Jeddah

Jeddah

As ancient as it is enriching, Saudi Arabia’s second largest city plays host to some of the Kingdom’s greatest historical tales. The city’s port dates back more than a thousand years and to this day, and remains the gateway for those on pilgrimage to Mecca, Islam’s holiest site.

And now the city also boasts astonishing feats of modernity. Already home to the highest fountain display in the world (King Fahad’s Fountains shoot water 260m into the air), Jeddah is soon to be home to the world’s tallest building, Kingdom Tower, that will stand more than 1km tall.

Ancient skyscrapers, crumbling coral houses and hundreds of artefacts hidden in the city’s many museums and galleries give visitors a unique insight into the history of the majestic Kingdom. The rise of the city’s art scene in recent years has seen it become recognised as the Kingdom’s cultural hub.

But it isn’t just a window into the past: Jeddah’s ever-growing waterfront area, the Corniche, as well as the enormous Mall of Arabia and its luxury boutiques, exude a stunning vibrancy.

Its location on the Red Sea makes it ideal for scuba enthusiasts, with coastlines rivalling the sea’s most popular spots. However, Jeddah offers divers the freedom of the ocean with significantly fewer tourists.

Jeddah’s cosmopolitan population has heavily influenced its palate, too, with a number of the country’s largest malls and commercial areas filled with culinary gems. Weather-wise, Jeddah is bathed in sunshine almost all of the year.