Have you ever dreamed of appearing in one of the magical tales of “One Thousands and One Nights” or personally witnessing the exploits of Lawrence of Arabia or camel crossing the Empty Quarter? I have, ever since I was a little girl! And my trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia brought my childhood dreams to life. This unique, vast and diverse country only recently opened its heavily guarded gates to foreigners, women including, swiftly transforming its society and norms from very closed one to somewhat cautious yet enthusiastic. There is very little tourist information about KSA and nothing but one travel book, hence I would like to share with you my journey through the Arabian Peninsula.  Yella!

Literature:

1. Saudi Arabia by Grace Edwards, Bradt Guides
2. Qur’an
3. “The Kingdom” by Robert Lacey
4. “MBS: The Rise to Power of Mohammed bin Salman” by Ben Hubbard
5. “Behind the Kingdom’s Veil: Inside the New Saudi Arabia Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman” by Susanne Koelbl
6. “Seven Pillars of Wisdom” by Lawrence T.E.
7. Saudi Arabia – Culture Smart! by Cheryl Obal
8. The Travels of ibn Battutah, edited by Tim Mackintosh-Smith
9. “A Vanished World” by Wilfred Thesiger
10. “Out of the Desert: My Journey From Nomadic Bedouin to the Heart of Global Oil” by Al-Naimi
11. “Girls of Riyadh” by Rajaa al-Sanea
12. “Cities of Salt” by Abdul Rahman Munif

Interesting facts:

• Saudi Arabia doesn’t have a single river.
• Slavery was abolished in 1962.
• The country was named after its founder – King Saud. 
• KSA covers about 80% of the Arabian peninsula and equates to about 1/3 the size of Australia. 
• Rub’ al Khali (Empty Quarter), country’s southernmost desert (1,200 km long and 500 km wide) is one of the world’s driest land areas. 
• Date farming goes back to 6th millennium B.C. and currently KSA produces more than 200 varieties; locals break their Ramadan fast with dates and it is by far the most offered treat (along with kahwa) throughout the country.
• The House of Saud, the ruling royal family, is estimated to include about 20,000 princes and princesses.
• NEOM
• Beheading is the most common method of execution.

History. 

Given the large geography of the Arabian Peninsula, the history of KSA varies from region to region. I will go into more details when I describe each visited province, however, for general information, I would divide the history into 3 parts:

1. Prehistoric times;
2. Prophet Mohammed and Islamic caliphates;
3. The three Saudi states.

Prehistoric times. Much of what is known about the earliest history of the peninsula goes back to artifacts uncovered in archeological digs but also in references of Greek, Roman, Persian and Egyptian accounts. One of the oldest examples are located in Jubbah and Shuwaimis – rock art that dates back to 10,000 years ago depicting life and land that was very different from modern time, when ostriches and horses roamed the area covered with lakes and rivers.
The Akkadian inscriptions of Dumat al Jandal, referring to five queens and female deities, go back to 10,000 B.C. while Tayma is considered to be the oldest settlement in KSA (8th century B.C.). The Rajajil columns, located near Sakakah, date back to 4,000 B.C. and are believed to be the remnants of the temple with sophisticated religious practices. The incredible petroglyphs of Hima Cultural Area located along the ancient caravan route from Yemen chronicle at least 7,000 years of a flourishing long-distance trade. While inscriptions in Jebel Ikmah (a mountain in Al Ula region which is referred to as the “Outdoor Library”) represent Dadantic, Thamudic, Miniac and Nabatean languages of people who traversed this territory over the course of many centuries from late pre-Christian times. Ancient Arab kingdoms, like Obaid, Dilmun, Midian, Qedarite, Dadan, Nabatean, Mai’in, Himyarite, Sassanid, Lakhmid, Ghassanid and Kinda, are just a few known ones that defined and influenced the Arabian Peninsula from 5300 B.C. to 550 A.D. They represented multiple tribes with polytheistic beliefs, early converts to Christianity and Judaism; nomads, traders and those who lived a settled lifestyle extending from Mesopotamia and Yemen to Levant and Sinai. 

Islamic Caliphates. The birth of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) in 570 A.D. is undeniably the most important event not only in the history of the Arabian peninsula but in the world, as almost 2 billion people currently follow his teachings of Islam. Caliphates, the religious states, were established from the early days of Islam. Rashidun (632-661) was founded after the Prophet’s death and expanded its power into the Maghreb, north Caucuses, Pakistan and Central Asia. Disagreement about who should lead the caliphate resulted in civil war between Muslim allegiances and division of Islam into Sunni and Shi’a sects. After its 4th leader, Ali, was assassinated, the caliphate collapsed and in its place, Umayyad (661-750) became a central power in the region. With the capital in Damascus, it grew its territory further into north Africa, al Andalus, Portugal and France. Arabic became a common language. Religious tolerance, exchange of knowledge, advances in medicine and science, skilled translations and vast libraries of the Arab Middle East almost single-handedly contributed to the end of Europe’s Dark Ages. However, the continuous disagreements within Umayyad led to the rise of the rival Abbasid (750-1517) and return of the power to the descendants of the Prophet’s family with its capital in Baghdad. Abbasid established the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt but lost power with the arrival of the Ottomans (1517-1918). Selim I conquered Mamluk Sultanate and with it  – the territories of Mecca and Medina, becoming the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Ottoman control extended all the way from Yemen and Red Sea to Persian Gulf and the territories of modern Kuwait. For the next 400 years, the Ottomans retained the power over this area to varying degrees, before losing control of al Hasa to ibn Saud in 1913. In 1916, the British (with help of Lawrence T.E. aka Lawrence of Arabia) planned and executed a pan-Arab revolt against the Ottomans, further weakening them by the end of the World War I.

The Three Saudi States. Led by Emir Mohammed bin Saud al Muqrin, the First Saudi state (1744-1818, aka the Emirate of Diriyah) was created by a powerful family in the agricultural village of Diriyah near Riyadh. In 1744, the family formed close ties with Mohammed bin Abdul Wahhab, leader of the religious group pursuing a stricter interpretation of Islam. This alliance’s key conditions were that the al Sauds would uphold the radical fundamentalism of Wahhabism for its support of rule and governance of the al Sauds. This affiliation led to the expansion of the al Saud’s power into Najd, Gulf cost and eventually to Asir. The remaining Hejaz continued to be ruled by the Ottomans until al Saud took control of Taif, Mecca and Medina in 1803. In retaliation, the Ottomans erased Diriyah and removed the al Saud Emir from power, causing the state’s collapse in 1818. The Second Saudi state (1824-1891) led a ghostly and amorphous existence in the interior of the Arabian peninsula, first sharing its power with the al Rashids in the north (Ha’il), but eventually getting absorbed by them and exiling its leader to Kuwait. The Third Saudi state (1902- Present) began with the recapture of Riyadh by Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman ibn Saud, followed by retake of Najd. With help of the Ikhawan, a military force comprised of multiple Beduin tribes, ibn Saud slowly but surely gained control over the territory, in 1932 finally merging all the lands into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 23 September 1932 marks the unification and is officially called Saudi National Day. 

