Saudi Arabia

Mada’in Saleh

Mada’in Saleh, in the north of present-day Saudi Arabia, was settled by the Nabateans from the second century B.C. Although few visible traces remain of their ancient city, they left behind awe inspiring tombs carved out of the surrounding rocky outcrops.
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Asir

The Asir region lies in the south-west of Saudi Arabia on the border with Yemen. ‘Asir’ means ‘difficult’ in Arabic, reflecting the challenge involved in crossing the Asir Mountains. It is this remoteness that has helped preserve the distinctive cultural heritage of the region.
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The Prophet’s Mosque, Madinah

Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, in the Hijaz region of western Saudi Arabia, is the second holiest city in Islam after Makkah, and burial place of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Entrance to the centre of Madinah is only granted to non-Muslims in exceptional circumstances.
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Al-Balad, Jeddah

Al-Balad is the historic centre of Jeddah, the second largest city in Saudi Arabia, known as 'Bride of the Red Sea'. For centuries Jeddah has been the port of entry for pilgrims making the Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah, a few hours inland from Jeddah.
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Bir Hima and The Rub’ al Khali

Bir Hima lies to the north of Najran in southern Saudi Arabia, on the edge of the great Rub' al Khali desert. Around 300 individual sites contain rock carvings dating back to 5,500 B.C. These drawings show cattle, ibex, lion, baboons, giraffes and ostriches.
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Najran and Al-Ukhdud

Najran occupies a strategic position on the modern border of Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Nestled between the rugged mountains of Asir to the west and the emptiness of the Rub' al Khali desert to its east, the town sits in a green and fertile oasis.
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Ad-Dir’iyah, Najd

Founded in 1446-7, Ad-Dir'iyah served as the capital of the first Saudi State from 1744 to 1818. In 1744, Ibn Saud, emir of Ad-Dir'iyah, took in a fugitive religious scholar named Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, and what became known as the first Saudi state was born.
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Al-Bahah

Al-Bahah is a region in the south of Saudi Arabia. Most of its inhabitants are from the Ghamidi and Zahrani tribes, which trace their origin to the pre-Islamic state of Sheba. To the west is the Tihama coastal plain of the Red Sea, and to the east are the al-Sarawat mountains.
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Tayma

Tayma is a large oasis on the western edge of the al Nafud desert, the second of Arabia’s great sand deserts. It became an important stopping place for caravans on the incense route. The Bir Haddaj well is one of the largest and oldest wells in the Arabian peninsula.
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