Saudi Arabia Sightseeing

Saudi Arabia’s major cities all hold their own unique surprises and each is a place of interest in its own right with its own attractions and sights. The capital city, Riyadh, is perhaps the most interesting with several landmarks that might be considered essential viewing as well as a good tourist infrastructure offering restaurants and entertainment spots.

Dammam Area
Dammam is the capital city of Saudi Arabia’s eastern province and together with Al Khobar and Dhahran, it makes up the Dammam Area. Al Khobar is renowned for its status as a busy economic hub, Dhahran for housing Saudi Aramco, the largest oil company in the world and Dammam for a number of interesting leisure and cultural areas. In Dammam you’ll find the Corniche, an area popular for its beach and open air artworks as well as the Dammam National Museum.

Masmak Fortress
Located in Al-Bathaa, the old quarter of Riyadh, the Masmak Fortress is a 19th century structure created from mud and dedicated to Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud, the man responsible for unifying the kingdom. The fortress is home to various collections of traditional Arabic crafts and clothing as well as a classically laid out open courtyard complete with a water well that still works.

Mecca
Mecca is a city located in the Makkah province and considered the capital of the region. It is also commonly deemed the world’s most holy and significant Islamic site. Islam dictates that all Muslims who are of able body and have financial means should make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca during their lifetime. Only Muslim visitors are permitted entry to the city.

Jeddah
Jeddah is the most significant city in the west of the country and the second biggest in the entire country after the capital. Jeddah’s greatest appeal to visitors is as a shopping destination on account of over having over 90 shopping centres where you can find pretty much everything that’s available in Western stores and often a good deal cheaper. Check out favourites such as Sawari Landmark Mall, Sultan Mall, Serafi Mega Mall, Roshan Mall, Mahmoud Saieed Center and Heraa Plaza.

Qatif
Qatif is situated in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia and is an historical town that is home to the country’s biggest Shi’a Muslim population. Of interest in the city and the large number of villages it encompasses are its traditional markets such as the Suq Alkhamees and Suq Waqif. As the city is famous for both dates and fish, you’ll find plenty of stalls on the markets selling both of these goods. It’s also worth noting that Qatif is home to the largest fish market in the country and the entire gulf region; a fact that will either draw you to visiting it or decide that you firmly stay away!

Riyadh
Riyadh is the country’s capital city and is situated in the Ar Riyad Province in the Najd region. The city is home to a variety of worthy sights and places of interest including the Masmak Fortress, the King Fahd Cultural Center, the Tuwaiq Palace and the King Fahad Stadium. You’ll also find ‘Chop Chop Square’ where public executions by beheading are conducted. For most people, the thought of attending such an event fills them with disgust, so many come during other times to satisfy a morbid sense of curiosity.

Go scuba diving in the Red Sea
The famous Red Sea, which can be accessed from the coast of the city of Jeddah, is a haven for scuba divers and offers some of the clearest waters and most beautiful marine life of any sea throughout the world. You can either book a trip through your hotel or with a local tour operator and take the opportunity to witness what are undoubtedly some of the finest ocean sights in the world.

Visit the Heritage Village
Located near Dammam Corniche, the Heritage Village is a castle-like building offering displays of ancient Islamic artefacts. A restaurant in the building is split into different rooms, each representing a different region of the country and containing appropriate décor. Visitors can choose in which room they prefer to dine and get a feeling for the character of the region with which that room is associated.

Make the pilgrimage to Mecca
If you are Muslim then a trip to Saudi Arabia would not be complete without a pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca. Once there, places of interest include the Kaabah Enclosure, the Mountain of Light, the Plain of Arafat and the House of Abdullah Bin Abdul Muttalib.

Watch the King’s Camel Race
If you visit the country during April or May, you should head for the capital to catch the famous annual King's Camel Race. This is considered to be among the most significant events of this nature and attracts somewhere upwards of 20,000 spectators. Over 2000 camels and riders participate in a race that covers a 14 mile circuit.

Shop till you drop
Head for the city of Jeddah where over 90 shopping centres are on hand, each offering its own vast selection of famous retail outlets with goods available for purchase free of sales tax. With every shopping centre offering a luxury environment as well as a variety of eateries offering both Arabic and Western cuisine, you can easily spend a day or two engaged in retail therapy.

Sample some of the country’s traditional cuisine
Befriend a taxi driver and you may well get invited to his house to dine with his family on food that will have you salivating wildly before you’ve even sat down. Alternatively, take the time to seek out a good restaurant and try their more refined offerings which while not quite as traditional, will still give you a good idea of what Middle Eastern food is all about.

Go quad biking in the desert
Head for Riyadh’s desert area where you can hire a Quad bike and enjoy the thrill of racing across the sandy dunes without fear of hitting anything (except other riders) or hurting yourself from a fall. Early morning is the best time to go, before the blistering desert heat kicks in.

View a traditional Ardha
Ardha is the country’s national dance and is one of its most traditional folk rituals. Male dancers yielding swords, dance shoulder to shoulder while drummers beat out a rhythm and a poet chants verses in Arabic. The dance is considered an integral part of Saudi Arabian culture and is a must for anyone genuinely interested in the country’s history and development.