Interesting places to visit in Saudi Arabia for first-time visitors

Saudi Arabia is rich in nature and culture. This is not a lofty statement, rather it is born out by the countries many historical and natural marvels. From the ancient capital city of Riyadh, to the remarkable carved Nabataean tombs of Hegra and the suspended villages of Asir. You will discover ancient civilisations largely untouched by tourism and an unexpected, dazzling Red Sea art and foodie scene. Whether you're looking to hike in mountainous regions rich in archaic pictographs, or swim in turquoise seas, we're spotlighting six regions in Saudi Arabia we think you’ll love exploring. 

In Riyadh modern skyscrapers tower over century-old forts, souks, and beautiful tree-lined parks. The city is home to modernist architectural sites like The National Museum and culturally symbolic marvels like Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kingdom Centre Tower is a landmark tower, soaring over 300-metres high. This modern architectural masterpiece comprises two symmetrical wings connected by a sky bridge. Experience dizzying heights from the 99th floor as you walk across the illuminated 65-metre Sky Bridge.  

Riyadh's National Museum contains two floors of exhibition space featuring Arabian history, culture and art. Rock carvings, interactive virtual reality displays, and a full-scale reproduction of a Nabataean tomb from Madain Saleh make for interesting viewing. 

There are plenty of shopping opportunities in Riyadh ranging from Souq Al Zal in the Al-Dirah neighborhood; for a taste of  traditional Saudi market life, to massive shopping malls. At Souq Al Zal you can browse for antiques, old LP record players, abayas, and shawls, coins, rugs, and musical instruments. Inhale the aromas of incense and oud and shop for dried fruits, spices, fruit and vegetables.  

The 99-storey Kingdom Centre that towers above the city is where you will find local and international premium brands. Al Nakheel Mall is the largest shopping destination in the city and features an extraordinary array of shopping, dining and entertainment venues catering to families, lovers of fashion and foodies.

For an incredible cultural experience visit Diriyah, a 35 minute drive from the city centre, to explore the ancient walkways and restored royal palace and mosque. Recognised as the the birthplace of Saudi Arabia, Diriyah dates back to the 15th century and was once the ancestral seat of the Al Saud dynasty. This heritage listed site features At-Turaif - a traditional Najdi mudbrick building, galleries, a museum and Bujairi Terrace, where you will find a series of restaurants featuring local dishes. 
 

Located about two hours drive, north east of Riyadh, is The Edge of the World - the towering ancient cliffs of Jebel Fihrayn. From the dramatic sandstone plateau of these 300-metre high cliffs that rise sharply from the desert bed you can see dried up wadi’s and ancient caravan routes. It feels as if you are indeed, standing at the very edge of the world. Follow in the footsteps of the early traders as you hike the regions footpaths and trails. Book a guided tour with either Amazing Tours or Horizons Tours , as both of these tour operators cater to all levels of fitness and offer hiking experiences ranging from intermediate to challenging. You can also tour the desert in a 4x4 and enjoy traditional Middle Eastern dishes at Najd Village. 

Riyadh Season takes place from October to March each year and includes pop-up restaurants helmed by celebrity chefs, international concerts, fashion shows, art installations and cultural events which are staged at Diriyah. The Riyadh Shopping Festival is held every year from July to August and is a month-long sale bonanza! A great opportunity to shop for your favourite clothing brands, electronics, jewellery, and many other luxury goods at massively discounted prices.

The 30 km Corniche in northern Jeddah is set on the Red Sea and is filled with swimming bays, children's parks, outdoor gyms, piers, and sidewalk cafes. It’s the heart of the city where local families picnic and enjoy walks along the boardwalk at sunset. Food trucks line the Ash Shati public beach area and offer delicious snacks, shawarmas and samosas. The King Fahd Fountain on the Corniche, shoots water up to over 260 metres into the sky, breaking records as the tallest fountain in the world. The best time to view the fountain is at night when it is lit with hundreds of lights. 

Tradition and modernity blend seamlessly in Jeddah. Al Balad, Jeddah’s 7th century Old Town has undergone a transformation since its Heritage-listing in 2014. Nasseef House, once a King’s residence, now a museum and cultural centre hosts exhibitions and Mangour wood crafting workshops. This ancient Hajizi craft uses thin strips of wood to make traditional window lattices. 

Jeddah is home to a host of contemporary and local art galleries and the visionary Jeddah Sculptures Museum. The museum stretches over 7 square kilometres of art space on the Cornish and features twenty outdoor sculptures created by local artists. The city is also the host of the Islamic Arts Biennale, a large-scale Islamic arts and culture exhibition. The next Islamic Arts Biennale takes place from January to May 2025. It is curated by an international team including artistic directors, Julian Raby (Director of the Freer/Sackler, the Smithsonian’s Museums of Asian Art),  Dr. Amin Jaffer (Senior Curator of The Al Thani Collection), and Abdulrahman Azzam (acclaimed author and historian), with Saudi artist Muhannad Shono as contemporary art curator.