History of KSA cannot be completed without mentioning the discovery of oil near Dhahran in Eastern Provence in 1938. The new kingdom, heavily reliant on agriculture and religious pilgrimage was propelled into the future and richness virtually overnight. Until new sites were discovered in Venezuela in the early 21st century, Saudi Arabia was believed to have the world’s largest oil fields. Saudi Aramco, founded in 1943 and fully owned by the royal family since 1980, is the sole company that exploits and governs all of the Kingdom’s oil reserves and until recently, was the country’s main “breadwinner”, generating 67% of export revenues. Diversification into tourism and sustainability, partial separation from Wahhabism and slow emancipation of women have played, in my opinion, a positive role in modern Saudi society. In 2021 KSA opened the country for tourism (original 2019 opening was curtailed by COVID restrictions) and I used this opportunity to visit and learn more about it. 

After fairly easy obtaining my year-long multiple e-visa to KSA ($107), I started to plan my trip. Due to climatic and religious constrains, I decided to travel in February, a few weeks before the start of Ramadan. My trip was 11 days long and included 5 towns. I was traveling as a solo female with the US passport. After getting $8,000-10,000 quote for 7-8 days of car/driver trip, I optioned to travel by plane, which was inexpensive (most flights were under $120) and quick. I had my vaccination card (no one asked for it). I didn’t get a local sim card as I had a US mobile, used my Master and Visa cards everywhere with no issues, Uber app worked with my Amex. I wore mostly western clothes – long dresses or pants with a jacket or sweater on top. Most communication was done in WhatsApp.

Day 1. Medina.

Together, Mecca and Medina are one of the world’s holiest places as they form an origin of Islamic culture and civilization. And even though Medina is believed to be at least 3,000 years old, as it was populated by Jewish and Arab tribes for at least 1,500 years before the arrival of Prophet Mohammed, the city’s legacy and fame are closely tied to him. Yathrib, as it was known in pre-Islamic times is officially called al Medinah al Munnawwarah – “The Enlightened City”. While pilgrimages to Mecca predate Islam, Medina’s religious status rose only when the Prophet undertook the forced hijra (migration) from Mecca to Medina on 16 July 622 (which also marks the start of the Islamic calendar). After converting many residents into Islam, fighting key battles, spending time in the caves where he received a message from Allah, placing the first stone into the first mosque to be built (Masjid Quba), the Prophet returned to Mecca in 630 to reconquer it. He passed away in Medina in 632 in the house of his third wife Aisha and was buried in the exact place where he had died. Many of the Prophet’s family members and friends were also buried beside him or in the adjacent al Baqi cemetery. In 1279 the Green Dome was built over the Prophet Mohammed’s tomb and other tombs were also enhanced, however most of them were destroyed during the First Saudi state as according to Salafism they represented “idol worshipping”. Tomb of Fatima, the Prophet’s daughter, was one of many to be lost to history.

As a non-Muslim, I can never enter Mecca, but I could visit Medina. That is why I chose to fly from New York straight to Medina (via Cairo) and make it my first stop in Saudi Arabia. I wanted to dive into this inspirational, religious, historical and sacred place and feel it with my skin and soul. I also smelled it with my nose, as it was the most fragrant place in the world.
I timed to arrive in the morning and went straight to my hotel. I stayed at Pullman ZamZam right next to the Masjid al Nabawi (the Prophet’s Mosque) but outside the Haram area. The perimeter of the Prophet’s Mosque is a forbidden area for non-Muslims, but you can see the mosque from one of many hotels that are rising above the square. I paid extra for the view and it was absolutely worth it. Hotel was 4* with no frills and basic breakfast, but helpful staff. 

Many people come to Medina for ziyarat, a pilgrimage to the sites important to Islam, especially those related to the life of the Prophet and his family and associates. Via viator.com I hired a guide ($140) who promised to show me all those places and more. It came half true, as I was given very little information, even less directives and had to mostly rely on my travel book for help. Guide was just driving me around for 2 hours (not 3.5 hours as tour stated) without saying much besides quoting Qur’an (half time in Arabic, which I don’t speak) and zealously trying to convert me into Islam. He lent me an abaya (robe) and tarha (headscarf) for R50 which were handy because Medina is one of the most conservative places and appropriate clothes are highly advised. Tip: a hat or a beautiful headband placed on top of tarha, would keep it from sliding.
With my driver, I visited several interesting places:

1. Masjid Sayyid al-Shuhada – home to Shuhada Uhud cemetery, the final resting place of Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib (Prophet Mohammed’s uncle), his nephew and 70 others who died during the Battle of Uhud in 625. The Prophet and his followers were defeated by Meccans who objected to the Islamic faith and its growing influence. The Archers’ Hill is right next to the mosque and I climbed it as most visitors do. A few kms north, in Jebel Uhud, it is possible to visit a cave where Prophet Mohammed stayed to recover from his battle-wounds, though I didn’t go.
2. Bir Uthman – the gardens and well of Uthman ibn Affan, the 3rd Caliph of Islam. The legend says that during severe water shortage in Medina the only well with fresh water was owned by a Jew who sold water at high prices. Uthman, known for his generosity, purchased the well and turned it into public use, free for all, which gained him great respect among the locals. 
3. We drove by Wadi al-Aqiq and I was told that the Prophet came and prayed there many times, calling it “The Blessed Valley”, which aspired many if his followers to build their homes around it. 
4. Islamic University of Medina – my guide mentioned at least trice that everyone, including students from abroad, who want to come and study there pay nothing. All their expenses, as well as tickets home are covered by the university. 
5. Masjid Al Qiblatayn – niveous elegant building known as the Mosque of Two Qiblas. Built in 623 it is one of the world’s three oldest mosques and the place where the Prophet, prompted by the jewish sneers, had a revelation to change the direction of prayer (qibla) from Jerusalem to Mecca and to reposition the mihrab accordingly. For a while, it was one of the very few mosques that contained two mihrabs, however, after mosque’s reconstruction in 1980s, only one, facing Mecca, remained. I was able to go inside and wander the women’s praying area – which was elegant but minimalistic with no view of the main mosque.
6. We passed the Seven Mosques, as they were closed for renovation. It is a large complex of mosques located near the Cave of Bani Haram (where angel Gabriel appeared to the Prophet – also can be visited) and Jebel Sala, where the Battle of Trench took place. This battle was fought between the followers of the Prophet and a confederation of non-Muslim tribes and the Jewish Benu Qurayza. Muslims won this battle, executed many of the Banu’s men and enslaved women and children.
7. Masjid Quba – this graceful and stately mosque is believed to be the first mosque erected during the time of Prophet Mohammed and where the Prophet himself laid the first stone upon arriving from Mecca. I went inside to meditate and the female quarters were full of worshippers. Behind the wooden separation, you can get a few glimpses of the mosque’s interior. A pedestrian avenue (Quba walkway), lined with shops and restaurants, conveniently connects the Masjid al Nabawi and Quba mosque, allowing a 3 km long stroll and people-watching opportunities. 

