9 Amazing Things to Do in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Visiting Jeddah was one of the highlights of my trip to Saudi Arabia. I expected it to be more interesting than Riyadh, the capital, but I didn’t think I would enjoy the city that much. It was everything I like about a new place: beautiful architecture and interesting landmarks, vibrant atmosphere, great cafe scene, and friendly local people.

But it was also the place unlike any other I’ve ever been to, and I had a really good time there, enjoying all the best things to do in Jeddah. Even if this is the second-largest city in Saudi Arabia, it doesn’t feel overwhelming, and discovering Jeddah is a real treat.

Over ten years ago, I was flying to South Africa with a stopover in Jeddah. Back then, it was impossible for a woman to visit Saudi Arabia independently, but I remember looking out the window during takeoff and landing and dreaming of visiting Jeddah one day. Fortunately, the times have changed, and getting a Saudi visa is very easy. I was more than happy to finally visit Jeddah and find out whether my expectations of this city were correct.

If you’re considering visiting Jeddah, I’ve put together a guide to the best things to do. You need at least one day to see all the highlights there, but I recommend spending a bit more time in the city to enjoy it to the fullest. Read on and plan your perfect Jeddah trip.

Things to do in Jeddah

Explore the Old Town

The Old Town, also known as Al-Balad, is the reason why you want to visit Jeddah. It dates back to the 7th century, when it was established at a strategic location on the Red Sea coast as an important stop for pilgrims heading to Makkah. For years, until the 1940s (when the oil boom brought wealth to Jeddah), Al-Balad was the historical, political, and cultural center of the city, and today there are over 500 historical buildings here. In 2014, due to its immense importance and value, the Old Town in Jeddah was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wandering around Al-Balad is a pure pleasure. The place is packed with beautiful buildings (that are constantly being renovated to look even more stunning), and they are unlike any other place I’ve seen before. What makes the houses in Old Jeddah so unique are the wooden Roshan windows and the mashrabiya (a covered bay window decorated with beautiful latticework, typical of Islamic culture). It’s so easy to fall in love with this architecture; exploring Al-Balad feels like traveling back in time. 

Even if Al-Balad is a rather large area, it’s best to wander around without a map, only with a general sense of direction. You might be surprised by what kind of wonders you might find there (besides beautiful houses). When exploring Old Town in Jeddah, I stumbled across a local soccer field, an herbal lane (where you could learn about different types of herbs and spices), a random game with wooden blocks, and much more. 

There are also some historical sites you might visit: Bayt Nassif Museum (the local history museum), historical houses like Bayt Al-Matbouli Museum, where you can see how the life used to look like in the past, or Al Shafee Mosque (the oldest mosque in Jeddah, dating back to the 13th century, that is open to foreign visitors, too). Most of these places are free to visit, but even if you have to pay a small entrance fee, it’s worth it.

It’s worth visiting Old Jeddah both during the day and in the evening. During the day, the place is almost deserted, which makes exploring it much easier. You can wander around easily, take good pictures, look for details, and overall enjoy the beauty of the place.

Once the sun sets, Al-Balad transforms into a completely different world. This is the place to be in Jeddah, packed with locals and tourists who spend time outside, enjoying lower temperatures. The Old Town is bustling with a vibrant atmosphere; people are either sitting in numerous cafes and restaurants or wandering around, and everyone has a good time. 

You can also visit Jeddah Old Town with a guide. Here are the recommended tours:

• Private Jeddah Tour
• Historical & Heritage Tour in Jeddah Al Balad
• Historic District Tour in Jeddah By a Local Guide
• Half Day Jeddah Traditional City Tour
• Guided Tour in Jeddah by local woman

Find the city gates

Until the 1940s, the Old Town in Jeddah was surrounded by city walls. Only four of them remain to this day, and even if they are a bit underwhelming, it’s still worth finding them. They complete the Old Town nicely, and when you see the gates, you can easily imagine what the place used to look like in the past. The most impressive one is Bab Makkah, which used to lead towards Mekkah, so if you can see only one of the gates, this is it.

Here are the names of the gates and where to find them (click on each name to open the location in the map):

• Bab Makkah
• Bab Jadid
• Bab Alfurdhah
• Bab Sharif

See the Floating Mosque

Compared with Old Jeddah, the Floating Mosque is a relatively new attraction, but it’s still worth seeing. It was built in 1985, and what makes it unique is its location right on the water. When viewed from the right angle, the mosque feels like it’s floating on the Red Sea. It is especially beautiful around sunrise or sunset, when the place is bathed in soft, golden light, making it look unreal. 

The Floating Mosque is located at the end of Jeddah Promenade, a bit away from the Old Town. But despite the distance, it’s worth coming all the way here to see this unique site. 

Walk along the Corniche

Jeddah promenade – Corniche – is an over 30 km-long waterfront path that is perfect not only for a stroll but also for experiencing local social life. With the Red Sea on one side and the city on the other, you get a mix of two worlds, with the addition of numerous attractions along the way.

There are numerous art installations, cafes and restaurants, playgrounds, an open-air theater, and many more features to keep you entertained. You don’t need to see the whole promenade; even just a small part of it can give you a glimpse of the local life, with people strolling along or enjoying a picnic under palm trees. Just like Old Town, the Corniche is pretty empty during the daytime but comes to life in the evening. 

If you like motor sports, especially Formula 1, this is also where you will find one of the official F1 tracks – the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. It’s the second-longest Formula 1 track in the world, and it might be interesting even for those who are not sports fans.

