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CULTURE & HERITAGE

How to embrace Jeddah's culture and heritage

Endless sunshine, romantic souks and spectacular seaside art: it’s now time for rapidly evolving Jeddah to shine...

By Mike MacEacheran

Paintings and faded photographs of historic Jeddah might reveal filigree architecture and coral stone houses with mashrabiya windows, wooden balconies and latticed rawashin windows, but Saudi’s most liberal and dynamic city is no dusty relic from the past.

The passing of years has seen the Kingdom’s Red Sea capital become a gleaming megacity of tourism and shopping malls fuelled by the country’s oil reserves, with saddled camels replaced by superlative cars and the old Arab world by contemporary art, world-class architecture and a modern, thriving culture influenced as much by expats as the Hijazi. So brace yourself for plenty of mosques, markets, art and food, and — thankfully still — glimpses of old Arabia that nowhere else in the Gulf can match.

Go on a tour of the Al Balad district

Such a distraction is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Al-Balad district in the heart of Jeddah, that the ultimate reward is to get lost in its mazy alleyways. There are scene-setting mosques and a bevy of souks, most of which are as authentic as Jeddah gets.

Once you get your bearings, it’s easy to find the area’s intricately-designed merchant houses — you’ll find fingerprints of turn-of-the-century architects on around 650 of the hand-built, sun-bleached coral houses. The stand out is Bait Nasseef, locally known as the ‘house with the tree’. Today, the four-storey tower is a terrific museum and the highlight is a library stocked with some 16,000 books. If you’re looking for more old Arabia, then stroll down Al Dahab Street; it was once part of the old pilgrimage road to Mecca (Makkah). While in Al Balad, enjoy some refreshment at the stand-out Sobia Bar, serving traditional sobia (a cool drink made from bread, barley or oats and sweetened with sugar, cardamom and cinnamon) but with a modern twist.

Explore its heritage houses

While Al-Balad remains a vital part of Jeddah’s character and catnip for those seeking authentic Saudi culture, the area was founded in the 7th century and its fortunes have waned ever since. Which is to say the tower houses, built in their current form after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, lean precariously and the streets are in need of such repair that the Saudi Ministry of Culture has embarked on an ongoing, full-scale renovation. The future, they say, is the past won’t be quietly forgotten.

While the work continues, focus your attentions on the faithfully restored Bait Sharbatly, now a splendid gallery brimming with calligraphy and Arabesque art, as well as hosting regular art exhibitions. Keep an eye out too for equally polished Bait Al Jamjoom, sometimes the basecamp for the Jeddah Historical District Programme, and Matbouli House Museum, which educates on how local Jeddawis once lived. The privately-owned house wows with beautiful stairwells and a collection of period artefacts.

Discover the city gates

Jeddah’s old walls and gates were built in the 16th-century when the city came under repeated attack from Portuguese fleets who wanted to strengthen their control of Red Sea trade routes. The wall remained until 1947, but some of the gates remain, with seven gates now eyeing each other from across the city. Heavily turreted Makkah Gate is the most widely photographed, but others, including Bab Al-Sharif and Bab Jadid, also help keep the past alive. Bab Jadid is a good starting point and is near Bait Sharbatly.

Admire the mosques

It’s difficult to overstate just how emotive Jeddah’s mosques are. They heave with worshippers at such times, of course, but can be visited in quieter moments and are often eye-dazzling examples of the creative ingenuity of Islamic architects. Among the most interesting is Masjid Al-Rahmah, also known as the Floating Mosque. Gleaming white and crowned by a turquoise dome, it juts out over the Red Sea, like a colossal overwater villa with prayer hall and pillars. There’s plenty excitement too when seeing the Moorish-influenced King Fahd Mosque and the King Saud Mosque, the city’s largest and most extravagant place for prayer with a succession of extraordinary vaulted iwans. Masjid Ash Shaf’I in Al Balad is the oldest in Jeddah, while the alabaster-white Island Mosque on the Corniche is a fine sight, too.

Go to market, Saudi style

Before Saudis spent the bulk of their time in the colossal Mall of Arabia or Red Sea Mall, they came to vibrant Souq Al Alawi in Al Balad – and arguably nowhere else in the Kingdom captures the essence of Arabia better. It has all the spices, perfumes, oils, dates, gold trinkets and abaya headscarves you could need and chit-chat and haggling with shopkeepers is all part of the fun. It’s often quiet during the day, but at night the lights come on, the crowds descend and it transforms into a social event for all the family. Take home a pouch of hibiscus flower tea, or pick up some frankincense oils, famous for their healing properties. If you’re looking to try another, make it nearby Souq Qabil, which is an equally intense whirlpool of trade and custom.

Admire the local art

Topping the sightseeing bill, the art scene is serious, with scores of contemporary spaces both indoors and outside. Start on the Corniche, to see the waterfront’s 21 world-class installations and sculptures by some of the most famous names in the business. Brought to the Red Sea between 1973 and 1986, there are works by the likes of Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, Jean Arp and Joan Miro scattered just inches from the waves.

For a more local perspective, ATHR Gallery in Sairafi Mall, Ayyam Gallery and Hafez Gallery are three renowned centres of excellence that nurture up-and-coming fine art, sculpture and calligraphy talent from the Gulf states.

Enjoy an evening of music

While Jeddah would never claim to have the musical pedigree of other Arab cities like Cairo or Beirut, in recent years there has been a shift. The Music Space regularly holds open mic nights and performances that span the spectrum, from Afrobeat to alternative rock to more traditional desertscape concerts, including oud, stringed qanoon and goblet drum players. The Makan Music Centre is another example of a community-focused venue and, depending on the bill, can take you from celebrations of Saudi goth to dark electro pop knees-ups.

Time travel at its museums

Jeddah began life nearly 3,000 years ago as a fishing village that traded with its neighbours in Yemen and Egypt. Today, it’s the major gateway for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims fulfilling their lifetime ambitions at Mecca. These two worlds collide in the city’s museums and nuggets from the past and present are on display at the splendid Khuzam Palace, which houses the Jeddah Regional Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography (note, currently closed for renovation). Memories also provide the backbone to the antiquities-laden Tayebat Museum, a complex spread across several floors paying homage to Jeddah’s architectural and Islamic heritage, then and now.

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

With plenty of direct flight links from the UK to Jeddah, it’s really easy to get to this Saudi seafront city. Saudi’s national airline SAUDIA flies to Jeddah twice daily from London Heathrow and once daily from London Gatwick. If you’re travelling from the US, SAUDIA offers direct flights to Jeddah from New York City, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. The Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO) operates several bus routes in the city, while taxis and ride-hailing apps like Uber and Careem offer even more flexible ways to navigate Jeddah.

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.