By early afternoon, I was back to my hotel and on my own, which is my favorite state to be. I still had a few places to explore – for ex. the Ottoman-built Anbariya mosque and Hejaz train station and museum. The train station was closed for renovation but it definitely deserves an admiration from outside. A man with two small boys, who I mistakenly identified as homeless, approached me with a few bottles of water – they weren’t selling it, but giving it away to people to prevent dehydration. Note, except for one area of Riyadh, I haven’t encountered a single homeless person anywhere in the country during my trip, and I also witnessed in multiple locations either people or stands distributing bottled water for free.

I walked about half way of Quba walkway and took a golf cart back (since it is a pedestrian promenade, only golf carts can shuffle people back and forth between two mosques). 

In the evening, I enjoyed the views of the Masjid al Nabawi or the Prophet’s Mosques – one of Islam’s holiest places. It was the second mosque built during the life of the Prophet in 622. Originally covering the area of 30m by 35m, the mosque had 3 gates – Gate of Mercy, Gate of Gabriel and Gate of Women. It was expanded many times, starting from 629 and as recently as 1992, when its space increased to 160,000 sq. m boosting capacity to half-million people (and becoming the second largest mosque in the world). There are total of 27 domes, ten minarets and 42 gates, all executed in sand stone color, which beautifully blends with surrounding buildings and the mountains in the back. Wudu station for ablution, as well as Zamzam water dispensers are everywhere to facilitate a smooth experience, while large umbrella-shaped awnings provide much needed shade. The mosque contains the Green Dome which covers the tomb of the Prophet Mohammed and the first two caliphs, Abu Bakr and Umar. Even from afar, I could fell the spirituality and inspiration this place brought to pilgrims, who seemed to enjoy calm and peaceful atmosphere, that at the same time felt both dignified and almost sacred. Muslims believe that a prayer at the Prophet’s Mosque is equal to a thousand prayers elsewhere, unsurprisingly, many pilgrims spend hours if not days there reflecting on their faith. 

In the evening, I ate at Zaitoon restaurant (huge portions) at the mall across the street from my hotel and visited As Safiyyah Museum inside the same mall. It was very interactive and modern but had very little memorable content. 

One of the highlights of my stay in Medina was the sound of adhan – call for prayer – at nighttime and before dawn. It reminded my of the time I lived in Beirut when it was an ordinary part of my daily life. But in Medina, it felt extraordinary. 

Day 2. Medina – Jeddah. 

After breakfast, I walked around the Prophet’s Mosque one more time before catching my 11.30 Al-Haramain speed train to Jeddah ($90 for the first class ticket). I sat next to a very interesting young man and we struck up a conversation. Moe was local to Medina but grew up and lived most of his life in Europe as his father was a Saudi diplomat. He attended college in Manchester, England but recently moved back to KSA for work. He was a carrier consultant at one of Medina’s universities and was on a way to Jeddah to board the first Saudi cruise-liner to explore possible industry-related employment opportunities for the students. He was bright, funny, very helpful in advising me on places to eat and explore in Jeddah, but also gifts to buy to bring home (for example, Medina dates and Medina mint, perfume infused prayer beads etc). Promptly at 13.10 we arrived to the Jeddah train station. Note: all stations and airports in the country are brand new, comfortable, airy and straightforward. 

Jeddah. 

Jeddah is known to be the most progressive and liberal city in KSA. If there are any social changes in the kingdom, Jeddah is the first place where they take their form and direction. It is the country’s second largest city and its most diverse as for over 1,400 years pilgrims were coming via Jeddah’s port to attend hajj in Mecca and some of them stayed or returned to build their new lives and businesses in old town (Al Balad). A trading and fishing metropolis for millennia (its origin goes back to the 6th century B.C.), Jeddah is known as the Bride of the Red Sea, however, some believe that its name derives from the Arabic word “jaddah” meaning “grandmother” in reference to the Tomb of Eve which is located in Jeddah. Yes, that Eve, of Adam and Eve.  

For centuries, Jeddah was under the control of Caliphates, from Rashiduns to Mamluks. The original walls were built in the late 15th century to protect the city from the Portuguese who dominated many sea routes during that time, and in 1521 they were fortified by the Ottomans who de facto controlled the city until the World War I. The short-lived Kingdom of Hejaz was declared by the Sharif Hussein bin Ali al Hashimi in 1916, however, it was defeated by al Saud at the end of 1925 and swiftly incorporated into the Third Saudi state in 1932 becoming the last area to become the part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

I chose to stay at Assila Luxury collection hotel on Tahlia street, which according to a travel book is “the area known for its luxury hotels, upscale restaurants, shopping and is a great place to see how Jeddah’s elite live”. Tahlia St in Jeddah, I was told by Moe, had the first water treatment plant in the country, hence, consequent plants were located on the streets of the same name all over the country. Well, Assila hotel was wonderful (except for its subpar women’s gym that didn’t carry any weight equipment), it had a beautiful and very relaxing rooftop pool as well as the Siddharta Bar which was named the “Best Lounge” by the Time Out Jeddah. There were plenty of shopping malls and restaurants (including American chains of P.F. Chang’s and Cheesecake Factory) nearby, but there was virtually not a soul on the street. Note: stay in the hotel near Corniche or sea front. 

