When we talk about the Middle East, one name that quickly pops up in our head is Saudi Arabia. The Arab world is recognised by its name and politically it is renowned as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is the largest country in the Middle East and highly diverse in landscapes, including mountains and deserts, oil fields, and Thawb (Kameez). Speaking about the culturally and modernised cities of Saudi Arabia, all are distinguished for their uniqueness and are worth exploring.
All the cities of Saudi Arabia comprise amazing tourist places to visit. Some have mountainous desert and some have extravagant malls and skyscrapers in Riyadh to the mountainous region of Abha and industrial visits to Al Jubail and mosques of Medina.
Take a look at the top cities of Saudi Arabia and what special treasure they have hidden in their core.Â
Riyadh – Capital City of Saudi Arabia
Being the capital of the Arab nation, Riyadh offers its visitors a perfect mingle of modernised building and cultural monuments. Its traditional & historical beauty with the modern skyline fascinates travellers and thus making it a top city in this Arab nation. Legends say that this city has remodelled itself from a small tribal province to one of the tourism promoter & financial cities in Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh is known for its luxury and enjoyment of the finest things in life, and the Al Faisaliah Centre, a commercial skyscraper allows tourists to dine and lose themselves in leisurely ambience. Trekking desert, forts, museums, etc Riyadh provide diversity to tourists.
Top Attraction to Visit in Riyadh
Masmak Fort
Red Sand Dunes
Murabba Palace
Sky Bridge
Edge of the World
National museum park
King Abdullah Malaz Park
Riyadh Gallery
Jeddah – Popular For Museums & Historical Landmarks
Jeddah undoubtedly justifies its tagline Jeddah ghair which means Jeddah is different from others. This port city of Saudi Arabia is also famous as the cultural capital. This city is well known for its mixture of cultural and historical attractions and thus offer a beguiling atmosphere for travellers.
What makes it a different destination is its art galleries, amazing museums, historic souks, serene beaches and postcard-worthy blue coastlines. For the world, it is also known as the gateway of Makkah and the Bride of the Red Sea.
Top Attraction to Visit in Jeddah
Al Balad
Silver Sands
Oia Beach
Bab al Makkah or Makkah Gate
Al Rahma Mosque / Floating Mosque
Jeddah Corniche & City Sign
Sami Anggawi House
Al Shallal Theme Park
Mecca – The Holiest City of Islam
Mecca or Makkah is the most religious city in the world for Muslims and the Islamic community. This city of Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam. The annual Hajj pilgrimage to the city is one of the five pillars of the faith for them and they consider it an auspicious event.
The majority of tourists are Islamic pilgrims during Hajj gather in Mecca. They join the parade of people for the week of Hajj and perform rituals. The Kaaba, a cube adorned in black silk with gold writing in the centre, is the major highlight. In this ritual, each person travels around the Kaaba seven times counter-clockwise.
Top Attraction to Visit in Mecca
Masjid al-Haram
Abraj Al-Bait Towers
Mount Arafat
Jabal al-Nour
Kaaba
Masjid Taneem
Makkah Mall
Safa Marwah
Also Read: 7 Amazing Places to Travel in Sharjah
Dammam – Known for Oil Industry
Damman is well known as the capital of the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. This city is notable in the world for its huge oil industries. This made it one of the economic hubs for trade and commerce in the Arab world.
But apart from this, the city is dotted with dramatic seasides, ports, picturesque islands, city museum, historical villages & cultural centres and some amusement parks.
Top Attraction to Visit in Dammam
Dammam Corniche
King Abdulaziz Center
Al Marjan Island
Dolphine Village
Heritage Village
Tarut Castle
Dammam Museum
King Fahd Park
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Al Ula – Popular For Deserted Landscape
Al Ula is famous for its bizarre landscape, rock structures, and golden sand, making you feel like you are wandering on Mars😃. It is famous for Madain Saleh which is about 700km away from Petra, it is the first UNESCO Heritage site of Saudi Arabia. There are many historical sites & landscape in Al Ula city, but some are unexplored and buried. The majority of historic sites are currently closed for excavations and research.
Top Attraction to Visit in Al Ula
Hegra – Mada’in Saleh
Jabal Ikmah
Old Town of Al Ula
Elephant Rock
Daedan Kingdom
Sheikh Khaled Al Harbi Guest House
Tabuk – The Land of Historical Treasure
Tabuk is located in the northwestern region of Saudi Arabia. It is the provincial capital as several official departments are situated here. Its diverse scenery and mountainous areas offer unlimited exploration opportunities. Pristine beaches and scenic coastlines you can found in the coastal towns of Haql and Sharma.
If you have seen the movie the ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ then you can get an impression of Hejaz Railway, Tabuk there. But this city is known for its ancient rock art, epic prophetic sagas, an ancient oasis on the frankincense trade path, battle of Tabuk that is written in the golden pages of history and pilgrimage pathways.
Top Attraction to Visit in Tabuk
Wadi Disah
Haql
Sharma
Al Badae
Tabuk Castle
Maghaer Shuaib
At Tawba Mosque
Umluj – Famous as the Maldives of Saudi Arabia
Umluj is the most pristine destination of Saudi Arabia as travellers can explore the untouched natural beauty of the island. To the north of town, 104 island chains are dotted across a turquoise region of the Red Sea. This reason is under the Red Sea project of the Saudi government for tourism.
After watching the turquoise water and coral reefs of the island you will feel like you are in Mini Maldives. Umluj definitely worth your trip. Watch 1200 species of fishes and 400 types of corals and relax on white shorelines. Meet Dugong and Hawksbill Turtle, play with dolphins and spend cosy time on the Umluj Beach.
Medina – Home of Prophet Mohammed
Medina or Al Medina Al Munawwarah is one of the most spiritually and culturally significant cities for Muslims after Makkah. Many other names have been given to this city such as Taibah, Yathrib, the Messenger’s City and Dar Al-Hijra. This city is the hometown of Prophet Mohammed, who left Mecca in 622 A.D and resided in Medina for the rest of his life.
This year is so significant in Islamic history that it signifies the beginning of the Islamic calendar. This alone city houses numerous mosques, cultural and historical attractions.
Top Attraction to Visit in Medina
Al-Masjid an Nabawi
Masjid Quba
Uhud Mountain
Jannatul Baqi
Khaybar Fort
Rayyis Beach
Al Madina Museum
The Seven Mosque
Jazan – Known for Diverse Landscape
Jazan is the centre of 5,000 villages that are situated on the Red Sea coast. It is one of the best cities in Saudi Arabia to visit. The Farasan Islands, an archipelago with surrounding 100 islands, are a must-see due to the plenty of wildlife and colourful marine creatures.
Explore the various landscapes of Jazan, which include pristine beaches, turquoise oceans, lush rainforests and rocky rock formations. The historic palm-roofed fort that dominates the town to the merchant houses and dramatic stone buildings of Al Qassar Village fascinate travellers.
Top Attraction to Visit in Jazan
Fayfa Mountains
Jabal Aswad
Wadi Lajab
Farasan Island
Jizan Cultural Heritage
Al-Khoubah Hot Springs
Also Read:Â Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Egypt
Bottom Line
Planning a trip to Saudi Arabia will provide vacationers everything from mountains, desert heritage, epic canyons to white-sand atolls and reminiscent villages to the modern skyline. All the mentioned above attractions of cities you can place in your Saudi Arabian itinerary. So visit and let us know which city impressed you the most!
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Also Read:Â 8 Delicious Arab Foods You Need to Taste Once in Your Life Time
