Tips & Tricks
Jeddah (city) – this Saudi port city is located on the Red Sea, which acts as a modern commercial hub & gateway for pilgrimages to holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Resort hotels, beaches and outdoor sculptures line the Corniche (a seafront promenade anchored by the iconic King Fahd’s fountain). Jeddah’s al-Balad historic district dates […]
Mina – this place is located inside a low-lying valley in the province of Mecca (and is appx. 8 km. east of Mecca city). Mina is called the “City of Tents”, since it has over 100,000 air-conditioned tents to provide temporary shelter to 3 million pilgrims. Mina is located between Mount Arafat and Mecca’s […]
Medina (city) – this is a city in western Saudi Arabia. In the city center, the vast al-Masjid an-Nabawi (Prophet’s Mosque) is a major Islamic pilgrimage site. Its striking green dome rises above the tombs of the Prophet Mohamed, and early Islamic leaders Abu Bakr and Umar. The Masjid al-Qiblatain (Qiblatain Mosque) is known as […]
Mecca (City) – located in a desert valley in the western part of the country, Mecca is Islam’s holiest city. It’s also the birthplace of the Prophet Mohamed and the Islamic faith. Only Muslims are allowed there. Millions of Muslim worshippers arrive in Mecca for the annual Hajj (pilgrimage), a tradition that began in the […]
Mount Uhud – this is a mountain north of Medina, Saudi Arabia. With a height of 1,077 meters, it was the site of the second battle between Muslim and Meccan forces. The Battle of Uhud was fought on 19 March, 625 CE, between a force from the small Muslim community of Medina, in what is […]
Qusur al Muqbil (Old City, Riyadh) – this mud brick abandoned village, located on the outskirts of modern Riyadh, gives visitors a glimpse of how locals lived for centuries (well before the country’s oil boom). Free admission. Open 24 hours.