In Jeddah, I secured several guides because they kept ditching me. I researched and found those two ladies to be the best (though eventually I was passed on to a male guide) – Marwah and Ferial. My guide Suliman was supposed to pick me up at 5 pm for a 4h tour of Al Balad (R650 – $175), so I had time to check out the House of Islamic Arts (R60 – $16) located on the 4th floor of Cenomi Jeddah Park Mall (behind IKEA store). It is a collection of 6 different museums with very interesting exhibitions of archeology, pottery, metalwork, books, calligraphy and coins. Everything had a signage in Arabic and English as well as QR codes. 

One of the museums hosted a project called “Biting Between One’s Teeth” exhibiting the art of the young almost all female Arab artists, such as Zainab Anwar “The Migrant Worker”, Sarah Usef “If you fade, will I notice me?”, Manar Eisa Alsharyufi “Not as It Seems”, Rym Hass “My Anger is Not Red”, Sara Saad “A Fragmented Encounter”, Roaa Mofreh “No Politics at the Dining Table”, Ola Sephiran “Do You See Me?”, Natalie Al-Sarraj “Echo”, Mbarak Madhi “I Tasted You With My Eyes”, Malak Musa “Jaljalat Almajalis – Reverberations of Gatherings”, and others. 

However, my favorite museum was “Al Makkatan. Between the Brush and the Lens” which portraits the history of Mecca and Medina through historical paintings and engravings as well as photos –  the earliest photo of Mecca was taken in 1880. The gallery is divided into 3 parts: 

1. Before the invention of camera (1550-1880)
2. The first photographers of Mecca and Medina (1880-1920)
3. The golden age of photography (1920- present)

Some of the highlights are the first imaginary drawings of Mecca and Medina in landscape style by French cartographer Alain Manesson Mallet, published in 1683 as well as the Uppsala painting (appx 1712), which is the earliest known three-dimensional representation of Mecca, which provided unique and important information about the topography of the region. 

Alshefaa Museum or the “Museum of Healing” was dedicated to the history and role of Arab/Muslim doctors and naturalists (including women) in the development of modern medicine and surgery. It shows the achievements of Muslim scholars and how they contributed to building the foundations of the treatment methods we use today. And the last museum “Milestones of Arabia” represented the work of Professor Abdullah Hussein Alkadi, who spent more than 15 years both in and out of the field researching, analyzing and reflecting on the significance of 55 milestones (dating from the 8th to mid-9th centuries A.D.) which guided travelers along the Caravan Trade Route. 

Suliman picked me up at 17.30 and, battling heavy traffic, we headed to al Balad, the historic old town, open-air museum and the UNESCO World Heritage site. Al Balad gained it cultural significance in the 7th century with the dawn of Islam when its importance grew as a port for Mecca (85 kms inland). The district’s unmistakable architecture such as coral-stoned multi-storied buildings, decorated with blue or green roshan (wooden balconies/windows) are world-recognizable and attract tourists from all over the globe. Roshan are also known as mashrabiyya, referring to the boxed window designed to facilitate air-flow in the hot and humid climate and served as a sort of air-conditioner. The entrance to al Balad is guarded by four gates: Bab Jadid (to the north), Bab al Makkah (east), Bab Sharif (south) and Bob al Furdah (west). During the day, al Balad is tranquil and ghostly, however, it springs to life in the evening, when souks, art galleries, numerous cafes and tea houses open their doors. We arrived just in time to soak up the festive atmosphere. 

Suliman didn’t disappoint, he was knowledgeable, very friendly and we spent fabulous 6-7 hours in al Balad, story telling, sharing opinions, visiting house museums, (Beit al Balad, Matbouli House Museum, Nassif House Museum, Salloum residence etc), rooftops, private prayer halls, drinking tea and food tasting at 2-3 different cafes and street stalls. Al Balad is a great place to take photos and learn about the history of old Jeddah however, it is virtually uninhabited and it feels like a soul was sucked out of it. Nearly escaping a wreaking ball just a decade ago, it needs locals to revive it, not just visitors and tourists. The highlight of my walk was a visit to the Al Shafi’i mosque. We were the last to enter and unlike any other mosque, I was allowed to go to the men’s part of the building. Lights went off and we stayed and prayed/meditated in the dark with some other worshippers. Not only were we not rushed to leave, but on opposite, we were invited by the caretaker to join him for some food and drinks in the adjacent room. Apparently, the wheat-colored abaya that was lent to me at the mosque suited me so well, that it was given to me as a gift with a complement that I looked like an “Arab princess”  along with 3 Qur’ans in every language that I speak. Suliman showed me the famous souks crowded with late night shoppers, the alleys filled with cats dining at the official city-sponsored cat-feeders, roshan-building workshops, the ruins of al Balad (for contrast) and the open-air movie theater that recently re-opened after many decades of misuse. It was an excellent adventure under the full-moon. 

I asked Suliman to take me to the Eve’s cemetery and he did, however, he refused to take a photo of me at the gates as Muslims in general frown upon the Western graveyard tourism. The original tomb was destroyed in 1926 and later the entire site was sealed as the religious authorities believed visiting tombs was idolatrous. Nonetheless, I felt a special connection to this place, after all, Eve is the mother of all of us. 

Before dropping me back at the hotel, Suliman stopped at the King Fahd’s fountain – the world’s tallest, reaching over 200m high – and the Corniche. 

I could finally check into my suite at 1 in the morning. 

Day 3. Jeddah.

On my second day in Jeddah I planned to attend two huge events happening in town – Islamic Arts Biennale at Western Hajj Terminal (free with prior online rsrv) and E-Prix formula race and Akon concert at the Jeddah Corniche circuit ($26).
The 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale goal was to “show the holistic view of Islamic arts from around the world”. It included 29 new commissions from the Gulf Area artists as well as the loans from over 30 major international institutions, such as University of Oxford, Museum of Islamic art in Cairo, Benaki Museum in Athens, Qatar Museum, Vatican Apostolic library in Rome, Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, The Al-Sabah collection in Kuwait, Uzbekistan Academy of Science, Victoria and Albert Museum in London, The National Museum in Sultanate of Oman, Bruschettini Foundation for Islamic and Asian art in Genoa just to name a few. The title of the Biennale was “And All That Is In Between” which is derived from the Qur’an verse “And God created the Heavens and the Earth and all that is in between”. By juxtaposing historical objects from Islamic cultures with the contemporary art, the exhibition analyzed how faith was experienced, expressed and celebrated through feelings, thinking and making.
I spent nearly 6 hours wandering 5 indoor and outdoor halls which included the Al Thani collection. My absolute favorite were the Monumental Qu’ran (India, 1890s), the 2024 Kiswah – black drapes that covered the Ka’bah in Mecca, Nour Jaouda’s “Before the Last Sky” – a textile installation evoking three stages of a prayer, Hayat Osamah’s “Soft Gates” – a passage made of colorful fabric rolls the artist collected from her neighbors which as a whole represent the Muslim connectedness across the world, Arcangelo Sassolino’s “Memory of Becoming” – a large steel disc coated with a highly viscous industrial oil which slowly rotates and splashes black drops,  Asif Khan’s “Glass Qu’ran”, Map of the Nile river and the surrounding areas (Egypt, 1611),  dagger with sheath (Turkey, 16th century) as well as Nicolas Fayad’s “al Mussalla” – nomadic sacred space and meditation hall made entirely from the reclaimed palm waste.