To get a better understanding of Jeddah's blended history and modern way of life, visit the cities art galleries and discover emerging and established regional artists. You can also find a variety of workshops to take part in. ATHR Gallery, located on the fifth floor of the Serafi Mega Mall in Al Faisaliyyah, is a hub for contemporary Middle Eastern artists. Art expressions include conceptual, visual and performance art and the exhibition programme hosts international residencies, group exhibitions and special commissions. 
 
The Saudi Center for Fine Arts situated in the Al Hamra district, is a community centre offering art classes for adults and children in watercolour painting, fashion design and chiaroscuro drawing. You can also participate in ceramic, fabric painting, copper, and glass workshops. Dar Safeya Binzagr is a private gallery in the Harat Al-Sham neighbourhood focused solely on Safeya Binzagr’s collection of symbolic folklore art. Safeya opened the gallery in 1995 and was one of the first female Saudi artists to exhibit her art. Her ‘Al Zaboon’ (1969) artwork - also known as the ‘Mona Lisa of Hijaz’ is her most well-known painting.

Hayy Jameel, located in in the Al Muhammadiyah District, supports local artists and hosts numerous contemporary art, architectural and photographic exhibitions. The gallery is part of the Art Jameel collaborative, founded and supported by the Jameel family. This independent organisation has galleries in both Jeddah and Dubai and programmes include exhibitions, commissions, research, and community-building. Globally, the organisation collaborates with the Delfina Foundation, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Adham Arts Center situated in the Salma Commercial Centre shows both young and professional Saudi artists. Aside from their exhibitions, the centre offers a shop, library, and recycling workshops.

Jeddah has a buzzing café culture, and the city features a host of outdoor coffee shops from the old town of Al Balad to fashionable cafes in Al Andalus, Ar Rawdah, and Al Nahdah.

Local’s Café is a lively Al Andalus neighbourhood coffee shop. Enjoy delicious barista made coffee with scones and jam on the outside terrace.

Gathering is a popular community coffee shop in Ar Rawdah that also hosts regular workshops and exhibitions. Enjoy espressos and a game of chess on the terrace, or participate in one of the art workshops. Layali Tarikhiya Café also known as the Historical Nights Café is located in the old town of Al Balad. Here you can sip your coffee on the roof terrace, people-watch and enjoy a variety of sandwiches and desserts.

Bait Ziryab Café also in Al Balad, features traditional Hejazi architecture and is jam-packed with historical artefacts. Enjoy Saudi coffee brews and exotic blends alongside regular art events, poetry readings and musical performances. Jeddah’s first espresso bar, Kiaora in Al Nahdah serves authentic local and international coffee blends. It has both a bright indoor and outdoor sitting area where you can enjoy mocktails, pastries and sandwiches.

Enjoy intensely flavoured and affordable dishes in canteens and restaurants in the Old Town. National dishes which are often served with yogurt and dates include matazeez, a traditional local dish consisting of flat dumplings cooked in a rich lamb stew. Kabsa is a spiced rice dish served with either chicken or meat. Madfoon or Mandi, a desert rice and meat dish, is prepared the traditional way - covered by sand in a fire pit. Ful medames is a breakfast dish made with fava beans. Jarish, made from ground wheat, is served with chicken, onions, and rice. Maamoul is a pastry made with dates, pistachios, and figs. 

Falafel wraps, shawarmas, and samosas filled with potatoes can be found at small cafes, kiosks, canteens, and food trucks located around the city. 

Eat Kitchen Jeddah’s  food truck serves delicious local treats. Palm Beach KSA has several outlets located around the city and dishes up delicious cheap, spit-roasted chicken shawarmas. Served with garlic mayonnaise, tahini, chili sauce, pickles, and fries. Central Fish Market offers well priced, seafood meals. You can choose your own selection of fresh seafood from the iced stalls lining Al Kurnaysh Road. Which is then grilled or fried by the onsite kitchen and eaten on the spot. Delicious!

The historic Jeddah Summer Festival is an annual cultural celebration held in the Old Town of Al Balad. The festival traditionally coincides with Eid ul-Fitr, the last day of Ramadan. For local families this is a time of feasting, exchanging gifts, and giving to charity. Jeddah goes all out with a big city wide celebration with music and dancing, crafts and games for children and an abundance of food for all. Eid al-Fitr is a weekend long event, and all visitors are welcome.

