Jeddah is the Red Sea port, and its old quarter Al-Balad is a World Heritage Site listed in 2014.
The city has been the sea gateway to Makkah since the 7th century, and the pilgrim and Indian Ocean trade paid for Al-Balad: tower houses of coral stone, faced in the carved wooden bay windows called roshan. A good part of the quarter is propped and under restoration, so it is a working site rather than a finished one.
Away from the old town, Jeddah is the most relaxed of the big Saudi cities and the usual base for Red Sea diving on this stretch of coast.
Getting there and when to go
Jeddah has the country's second international airport and is the standard arrival point for the west coast and for AlUla.
What is here
What the tourism authority says
Enjoy a new area full of surprises called “The Art Promenade”. A quiet residential area by the sea within Jeddah’s waterfront which extends to the marina.
Key facts
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Year inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List | 2014 |
| Measurement stated by the source | 30 kilometers |