At 18.00 I took an Uber to the Corchine Circuit to attend the E-Prix Formula race. As the night before, traffic was absolutely painful and along with multiple road closures, it took me almost 90 minutes to make it to the race. It was the most wonderful and festive gathering of mostly young men (5:1 ratio to women) under 25 years of age. I grabbed a chicken sandwich and honey cake from Urth cafe (utmost delicious), enjoyed the race and then joined a huge crowd (5-6 thousand of people) for the Akon after-race concert. Despite my “ripe” age of 44 and 3 kids, I enjoyed the outdoor dance celebration. Who would have thought that I would be partying in Saudi Arabia of all places, like it was Miami circa 2004? Note: no-alcohol, sober crowd is the best crowd (though youngsters should cut on smoking as it was overwhelming).

I left around midnight and walked to the road to catch a taxi, which was hard but not impossible, but even at that late hour the roads were packed. Saudis really do live nocturnal lives.

Day 4. Jeddah – Al Ula

I spent a solo morning at the hotel rooftop pool enjoying some rays of sunshine, before catching my 14.40 direct flight to Al Ula ($140). Two and a half days in Jeddah were nearly not enough to see all the sights and get a full feeling of the city. More to see: 

• Al Tayebat Museum and International city of Science and Knowledge,
• Tariq Abdulhakim Center, 
• Fakhieh Aquarium, 
• City Walk, 
• Jeddah Art Promenade, 
• Al Rahman (Floating) Mosque, 
• multiple Jeddah’s art galleries (ARTH Gallery, Hafez Art gallery, Hayy Jameel, Zawiya 97 etc), 
• Palestine street walk,
• Eating at Palm Beach restaurant. 

Once at the airport, I grabbed Mabel Sriracha Shrimp ($10) and pistachio kunafa with ice cream ($7) at Century Burger. It was so good, I couldn’t believe it was an airport meal.
On the flight, I sat next to an interesting Egyptian guy who was a Japanese-language tour guide from Riyadh. Hatem was a treasure trove of useful information about what to see (and at what hour) and where to eat in Al Ula. 

Al Ula. 

A few years ago Al Ula was completely unknown, today, it is the world’s newest and most talked about archeological site. It didn’t just appear out of nowhere, oasis near Al Ula existed for centuries and witnessed multiple civilizations crisscrossing it along the caravan trade routes. The archeological and historical significance of this place was evident to the Saudi kings for long time, however, it was kept out of people’s sight and away of researchers’ picks and shovels until the Kingdom decided to divest its oil portfolio and invest into tourism. For all those reasons, this place like a magnet attracts lots of visitors which has its cons and pros. Pros are that it is very developed (old Al Ula town is carefully reconstructed; new museums are built; art exhibitions, sport competitions and musical concerts are frequent; restaurants and carefully selected shops are plentiful), accessible (new airport, Uber and Careem) and organized (all important UNESCO sites are booked ONLY via www.experiencealula.com). Cons are that is it very expensive (mid-range hotels aren’t existent, private guides/drivers are a few and very pricey), restricted (you can’t enter most of the sites and never by yourself) and small (most excavations are in the beginning stages). Dadan, Jaba Ikmah and post-islamic cultures left their footprints there, however, it is most famously known for the Nabataean town of Hegra (Mada’in Saleh) – the Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. They say that Al Ula is an open-air museum and it felt like one: sterile, extremely curated, constantly guarded (the “park rangers” won’t leave your side at any point) and costly. As a visitor, you will see only what the Royal Commission for Al Ula wants you to see and nothing beyond that. It is a boutique experience catered for upscale clientele so if you want to have a true “Indiana Jones” discovery adventure, go to Petra! Despite all of these, it is still a must-visit place. Caravan trade paths have passed through the region since pre-Islamic times and it has been settled by indigenous and migrant Arab tribes for millennia. Captivating history, rich intertwined culture, multiple excavation sites (many of which are in active discovery mode), ancient oasis, exotic mud houses, stunning dune scenery and rock formations in combination with ultra luxurious desert-themed resorts and Michelin star-worthy dining experiences are there for anyone who can afford it.  

I flew into Al Ula around 16.00, and as with all my flights within KSA, my luggage was already at the carousel and I was out of the airport 15 mins after landing. Unheard of! Black taxi to the old Al Ula town was about R100 ($27). I stayed at Dar Tantora hotel which occupies the southern edge of old town within a short walking distance to Al Jadidah Arts district. Painstakingly and carefully restored 30 mud houses are as close to authentic and traditional living in Al Ula as it can be. Each house is a suite which consists of multiple rooms and a spacious bathroom, the old streets are hotel’s lobbies and it even has the roof-top heated pool. To keep it original, Dar Tantora chose to keep it circa 12th century, skip the electricity and lit all the premises with thousands of candles. There is one light fixture in the bathroom and two electrical outlets in the suite, but mostly it is just candles. The experience was above and beyond my expectations, service was fabulous and mobile-butler was very helpful. Please, use the pool as it is perhaps the most under-used facility in the hotel and the self-powered gym (no electricity there either). 

The main issue planning a trip to Al Ula was my lack of driving skills, so I looked for a local driver to take me around. One that was highly recommended quoted me $240 (R900) per day. However, once I got to Al Ula, I realized that Uber was everywhere and it was very cheap (R12- $3.2 from my hotel to the Winter Park etc), so I decided to make a deal with an Uber driver which was much more reflective of real prices. Here are a few contacts Ahmad (+966 53 557 0946 – minimal English but he as very resourceful) and Arman Ali (+966 54 460 9037). 

During my visit, the town hosted the Al Ula Arts Festival, so pretty much every vacant square or building in Al Jadidah Arts district (part of old town) accommodated some sort of artistic/visual/acoustic exhibit or performance. So, I spent 3-4 hours in the afternoon attending multiple exhibitions –  by Maha Malluh: Reminiscence, Lebanese artist Tarek Atoui: Bayt al Hams, American James Turrell and a show-room of the all-girls Madrasat Addeera. Performances, workshops and lectures are also part of the festival however, I didn’t have enough time to attend. The old library is a beautifully restored building with co-working spaces, kids room, rooftop and a cafe that I would recommend to visit too. 

