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CULTURE & HERITAGE

Discover the highlights of Madinah

For years the Holy City of Madinah has been strictly off-limits to non-Muslims, but with Saudi’s recent opening up to tourism, westerners can now get to experience the ancient (and surprisingly modern) sides of Islam’s second holiest city...

Located in the Hijaz region, Madinah has been attracting visitors for well over a thousand years, thanks to its status as the site of the Prophet’s burial and being home to two of Islam’s oldest mosques.

Madinah is the kind of place that delivers the unexpected for the western traveller. You might expect the city to have a quietly austere and sombre atmosphere out on the streets. Instead, you will find crowds of excited pilgrims from all around the world joyfully thronging the holy sites, posing for selfies, browsing the shops, and readying themselves for their visit to the Prophet’s Mosque. As you explore the city, you’re likely to be rubbing shoulders with visitors from all around the Islamic world, with just a very few western tourists for company…

Wander around the Prophet’s Mosque

Without doubt, the centrepiece of Madinah is the awe-inspiring Prophet’s Mosque, built over the site of Mohammed’s actual burial place. This huge multi-domed complex forms the second-largest mosque in the world, with a capacity of an incredible 1.5 million worshippers! Non-Muslims aren’t allowed to enter the mosque itself, however just wandering around the edge of the complex allows you to sample some of the devout but cheerful atmosphere of Islam’s second most holy site. The original mosque (which also contains the tombs of the Prophet’s closest companions Abu Bakr and Umar) has been completely subsumed by this current vast mosque that acts as a showpiece for modern Saudi architecture, with the most striking aspect to outsiders, being the outer courtyard of enormous palm-like parasols that provide much-needed shade for the waiting pilgrims.

Visit the Quba Mosque

As you’d expect, there are a lot mosques in Madinah, but if you’re only going to visit the inside of one, it should probably be the historic Quba mosque. Reputedly the oldest mosque in the world, dating all the way back to Year Zero in the Islamic Calendar, 622 AD(CE) – this hugely significant mosque, believed to be the first to be built after Prophet Mohammed came to Madinah, is on the edge of the sprawling modern city.

You can go inside this mosque, but it’s advised to only do so on a guided visit with the mosque’s imam, remembering to keep covered up at all times in the mosque. Outside in the large courtyard, it’s fascinating to interact with worshippers from around the Muslim world, who tend to be pleasantly surprised and fascinated to bump into any western visitors. Like most of Saudi’s mosques, improvements to the original building have been made over the years.

Visit the Holy Quran Exhibition

Saudi takes its role seriously in securing the Prophet’s teachings (and their orthodoxy) for posterity, so this exhibition on the Holy Book is an important part of Madinah’s offering to visitors. Found near the southwest side of the Masjid an-Nabawi (the Prophet’s Mosque), the exhibition contains some of the earliest surviving examples of the Quran, many featuring some beautiful Arabic calligraphy.

Peer into Madinah’s past at the Dar al-Madinah Museum

Take a guided tour around this informative purpose-built museum which explores the history of Madinah city and the Hajj Road, along with its pivotal role in the development of Islam, through the use of dioramas and models, as well as its collection of historic artefacts and exquisite calligraphy. In the models of the Prophet’s Mosque, it’s fascinating to see the complex’s development from early mosque and tomb in the 7th century, to its Ottoman rebuilding over the 16th to 19th centuries, and then onto its spectacular contemporary Saudi remodelling and expansion.

Go hiking in Albaidha Public Park

For a change of scenery from the crowds around the Prophet’s Mosque, you can venture about 35km north of Madinah into the open spaces of the Albaidha Public Park, situated in the scenic desert Wadi Jinn. This is a favourite picnic spot for Saudis, with its many tables and benches, while adventurous visitors can explore the desert sands by camel, horse or quad bike – and the energetic can even head off on a desert hike (bring plenty of water).

Tour the King Fahd Glorious Quran Printing Complex

As the place where the Prophet Mohammed spent the final years of his life, Madinah played a vital role in the formative years of Islam, being mentioned multiple times in the Quran. Appropriately enough, the huge King Fahd Quran Printing Complex prints over 10 million copies of the Holy Book, distributing them all around the Muslim world. Visitors can get a quick view of the massive operation (opening times are from 10am to midday daily), and get a free Quran at the end of their visit.

