Country guide
At 2,149,690 square kilometres, Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East and the only one with coastline on both the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf...
Photograph · Saudi Press Agency (SPA) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
At 2,149,690 square kilometres, Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East and the only one with coastline on both the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf — which is the fact that separates its cities. Riyadh, the capital, stands inland at the centre and is built at driving scale. Jeddah on the Red Sea is the older port, with a coral-stone historic quarter and the water at the end of the street, while Mecca and Medina, the two holiest cities in Islam, are closed to non-Muslims. The 33.7 million people counted in 2024 are gathered into a handful of centres with long empty desert in between.
Checked 2026-08-25
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · B.alotaby · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · Wurzelgnohm · CC0
Photograph · Saudi Press Agency (SPA) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
20 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
The Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art (SAMOCA) is a dedicated institution for contemporary art located in Riyadh's JAX District, an emerging cultural zone in the Saudi capital.
Al Faisal Museum for Arab-Islamic Art is a Riyadh cultural museum devoted to Arab and Islamic artistic heritage. Its collections connect visitors with the visual traditions, materials, and craftsmanship of Islamic civilization.
The King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Kaaba Kiswa is the manufacturing facility responsible for producing the Kiswa, the black silk cloth embroidered with gold that covers the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque.
The International Fair and Museum of the Prophet's Biography is a specialist museum in Mecca's King Abdulaziz Endowment, inside the Clock Towers shopping centre beside the Holy Mosque.
قلعة المصمك
Al Masmak Palace, known locally as Qasr al-Masmak, is a clay and mud-brick fortress in central Riyadh.
The Jeddah Regional Museum at Khuzam Palace is a museum housed in a historic royal palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Eight to twelve days can combine three days in Riyadh, three in Jeddah, and a dedicated AlUla leg. Makkah is subject to religious eligibility and pilgrimage permissions and must not be planned as an ordinary sightseeing stop.
Saudi entry depends on nationality and purpose, with tourist eVisa and pilgrimage permissions following different rules. Confirm eligibility through the official Saudi visa service and the relevant pilgrimage authority before booking.
Domestic flights cover Saudi Arabia's long distances, while Haramain high-speed rail serves Makkah, Jeddah, the airport, and Madinah. Other routes rely on buses or cars, and desert excursions require an appropriate vehicle and reliable operator.
November through February offers the most practical outdoor conditions for Riyadh, Jeddah, and desert excursions. Pilgrimage periods can change access and demand independently of weather, so check the religious calendar and permit rules.
Saudi Arabia uses the riyal (SAR). Cards are common in cities, but carry a SAR backup for smaller stops and verify the local-currency total before accepting payment.
Use 911 as the unified emergency number where supported and 997 for ambulance service in Saudi Arabia. Type G sockets supply 230 V; tap-water guidance is not recorded here.
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