Visit Al Tayebat Museum

If you would like to learn more about the history, culture, and heritage of the Arabian Peninsula, there is no better place than Al Taybat International City Museum of Science and Information. You will find numerous historical artifacts there, including manuscripts, artworks, weapons, and a treasury. There are also architectural features explained in detail, such as the wooden Roshan windows and mashrabiya, which you can see in Old Jeddah. This is a must-visit place for everyone who is interested in the background of Jeddah and the region.

See King Fahad’s Fountain

One of the top attractions in Jeddah and a kind of surprising landmark of the city is King Fahad’s Fountain. It was named after the leader who ruled the country between 1982 and 2005. What makes the fountain special is its size. At 260 meters, this is the tallest fountain in the world and is even listed in the Guinness World Records Book. 

King Fahad’s Fountain is located not far from the Old Town, but you can see it from numerous places all over the city. You don’t need to get close to it to admire its grandeur; it looks impressive even from afar.

Visit the cemetery with the Tomb of Eve

It is believed that Biblical Eve (the first woman on Earth) is buried in Jeddah, in the place that is now called “Mother Eve cemetery”, not far from the Old Town. The grave itself was destroyed in 1928 and sealed with concrete to keep the pilgrims away. You can still visit the cemetery, as it’s an old archaeological site, but it’s impossible to get close to Eve’s tomb.

Enjoy the cafe scene

The places where social life happens in Jeddah (and Saudi Arabia) are coffee shops and teahouses. There are many of them all over the place, so you can choose a random one to sit down and observe the world around and the interactions between people. The drinks you get there, either tea or coffee, are among the most delicious ones of that kind I’ve ever tried, which is a nice bonus of visiting the coffeehouses and teahouses.

Two of my favorite places in Jeddah Old Town, that I visited more than once, are this place (it doesn’t have the English name but you can click on the link to see where it is), and Minaa cafe (which has a bit higher prices but is one of the few places that were open in the morning and offered delicious drinks and food). 

Go for day trips

If you have a bit of extra time in your Saudi Arabia itinerary, you can use Jeddah as a base for a few days and go on day trips from there. You can see the wonders of nature like Moon Valley and Al Wahbah Crater, go on a desert safari, visit the holy city of Medina (although if you are a non-Muslim tourist, your options there might be limited), or simply enjoy the seaside and all the Red Sea water activities. 

Here are some of the day trips from Jeddah you can take:

• 4 Hours Charming Moon Valley Hike Experience in Jeddah
• Private Desert Safari with Quad Bike Tour in Jeddah
• Scuba Diving , Snorkeling , and Swimming in Jeddah

Visiting Jeddah – practical information

Female travelers in Saudi Arabia

Knowing how conservative Saudi Arabia is and having various experiences in other Middle East countries, I was a bit anxious about traveling there as a woman. I was there with a friend, which made things much easier, but we were still two females exploring the country independently. As it turned out, there was nothing to worry about.

We felt very safe everywhere; we didn’t have any issues with the male-dominated culture, and we had an absolutely best experience with hospitable local people. For some women, conservative clothing that covers the knees and elbows might be an issue, but I didn’t mind it at all. 

Visa to Saudi Arabia

You need a visa to enter Saudi Arabia. You can apply for it online before your trip or on arrival at the airport. I applied for mine online and received it back in literally 2 minutes (I’ve never gotten a visa that fast). I recommend obtaining your visa before the trip, as going through immigration at a Saudi airport will be quicker. You can do it on this official website.

How to get to Jeddah

Jeddah airport isn’t as popular as Riyadh’s, but there are still plenty of airlines from around the world that fly there, including the low-cost carrier, Wizz Air. Alternatively, you can fly to Riyadh and then take a domestic flight to Jeddah. There are many throughout the day, as it’s the most popular way to travel between the cities.

How to get from Jeddah airport to your hotel

Before my trip to Jeddah, I arranged airport transfers via WelcomePickups. There were no issues, the communication with the drivers was smooth, and we found each other easily. Even if the flight from Riyadh was delayed by over an hour, the driver was waiting at the airport. You can also try Uber, but I always find it confusing in a new place after landing, hence I choose the prearranged transfer. On the way back to the airport, I used Uber, though, and it was just fine.

You can book your airport transfer in Jeddah here.

Where to stay in Jeddah

Jeddah is a big city, but for travelers, the best areas to stay are either the Old Town, just outside it, or along the Corniche. These places are where social life happens, especially in the evenings, and you don’t want to miss that.

Here are some recommended places to stay in Jeddah

• Touq Al Balad Hotel (8.4/10)
• Holiday Inn Jeddah Corniche by IHG (8.6/10)
• Aluya Hotel (8.7/10)
• Vivid Jeddah Hotel, a member of Radisson Individuals (8.4/10)
• and many more!

How to get around Jeddah

The best option to get around the city is Uber. We used it all the time when traveling around Jeddah, and we never had to wait too long for the car. The prices are very fair too, considering the big distances in the city.

Internet in Saudi Arabia

For the trip to Saudi Arabia, I got internet data via an eSIM with Airalo. I always used it when traveling, and it worked well for me in Saudi Arabia as well. It was really necessary to have an online connection all the time, as we used it to order Uber, stay in touch with the drivers at the airport, and find good cafes and restaurants. You can get the eSim for your trip here.

Money in Saudi Arabia

In most places, it was possible to pay by card, and my Revolut card worked perfectly everywhere. We took some cash from the ATM on our first day, but we still mostly used cards.

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