As I mentioned prior, the most important UNESCO sites can be visited only as a part of an organized group with a prior arrangement via www.experiencealula.com. I booked four different tours:

• Hegra After Dark (2h15m)
• Dadan and Jabal Ikmah (2h30m)
• Hegra (3h)
• Al Ula old town tour (1h)

Most tours start at the Winter Park where, by organized coach, everyone is bused (30 mins) to a visitor’s center. “Hegra After Dark” started at 21.00, 20-30 people were greeted with kahwa (Saudi coffee) and dates and offered warm blankets (temperature in the desert can drop to negative degrees). From the visitor’s center we took horse drawn carriages to Secret Garden (Al Khuraymat Tombs) that was beautifully lit with candle lights. There was a performance-narration of Nabataean history in Arabic (with English translation) and live music. Then we walked to a nearby site, a so-called “Theater of Life” where a Nabataean traditional market with foods, drinks and crafts was set up for us to try and taste. It was accompanied by another reenactment of traditional life. Ancient tombs, dramatic mountains, sound of oud under the full moon was a perfect welcome evening in Al Ula. Around 23.30 we were whisked away by horse carriages back to the visitor’s center and then to the Winter Park. I didn’t have any issues getting an Uber at midnight. Note: both sites can be visited only during “Hegra After Dark” and are not part of a regular Hegra day tour. 

 Day 5. Al Ula.

I had a full day carefully planned with activities. I started with a 7.30 tour of Dadan and Jabal Ikmah, then proceeded with a 10.30 tour of Hegra. Both tours started at the Winter park and were very conveniently timed back to back. Guides, activities and information, along with small museums were very informative, though there was no self-wandering or solo explorations. 

Dadan and Jabal Ikmah (R60 – $16) are two different sites near each other. Believed to have been carved out of the rock faces more than 2,500 years ago, hundreds of Dadan Tombs are a strong reminder of the ancient civilization of the Liyahanite and Dadan kingdom. From the Winter Park we (me and one other tourist) were bused to the Dadan South, where a small museum and a wonderfully knowledgeable guide provided a very good timeline of the area from the Paleolithic and Bronze Age to modern times, accompanied by the detailed history of Dadan kingdom and recent findings. There was also a very interesting explanation of the various alphabets used and found in the area. Our first stop was by the Lion Tombs (600 BC) – located 50m above ground those square-shaped grave openings are the tribute to the Minaean (current day Yemen) king who, while actively using the area as a trading route, purchased the mountain to bury the people of his own (Ma’in) tribe there. Four visible statues of lions are carved above some of the tombs and are indicative of the high status of their occupants, perhaps even royalty. We could only observe the tombs from 500m away and use binoculars for close ups. The tour’s second stop focused on the city of Dadan, where the ruins of a stone carved temple worshipping Dhu Ghaybah, the most important god of the Liyahanites, can be viewed. The outline of the temple, a massive, carved from one piece of rock, ablution basin as well as the footprints of many adjacent buildings are clearly visible. Multiple statues of difference sizes as well as incense and incense burners (traditional gifts to gods) were found in the temple proving its sacred status among locals and visitors alike. While walking back, we were pointed out the ruins of an early Islamic fort which once had a tower in each of its four corners and rooms surrounding an open courtyard. 

Our third stop was at Jabal Ikmah, known as “Outdoor Library”. It is an astonishing site of thousands of inscriptions in Aramaic, Dadantic, Thamudic, Manaic and Nabataean languages that gives a lasting testimony to the importance of these diverse historical kingdoms that go back at least to the 1st millennium BC. Those inscriptions are rich in both, content and form, providing us with valuable historical data as well as giving us a template for understanding the development of the Arabic language. Many of these inscriptions were paid for, upon which a stone crafters then created the requested message, often containing little more than what we would now consider graffiti (ex: “I was here”, “Pray for my safe passage” etc). There is also a rich display of rock art depicting people and animals in everyday scenes, musical instruments and leisure activities, however, journeys and pilgrimages are the most commonly portrayed themes. On the way back, we stopped by a workshop where we could practice our stone-chiseling skills by hammering out our names in Dadantic language on a flat soft rock surface  (and yes, I took my masterpiece with me).  

My second tour, Hegra Archeological site (Mada’in Saleh) started at 10.30 at the Winter park. This time, we traveled by 2 buses (60-70 people) and made 4 stops. Hegra is the most famous site in the area and indisputably the kingdom’s jewel. Mada’in Saleh was populated from Dadans to Romans during its early history, becoming an important commercial center along the Arabian Peninsula trade route to the north. It also served as a pilgrimage path to Medina and Mecca, however, already in the early days of Islam, local community had moved 25 kms away to Al Ula old town. The Nabataean Kingdom (3 century B.C. – 2 century A.D.)  stretched from what is now Jordan (with its capital in Petra) on the north, to Dumat al Jandal to the east, and to the modern-day Al Ula region at its southernmost edge. Hegra, the second largest city of the Nabataean Kingdom, was populated from the times of Noah and Moses, but declined after the beginning of the 1st century A.D. The downfall left the area effectively undisturbed for centuries, that is why many of the gravesites remain in the good condition and represent a fascinating site for new archeological discoveries. Most of the 2,000 monuments found in Hegra were built between 1 century B.C. and 1 century A.D. The area contains a total of 131 impressive tombs within an area of about 15 sq km, but also inscriptions, depicting the social status of their occupants and key elements of their lives, compete with dates, aiding archeological knowledge. Otherwise, most information came not from the Nabataeans themselves but from Greek, Roman and Egyptian records. The tombs were constructed by the Thamudic people – an Arab tribe who were considered to be idol worshippers – and were designed to contain family groups. The stairs at the top represent the ascent of the soul into heaven. The façades are hewn from sandstone rock, many are elaborately decorated with Nabataean inscriptions and symbols of life and afterlife, but also contain elements of Mesopotamian and Roman influence – eagles, griffins, sphinxes, medusa-like faces and snakes. Some of the inscriptions warn the intruders of fines and divine punishments for breaking inside or grave-robbing. There are a number of unfinished tombs, including some rocks that contain little more than a smooth façade, which helped archeologist deduct the process of building them – from top to bottom. 