Every year in June and July, Jeddah Season takes place. There are over eighty official events that take place all over the city including international concerts, bicycle parades, diving experiences,  waterfront fireworks displays, car parades, and street music and dance shows. Outside of the entertainment, you are likely to find plenty of delicious food to eat. The annual Red Sea International Film Festival takes place in December. The festival recognises Arab talent from the region and beyond with a glamorous awards night. You can enjoy an exciting lineup of masterclasses, film screenings, and theatrical performances.

Explore the ancient region of Al-Ula, which was forged by canyons, rock formations and centuries-old remnants of historic civilizations. Visit the ancient Nabatean tombs carved into the red sandstone cliffs at the heritage listed Hegra, also known as Madain Salih. 

Abandoned two millennia ago and buried in the sands of the desert, Madain Salih was only rediscovered recently through archaeological studies. Once an important city of the Nabateans, Hegra is second only to Petra in Jordan.

Excavations are still underway, and archaeologists are painstakingly uncovering many burial mounds, sandstone tombs and rock inscriptions dotted throughout the Nabataean city of Hegra. Originally a nomadic Arab tribe, the Nabataean’s controlled trade routes along the Incense Route.  A few notable tombs include Qasr Al Saneh, which was built around AD 50. It has a relatively plain façade with two five-step motifs. Al Khuraymat features twenty tombs carved into the rock face. The pedestal bases feature spirit guardians with female heads and lion bodies and celestial wings. 

Large tomb clusters like Jabal Al-Banat, were created especially for women. Jabal Ahmar is a two thousand year old tomb of a local woman, named Hinat. Over the entrance to the tomb was an inscription which identified Hinat. Alongside her remains, textiles and leather were excavated, giving archaeologists greater insight into the Nabataean way of life. The eastern façade of Qasr Al Bint (Palace of the Daughter) is made up of a row of facades and two well-preserved tombs.

The western rock face features an abandoned tomb. If it had been completed it would have been the largest in Madain Saleh – only the step facade was carved out the rock face. Qasr Farid is carved from a free-standing rock pillar and is particularly striking at sunset when light and shadows fall over its façade. Nabataean religious rituals took place inside a rock-cut chamber known as Al Diwan, which was carved into Jabal Ithlib, a natural mountain outcrop to the east of Madain Saleh. You can climb along the southeastern slopes of Al Diwan to a natural amphitheatre.

You can explore the ancient tombs and admire stunning rock formations like the 52-metre high Elephant Rock on a guided tour of Hegra and discover historical inscriptions and pictographs along the track. A great way to see Hegra is at sunrise from a Hot Air Balloon or adventurers can abseil down hegra's steep rock faces and soar over the canyons and mountainscapes on a zipline. If you're looking for a calmer activity, enjoy the lush Al-Ula Oasis on a Heritage Oasis Trail that winds its way through date palms and orchards. You can buy oranges and other fruits along the way from the local farmers. Before leaving Al-Ula, go on safari at the Sharaan Nature Reserve where you may see Arabian oryx, sand gazelles, leopards, wolves and Nubian ibex.  

Saudi’s Eastern Province stretches 7-kilometres along the Persian Gulf, with white sand beaches, turquoise waters, and tropical palms. Half Moon Bay in Al Khobar offers clear water with high visibility and shallow coves, excellent for learning to scuba dive. Al Marjan Island in Dammam, the first artificial island in Saudi, offers a variety of restaurants and cafes, children’s playgrounds and treelined parks.

Access to the island is via a private boat, ferry or you can walk across the bridge that connects Al Marjan to the Dammam Corniche. The Corniche offers numerous playgrounds, food kiosks, volleyball courts, bike and beach buggy rentals and scuba diving operators. You will also find SciTech on the Cornish which includes seven halls of interactive science and technology exhibits and an IMAX Dome. 
 

The Dammam Traditional Market located on Al Qazaz Street is an ancient market in Saudi Arabia where you can buy traditional abayas, accessories, and footwear. Enjoy the lively market atmosphere and the food stalls selling spicy rice and fish dishes. The Dammam Love Market (Share Al Hob Souq) on 11th Street is famous for its bridal jewellery, especially its gold jewellery. Here you will find both bargains and expensive designs so be prepared to barter as it’s all part of the experience. Beyond the gold stores, explore the alleyways leading away from 11th Street. These streets are imbued with the scent of spices, perfumes, and incense and handcrafted carpets, ceramics, and beautiful fabrics are for sale. When you’ve finished shopping, soak up the nighttime atmosphere - watch the street performers and folk musicians and enjoy local snacks like falafels, shawarmas and luqaimat. The market hosts special events during the Holy Month of Ramadan and it’s a popular spot for Iftar sunset feasts where locals gather to shop, celebrate, and break their fasts. 

