Historic Jeddah (Al-Balad)
The UNESCO-listed old quarter of Jeddah, a free-to-walk maze of coral-stone houses, carved wooden balconies, souqs and cafés that is the city’s heart and its best single afternoon.
2 to 4 hoursDetails →
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah
Jeddah is Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea gateway, a port city where a UNESCO-listed old quarter of coral-stone houses and carved wooden balconies sits a short drive from a long seafront promenade.
Al-Balad, inscribed as Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah, is free to wander, with Nasseef House, the souqs and a new teamLab art museum inside it. Along the Corniche, King Fahd’s Fountain throws a jet of seawater 312 metres high, Al-Rahma Mosque stands on stilts over the water, and Fakieh Aquarium shows the Red Sea’s marine life. Out on the water, boat trips reach Bayada reef for swimming and snorkelling, while the Tayebat museum covers 2,500 years of regional history. A day trip climbs to the cooler hills of Taif. The mild season runs from roughly November to March. This guide shows which sights to book, which are free to visit, and where to stay, from a waterfront luxury hotel to a budget room in the old quarter.
Don't miss
Red Sea Snorkelling and Boat Trip to Bayada
A half-day boat trip from Jeddah to the Bayada reef for swimming and snorkelling in the clear Red Sea, with equipment and a guide on board.
teamLab Borderless Jeddah
A large digital art museum in Culture Square, in the heart of Al-Balad, where more than 80 interactive artworks flow from room to room without borders.
Al-Balad Guided Walking Tour with a Local Guide
A three-hour walk through Jeddah’s UNESCO old town with a local guide, who explains the coral-stone houses, the carved balconies and the pilgrim-port history behind them.
King Fahd’s Fountain
A jet of seawater that rises 312 metres from the Red Sea, listed as the tallest fountain in the world and lit by hundreds of LED lights after dark, free to watch from the waterfront.
Things to do in Jeddah
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
Al-Balad Guided Walking Tour with a Local Guide
A three-hour walk through Jeddah’s UNESCO old town with a local guide, who explains the coral-stone houses, the carved balconies and the pilgrim-port history behind them.
Nasseef House
A grand merchant house in Al-Balad, finished in the 1880s and later used by King Abdulaziz, known as the House with the Tree for the neem that grows beside it.
FreeKing Fahd’s Fountain
A jet of seawater that rises 312 metres from the Red Sea, listed as the tallest fountain in the world and lit by hundreds of LED lights after dark, free to watch from the waterfront.
30 to 60 minutesDetails →
Jeddah Corniche and Al-Rahma (Floating) Mosque
Jeddah’s seafront promenade, with parks, public art and Red Sea views, and Al-Rahma Mosque, the white mosque on stilts that appears to float on the water.
1 to 2 hoursDetails →
Red Sea Snorkelling and Boat Trip to Bayada
A half-day boat trip from Jeddah to the Bayada reef for swimming and snorkelling in the clear Red Sea, with equipment and a guide on board.
teamLab Borderless Jeddah
A large digital art museum in Culture Square, in the heart of Al-Balad, where more than 80 interactive artworks flow from room to room without borders.
Fakieh Aquarium
Saudi Arabia’s first public aquarium, on the Jeddah Corniche, with more than 200 marine species, a shark tank, a penguin encounter and a touch pool.
Tayebat City Museum for International Civilization
A large museum in a Hijazi-style palace building, with 2,500 years of manuscripts, coins, costumes and recreated rooms, visited here as part of a full-day heritage tour with an old-town walk.
Taif Day Trip from Jeddah
A full-day excursion into the cooler Sarawat hills to Taif, with Shubra Palace, the Al Hada and Al Shafa mountains, the old souq and a famous rose heritage.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Park Hyatt Jeddah - Marina, Club and Spa
Al-Hamra, Southern Corniche
A beachfront luxury hotel on the southern Corniche, with sea-view rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, a full spa, tennis courts and three restaurants.
Check rates →
$$$Jeddah Hilton
Ash Shati, North Corniche
A large waterfront hotel on the North Corniche with 388 rooms, a private beach club on the Red Sea, a spa, three restaurants and a short walk to the promenade.
Check rates →Crowne Plaza Jeddah Al Salam
Al Mohammadiyyah
A comfortable mid-range business hotel on Prince Sultan Street, close to the airport, with a pool, spa, 24-hour gym and a connected shopping centre.
Check rates →Holiday Inn Jeddah Gateway
Al Nuzha
A four-star hotel on Madinah Road with a rooftop terrace, spa and garden, a short walk from Mall of Arabia and about fifteen minutes from the airport.
Check rates →Lahdat Hotel Al Balad
Al-Balad
A budget hotel in the heart of Al-Balad, within a short walk of Nasseef House and Souq Al-Alawi, with free breakfast on the go and a 24-hour front desk.
Check rates →Jeddah guides
First-Timer’s Guide to Jeddah: What to Book, How Long to Stay and Where to Go
How to plan a first trip to Jeddah: what to book ahead, how to get around, how many days to allow and how Al-Balad, the Corniche and the Red Sea fit together.
Where to Stay in Jeddah: Corniche, Airport Side or the Old Quarter
Where to stay in Jeddah: the waterfront Corniche, the airport-side hotels and a budget base in Al-Balad, with the best hotel for each style of trip.