On the bus, an audio recording recounted a historical narrative of Hegra and a visit plan, however, we were accompanied by a guide, Aziz, who gave us more illustrious descriptions in each of the visited places. First stop was at Jabal Ithlib (20 mins) – an area highlighted by a well-preserved diwan (meeting place) set in a dramatic setting at the entrance to a narrow passage between two sets of rock cliffs (Siq). Huge diwan is built into the rock and contains stone benches on three sides, it was used by Nabataeans for religious ceremonies, as well as for banqueting, entertainment and political gatherings. An oratory niche and a cartouche in the ancient Nabataean script can be seen directly opposite the opening of the diwan along with other cuneiform inscriptions on the rock face. You can’t step inside but you can proceed along the siq to a small open area on the other side of the mountain.

Second stop was at Jabal al Banat (45 min)  – a cluster of 29 tombs named “Mountain of a Woman” because it was owned by or created for women. We were able to walk around followed by “park rangers” who, while diligently keeping us away from going inside the tombs and venturing too far from the marked path, were helpful in taking pictures and answering questions. It was possible to peek into many tombs but #26 was the only one we were allowed to enter. Most façades of the tombs in Jabal al Banat were elaborately decorated with depictions of snakes, birds and other pre-Islamic symbols. By exploring the inside of tombs, you can see that initially bodies have been buried inside the chased niches, both on the ground and in the walls. Nonetheless, Aziz told us that some bodies, at later times, were simply left on the surface inside the tombs. Now, the gold-shimmering sandy host mountain naturally blends into its surrounding dunes, however, when the area was actively used, the tombs were painted in bright colors with hued fabrics covering its walls and doors and served not only as burial spots but also as gathering places for celebrations.

Third stop was at Qasr al Farid (Tomb of the Lihyan son of Kuza) (20 mins) – the largest monolith in the area towering nearly 22 m tall that was left unfinished. It is carved into its own separate sandstone outcrop and stands alone at the distance from other tombs (hence the name “Lonely Castle”). From the top down it contains steps, ledges, outline of four columns and a rectangular opening, have it been completed, it would have been the largest tomb in the area. No one knows who it was built for, a person or a family, whether they were rich merchants or military hero (one of the theories) will forever remain a mystery.

The last stop was by the Face rock (5 mins) – an excellent natural stone formation that looks like a person in profile, including the neck, lips, nose and even eyelids. 

We didn’t stop at Jabal al Ahmar, where more than 80 tombs are scattered on a plain in several clusters. This is a place where in 2014 the bones of Hinat  – the name given by archeologists to the skeletal remains of a 2,000 year old Nabataean woman – were found along with bits of fine-quality cloth and a necklace, revealing more information about the wealth of Nabataean culture. More information and facial reconstruction of this 40 year old woman are in the small museum at the Visitor’s center. 

In Hegra, our group encountered a privately -guided party of a few Russians with briefcases. They looked so out of place that even their suits looked menacing. Undoubtedly, they were visiting Al Ula prior to the Russian-Ukrainian peace talks that were supposed to start in Riyadh in a few days.

I finished both tours at 14.00 and took an Uber to Maraya. In order to see the world’s largest mirrored building (concert hall) you need either a hotel or restaurant reservation at one of the two hotels on the premisses (Banyan Tree or Habitats) or at Maraya itself (either a guided tour or at Maraya Social restaurant).  A day prior, I reserved a lunch at Harrat restaurant at the Banyan Tree hotel and received a QR code which was verified and reconfirmed by the security guard at the checkpoint. Maraya is a large rectangular box made of nearly 10,000 mirrored panels. It is located in a valley surrounded by stunning cliffs and I do see how conceptually it could be mind-blowing. However, concept and reality diverge here, because the infrastructure (a huge parking lot, delivery entrance), 4 parked buses as well as a few hundreds of people were all mirroring back into the desert, making the whole experience extremely underwhelming. Nonetheless, my lunch at Harrat restaurant was excellent. While at the restaurant (with a view of Maraya), a caravan of black and white camels traversed the nearby dunes making me think whether its herder also had a special permit to pass the checkpoint. 

After lunch, I made a 3-hour arrangement with my Uber driver (R100 – $27) to take me to two more places. First stop, Jabal al Fil (the Elephant Rock – open at 16.00). A beautiful rock formation in the shape of an elephant is one of the most famous landmarks in Al Ula. Stretching an imposing 52m into the sky, the warm-hued sandstone shows the history of its creation, revealing millions of years of erosion through rain, wind and sand. I arrived around 17.00 to see how the declining sun played with the desert shadows revealing different shades of gold. Multiple “dug-in-sand” cushioned banquets equipped with warm fire pits, a few cafes and food trucks nearby definitely invite you to stay, relax and watch as the sun fades away with music tunes echoing in the background.

However, I had a better plan. The sunset was at 18.23 and I wanted to be at the Harrat Viewpoint to witness it. At 1,219m it offers the best views of the epic landscape overlooking deep ravines, the oasis, the old Al Ula town and incredible rock formations as far as the eye can see. Time your visit and enjoy!

Day 6. Al Ula – Ha’il.

In the morning, after having an avocado toast and traditional foul for breakfast at Joontos restaurant in Dar Tantora, I joined the 8 am tour of Old Al Ula town (60 mins, R70-$19). Note: most of the original settlement, especially the part across the highway, remains in ruins and can be seen only from the outside. A maze of historic alleys and marketplaces, age-old mud-brick houses (900 in total) and gates, the old town looks like an impenetrable human honey comb with all the houses stacked next to each other. It was an ancient incense trading route back in the 12th century and was inhabited until the 1980s. People who lived here, occupied their homes only in winter season and left for oasis nearby in the summer. Lower floors of their houses were built in stone and served as storage and barn facilities, while upper levels were mud-made and were the living quarters. I personally thought it was a bad real estate investment if every time you come back home you have to rebuild the upper level which could sustained heat and cold, but was totally vulnerable to rains and winds. During the tour, we visited only the restored part of old town. We stopped by a 30-m deep well of al Hajjaj, explored some of the 14 gates (partially made with the stones from Dadan), visited a diwan and entered one of the houses. Then we climbed (45m) to the top of Mousa bin Nusair Fort (aka as Al Ula Historic Castle) which was built as defense for the settlement in the 6th century BC. Top of the Castle offers the best views of the ancient labyrinth of the old town and they are stunning.

Before returning to the hotel, I walked along the Old Town Walk, a pedestrian street with carefully selected stores and restaurants, did some gift shopping and went back to my hotel to pack. But before I left for the airport, I took a dip in my hotel’s swimming pool, I just must! 