Delve into the history of the Hejaz Railway

Just before the outbreak of World War One, trains first reached Madinah from Damascus in 1908 as part of the beginning of the Hijaz Railway, one cog in an ambitious project to eventually connect Istanbul with the Ottoman Empire’s major possessions in the Middle East and to transport pilgrims to the holy sites. During the war, the railway was attacked by Lawrence of Arabia amongst others, and it eventually fell into disuse, but Madinah’s attractive original train station has been preserved as a reminder, and has been turned into a museum incorporating some of the old locomotives from the Hijaz Railway.

Try the local cuisine

As a centre for huge numbers of pilgrims from all around the world, Madinah offers a truly international choice of cuisines – from Japanese, to European, to Chinese. It can be tricky to find ‘genuine’ Middle Eastern food here but one of Madinah’s biggest local traditions is to make a beeline for Souq Al Tabakha (the chef’s market) every Friday to sample its two key specialities: fish and mandi (sheep’s head). Many visitors will also find that of the best food on offer is Indian or Pakistani, reflecting the cuisine of so many of the workers in the Kingdom.

Climb Mount Uhud

If you want to get a better idea of how Madinah would originally have been a small oasis town surrounded by desert, then take a hike up the tallest hill behind town. From this vantage point, you’ll also see how the current city is rapidly expanding with a large number of building sites all around town. In 625 AD, the Battle of Uhud, one of the most important battles fought by the Prophet, took place just below the rust-coloured mountain, and so the site is now occupied by a large mosque. An easier climb takes you up the neighbouring Archers’ Hill, a rocky outcrop which is often busy with families of pilgrims taking in the views.

Practical information

Visas

It’s surprisingly simple and easy to get an e-Visa for Saudi and the process is very similar to applying for an ESTA for the USA. Over 50 nationalities are eligible to apply for an e-Visa, including people from the UK and USA, with it costing (at the time of writing) 535 Saudi riyals (about £115 or US$143). Applications are swift and nearly all applicants will receive a response within three working days – most within 24 hours. To apply for your Saudi e-Visa, visit the official Saudi Tourism Authority website. If you’re from the USA, UK or the Schengen Area, you can also apply for a visa on arrival into Saudi. It’s slightly cheaper than an e-Visa, too, at SAR480 (about £102 or US$128).

Getting there & around

Al Ahsa is under three hours by car from Dammam in the Eastern Province. To get to Dammam, you can take a direct domestic flight from either Riyadh (one hour) or Jeddah (two hours). You can also take a direct train from Riyadh to Dammam with the Saudi Railways Organisation, with the journey taking around four hours. When you reach Dammam, we’d recommend hiring a car for the ultimate in flexibility and ease when travelling to Al Ahsa and visiting the wider Eastern Province. It’s easy to reach Saudi from both the UK and USA. Saudi’s national airline SAUDIA flies to Riyadh three times daily from London Heathrow, while British Airways also offers a regular service from Heathrow with daily flights to the capital. SAUDIA also operates twice daily flights to Jeddah from London Heathrow and daily flights from London Gatwick. If you’re travelling from the US, SAUDIA offers direct flights to Riyadh from both New York City and Washington, D.C., as well as direct flights to Jeddah from New York City, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.

Local customs

To really embrace Saudi life and pay respect towards its traditions, there are a few local customs you should abide when travelling around the country. Both men and women should wear clothing that covers their elbows and below their knees when out in public. If you’re heading to the coast, it’s still expected you dress modestly. When meeting and greeting locals, whether it’s a market stallholder or a private guide, say hello with ‘salam alaykum’, which means ‘peace be upon you’, as well as offering a handshake.

Weather

You might think it’s hot all year round in Saudi but it’s a little more nuanced than that. The best time to visit Riyadh is between October and March, when temperatures can dip as low as 20°C during the daytime and rarely exceed 30°C. Summer months in Riyadh can get extremely hot, with temperatures often above 40°C between June and September.

FAQ

Is English spoken in Saudi?

Arabic is the official national language but English is widely spoken.

What is the currency of Saudi?

The currency of Saudi is the riyal, with the current rate (at the time of writing), around SAR4.76 to the UK£. You’ll need to pre-order money before you travel, as in the UK it’s not usually stocked in currency exchange booths.

What’s it like travelling in Saudi as a female?

We think you’d be surprised! To find out more, read our first-hand account on what it’s like to travel in Saudi.

What’s the time difference in Saudi?

Saudi follows Arabia Standard Time (GMT +3) all year round.