Travelling to Jeddah?
Jeddah was for centuries the gateway to Mecca: the port where pilgrims arriving by sea came ashore, and that made it the most mixed and most open city in Arabia. From that comes its old quarter, Al-Balad, with houses built of Red Sea coral blocks and carved wooden lattices across their fronts, and from that comes the fact that the food here is unlike the rest of the country.
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What to see in Jeddah
8 ROUTESOur routes, not a list of everything. Places that have been there for centuries: no opening times or prices, which go stale.
- 01
Jeddah in a day
8 hAn old town built from coral, the world’s tallest fountain, and sculptures by Miró and Henry Moore along a seafront.Al-Balad · The Corniche sculpture museum · King Fahd’s Fountain · The floating mosqueRead the full guide - 02
A weekend in Jeddah
20 hA day on land and a day inside the Red Sea, which is the real reason to stop here.Day one: Al-Balad after dark · Day two: the Red Sea reef · Afterwards: coffee and shisha by the seaRead the full guide - 03
What to see in Jeddah
7 hA World Heritage quarter, modern art scattered through the streets, and the world’s most ambitious skyscraper half-built.Nassif House · Street-level art: Miró, Moore, Calder · The Corniche and the unfinished towerRead the full guide - 04
Where to eat in Jeddah
4 hHejazi food, of the port rather than the desert: lamb with rice, stuffed bread, and heavy Yemeni influence.Mutabbaq · Mandi, kabsa and the shared platter · Foul, tamees and breakfastRead the full guide - 05
Where to stay in Jeddah
2 hThe city is very long and runs parallel to the coast, so sleeping in the wrong place is paid for in hours of driving.Al-Balad and around · The northern Corniche · Al-Hamra and the central areaRead the full guide - 06
Day trips from Jeddah
10 hA mountain village perched at two thousand metres, an economic city built from nothing, and reef the moment you leave town.Taif · King Abdullah Economic City · The northern reefsRead the full guide - 07
From Jeddah airport to the city
1 hThere is a high-speed train inside the airport, and there is no metro whatever you may have read.The Haramain: high speed from the terminal · Bus and ride-hailing · Pilgrimage seasonRead the full guide - 08
Jeddah: practical tips
1 hA country newly opened to tourism, with rules that have changed fast and a heat that organises your day.Heat, calendar and the weekend · Clothes, customs and what has changed · Money, alcohol and connectivityRead the full guide
Airport to city centre
3 OPTIONSThe real options, with what actually decides it: which terminal it leaves from and where it drops you. Fares and timetables live with the operator, who keeps them current.
- TrainHaramainT1 → Yeda Al-Sulaymaniyah (ciudad), La Meca, Medina y King Abdullah Economic CityThe station sits inside the airport complex, linked to Terminal 1. It’s genuine high speed: Mecca in under half an hour. Note: Mecca and Medina admit Muslim visitors only.·Fares and timesHaramain High Speed Railway
- BusCentro de Yeda y Al-BaladThe city network is recent and doesn’t cover the whole city. It runs from early morning to late evening, not around the clock. By far the cheapest option.·Fares and timesSAPTCO / Jeddah Transport Company
- TaxiCentro de YedaThe airport is about 19 km north of the centre. Ride-hailing apps work nationwide and usually beat the taxi rank outside.·Fares and timesTaxi y VTC
VIP lounges in Jeddah
4Before you fly, or on the layover. Pay per visit, whatever airline.