Country book · Middle East & Africa

Saudi Arabia

Ancient sands, opening doors

Saudi Arabia holds Islam's two holiest cities alongside Nabataean tombs, Red Sea reefs and a young population rapidly reshaping public life. Tourism only opened to leisure visitors in 2019, making much of the country genuinely new ground for travellers.

Myths

What's true, what isn't

Actually true

Mecca and Medina are Islam's holiest cities
Millions of Muslims travel there each year for Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage.
AlUla holds pre-Islamic ruins rivaling Petra
Hegra's Nabataean tombs were Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The country changed rapidly in recent years
Cinemas, concerts and mixed-gender venues opened after decades of restriction.
It has real Red Sea diving
Coral reefs off the western coast remain some of the least-visited in the region.

Commonly believed, wrong

"It's all empty desert"
Saudi Arabia has mountain ranges near Abha with cooler climates and terraced farms.
"Tourists have never been allowed in"
Leisure tourist visas only began in 2019, but the country has welcomed pilgrims for centuries.
"There's no ancient history here"
AlUla and Hegra hold tombs and inscriptions predating Islam by centuries.
"It's culturally identical to its Gulf neighbours"
Saudi regional cultures vary widely, from the Hejaz coast to the Najd interior to the southern highlands.

Highlights

The best of Saudi Arabia

Hegra's rock-cut tombs

Nabataean tombs carved into sandstone outcrops, quieter and less visited than Petra.

The Red Sea coast

Untouched coral reefs and uninhabited islands along Saudi Arabia's western shoreline.

Riyadh's Edge of the World

A dramatic cliff escarpment outside the capital, popular for sunset visits.

Abha's mountain villages

Cool highland towns with stone architecture and terraced farming in the southwest.

Culture

Cultural riches

Hajj pilgrimage logistics

Saudi Arabia manages the annual movement of millions of pilgrims to Mecca each year.

Traditional Najdi architecture

Mudbrick forts and triangular window patterns define the historic Diriyah district near Riyadh.

Falconry and camel racing

Desert sports remain popular weekend pastimes, especially outside major cities.

A fast-growing entertainment scene

Concerts, esports and film festivals are new fixtures since recent cultural reforms.

Food

What to eat

Kabsa

Spiced rice with chicken or lamb, dried lime and toasted nuts, the country's most iconic dish.

Jareesh

Cracked wheat porridge cooked with meat and spices, a Najdi comfort food.

Mutabbaq

A stuffed, folded pastry filled with meat, egg or banana, popular street food in the Hejaz.

Saleeg

Creamy rice cooked in milk, a Hejazi specialty served with roasted chicken.

Qahwa and dates

Cardamom coffee poured from a dallah pot alongside fresh dates, the standard welcome ritual.

Music

World-famous voices

Mohammed Abdu

"Artist of the Arabs".

Talal Maddah

Golden-era voice.

Rashed Al-Majed

Khaleeji pop star.

Abadi Al Johar

Oud virtuoso.

Tamtam

Saudi singer with a global sound.

History

Important people in history

King Abdulaziz Al Saud

1932–1953

Founder of modern Saudi Arabia, unifying the peninsula's regions into one kingdom.

King Faisal

1964–1975

Modernizing king who expanded education and diplomacy during the oil boom era.

King Salman

2015–present

Current king overseeing Vision 2030, the country's economic diversification plan.

Cities