The Sharqiyah Season Festival is held in Dammam and Al Khobar for two weeks in spring every year and features concerts with local and international musicians, sports events, and a car rally from Al-Ahsa to Dammam.

Head south for the green Sarawat Mountains of the Asir region - a surprising wellspring of verdant green valleys and towering peaks with a cool, refreshing climate. This is the only area in Saudi Arabia where you will see forests. The Asir National Park shadowed by the Sarawat Mountains stretches over 4,500 square kilometres. Popular activites in the park include hiking and birdwatching and walking trails that take you through juniper forests and high altitude plateaus. 

Abha in the southern region of Asir is where you will find the hanging house of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri. These unique mud brick houses are suspended from the cliffside and feature colourful geometric motifs and symbols which adorn the stairs and entrances of each of the houses. Abha is a good place to pick up locally made dyes, traditional Sadu woven textiles, beadwork, carved woodwork and hand-carved geometric motifs made by local women’s collectives. 

Forty five kilometres outside of Abha is Rjal Almaa Heritage Village, which dates back to the 8th century. Wander through the traditional stone houses and explore the handicraft market of this former fort village. Visit Al-Ous Castle and the museum which incorporates traditional artefacts that tell the story of the village. 

Ocean-lovers and scuba divers can dive into crystal clear waters to explore beautiful scuba diving spots along Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coastline. The coast offers excellent visibility which extends 30 metres or more and you will find numerous dive sites in Yanbu Seven Sisters, which becomes a hammerhead shark habitat in spring. Umluj is more remote and underdeveloped and is a divers paradise of turquoise waters, abundant coral reefs and a multitude of fish, turtles, and dugongs. 

Yanbu Seven Sisters offers a beautiful cluster of reef islands with colourful coral rings and Red Sea fish. You can dive year-round with Dream Diver and diving trips include spotting barracuda, red snapper, squirrel fish, tiger shark, yellow fin tuna and reef sharks. Here is where you will experience the beauty and richness of the Red Sea reefs.

The best way to reach Yanbu is by flying from Riyadh - its approximately a two hour trip. Umluj is a small fishing village north of Yanbu, about a two-hour drive away. It is situated around a beautiful bay fringed by a pristine white powdery beach and crystal clear turquoise water. The beach offers a few diving spots which you can enter straight from the beach.

The Umluj archipelago is surrounded by over a hundred small virgin islands. Speed boats line the port in Umluj, and you can hire a boat to take you to one of these islands. We recommend visiting Libana Islet, Um Sahar and Jabal Hassa where you'll find deep waters and great diving opportunities. Bring along your own gear, as you won't find any to hire on the islands.

Over a thousand different species of fish and two hundred and sixty five types of coral can be found in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea region. Sharks, crustaceans, dolphins, turtles, rays, and hundreds of different fish can be seen thriving in this natural habitat. Coral reefs support an array of fish, crustaceans, and molluscs. Coral is sensitive to bleaching, adverse environmental effects and damage caused by larger fish species. A Red Sea phenomena is that the regions coral reefs are able to tolerate higher temperatures than their Atlantic and Pacific counterparts. This positive attribute protects coral reefs from bleaching which ensures the longevity of the reefs and long-term habitats of fish. 

Protecting coral reefs, seagrasses and mangroves ensures the preservation of biodiversity while supporting sustainable tourism and fisheries. Saudi Arabia’s ongoing sustainable tourism strategy is to safeguard marine ecosystems. Conservation efforts include planting mangrove nurseries to mitigate greenhouse gases. Coral reef restoration which involves propagating hard corals which in turn helps to ensure reef durability and biodiversity. The protection of critically endangered halavi guitarfish in Al Wajh lagoon, and endangered hawksbill and green turtle breeding and nesting sites. Other coastal initiatives include monitoring the health of marine habitats, implementing regular beach clean-ups, and protecting coastlines from erosion.

For travellers looking for local experiences and authentic culture, Mercure Hotels in Riyadh and Mecca offer comfortable bases from which to explore the many holy, cultural and historical sites. 

Mercure Makkah Aziziah offers comfortable rooms with easy access to Al Masjid al Haram. Located in a quiet, secluded area, the hotel offers an inclusive experience with a host of leisure and business facilities. Enjoy convenient, round trip shuttle busses to nearby Holy sites, operating around the clock. 

Mercure Riyadh Al Anoud is located in Al Murabba, a residential, governmental, and business district in Riyadh. This historic neighbourhood is known for the Murabba Historical Palace Complex which houses the National Museum. The state-of-the-art museum is a trove of Arabian history, culture, and art.