.
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-Masjid an-Nabawi, the Prophet's Mosque
- The Rawdah and the green dome
- Quba Mosque, the first mosque of Islam
- Mount Uhud and the martyrs' cemetery
- Jannat al-Baqi cemetery
- Masjid al-Qiblatain, the mosque of the two qiblas
- Ajwa dates and the date markets
- The Seven Mosques at the trench of Khandaq
- Dar Al Madinah Museum
- Hejaz Railway Museum in the old station
- Ramadan nights and the iftar carpets on the plaza (annually in Ramadan)
- Wadi Al-Jinn and its downhill illusion(Day trip)
- Al Rashid Mega Mall and the shopping around the Haram
- Khaybar and its basalt oasis fortresses(Day trip)
Getting there
- Airports:
- MED
- Train stations:
- Madinah (Haramain High Speed Railway)