There are other interesting things to do in Al Ula:

• Gharameel stargazing or hiking with Husaak Adventures;
• dune bashing;
• oasis trekking;
• taking a hot-air balloon;
• rock-climbing or zip lining;
• attending an event at Maraya;
• eating muhalabiya (camel milk dessert) at Noug. 

In the afternoon, I caught a flight via Riyadh to Ha’il. I arrived in the evening and checked into my hotel – Holiday Villa – which was in the city center and only 10 mins drive from the airport. It was a standard 3* hotel but it came with a few surprises – my room was windowless and all toiletries in the bathroom were already unsealed and used by a previous guest. 

Day 7. Ha’il. 

I finally made it to the Najd region of Saudi Arabia where I spent the remaining days of my trip. Located in the center of the Arabian Peninsula, “najd” means uplands and describes the landscape that slopes downwards from the west to the east of the region. Home to the country’s second largest desert, al Nafud, it is generously dotted with wadis (river beds) and oasis that have sustained life here for millennia and till today provide a main source for agriculture, especially dates and grains. Provinces of Riyadh, al Qassim and Ha’il, which comprise the Najd region, are rich in history, cultural heritage and religious beliefs (Salafism originated in Najd). It contains evidence of some of the earliest civilizations in the Middle East and it is believed that local al Magar people, living during Neolithic period, were one of the first cultures in the world to domesticate wild animals, particularly the horse. Najd was home of the first Saudi state (1774-1818, Diriyah near Riyadh) and Emirate of Ha’il (1836-1921, Ha’il) up until the creation of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

Najd is also famous for its traditional architecture, which is both distinctive and esthetic. It features thick, orange-yellow or brown mud-clay walls, accented with rectangular windows usually painted white. Windows higher up are often triangular and may be arranged in different patterns. The external walls are usually topped with a row of white pyramid-like battlements which makes the entire structure look like a gigantic geometric puzzle. This impression is emphasized by the complex designs and elaborate patterns of the exterior doors, which, in my opinion, deserve their own entry into the UNESCO list. 

Ha’il Province is strategically located at the crossroads of historical trade routes between Mesopotamia and the ancient kingdoms in what is now Yemen, as well as the pilgrimage path between the Persian gulf and the Red sea. However, numerous stone tools discovered in the area go back to the Mousterian period (100,000-40,000 years ago) and it is very likely to be the first inhabited place in the Kingdom, some think as long as 1 million years ago. The rock art of the era depicts a semi-nomadic, hunter-gatherer civilization corresponding to the Neolithic times (9,000-7,500 B.C.). By the time of the Copper Age (from 5,000 B.C.), the lifestyle had become more settled, attested to by the differences in the stone tools that have been discovered here. These artifacts also signal major climate change from a fertile and green environment to the desertification and animal migration. 

Arab tribes lived in the province since pre-Islamic times, with the Ghassanids and Lakhmis dominant alongside the Nabateans. Diverse terrain, abundant resources and trade made this area rich and attracted many visitors (the Babylonian king Nabonidus), poets and historical figures. The ruler of the prominent Tayy tribe, Hatim al-Tai, lived in Ha’il and was so charitable that until now local people are known for their hospitality and expression “Hatimi generosity” is still commonly used throughout the country. When Islam spread across the Arabian Peninsula, many members of local Tayy tribe converted to Islam providing a crucial route for pilgrims, connecting Kufa (modern day Iraq) to Mecca – via Darb Zubaydah (Zubaida Trail). The city of Faid became the most important station on this pilgrimage road, gaining prosperity during the Abbasid Caliphate between the years 750 and 1258. In the 18th century, Ha’il region played a significant role in the political and cultural events. It was among the last regions to come under the rule of the First Saudi State in 1790 and the local Rashid dynasty of Shammar tribe completely ignored and sabotaged the existence of the Second Saudi State (which still makes many locals proud). It became part of KSA in 1921. 

I had one full day in Ha’il region so I went ambitious by arranging a private guide (R1500 -$400 via www.hailtour.net, Fraih +966 56543 5663) and discussing all the points of interest beforehand. I wanted to visit al Hutaymah, a pilgrimage city of Faid, castles of Ha’il and most importantly the UNESCO World Heritage site of Jubbah. My guide was abu Hamad –  a true bedouin, a former religious studies teacher, he was superbly erudite, knowledgeable and lived a life worthy of an epic-novel.  Abu Hamad and I started at 8 am and drove to Harrat al Hutaymah – a volcanic crater created after an explosion that took place 1.8 million years ago. I have never seen anything like it, so the views simply took my breath away. It is possible to descend 300m to the salt-crusted ring on the bottom (as locals do in the summer time to collect salt) or hike its 5km circumference. I would have loved to do both but we didn’t have time for it. However, we had time to throw an exotic picnic at the crater’s edge with some kahwa and dates. To my surprise, I found a lot of different flowers and plants growing on the rim of the crater, which immediately reminded me of a storybook “Field trip to Volcano Island” by John Hare that my 2 year old twins adore. In the story, the main character gets carried away by collecting different flowers near the volcanic crater and  eventually falls into it. 

Our next stop was Faid and its museum and archeological site (free, comes with a knowledgeable and very funny guide too). Generally Faid is associated with the Islamic era, particularly the Abbasid period, however, recent archeological excavations uncovered lithic tools, such as an Acheulean hand axe dating to the Paleolithic Era, approximately 250,000 years ago. Several stone structures of the Neolithic (10,000-3,500 B.C.) and the Bronze Ages (3,500-1,200 B.C.) were discovered around Faid fortress, including foundations and circular stone constructions. There are many rock arts and inscriptions engraved on the mountain faces surrounding Faid attesting to the active cultural, social and political activities in pre-Islamic days. At that time, Faid’s women held significant rights and high status, were able to dispose of their own money and chose their own husbands. A popular local proverb compares Faid women to Arab kings. Local poetesses such as Ghaniya ben Afif, Assiyya al- Bolaniyya, Abeyyah bent Uqba bin Zuhar and others thrived and achieved tremendous success and reputation. 

However, Faid is forever associated with the most famous pilgrimage route that connected Kufa (Iraq) to Mecca, aka Zubaydah Trail. It was only natural that a pre-Islamic caravan path, connecting Mesopotamian and Arab merchants, would grow into something bigger with the advent of Islam. The first Abbasid Caliph, Abdullah abul’ Abas, oversaw the building of stopping points along the way where pilgrims could rest and replenish supplies. The oasis of Faid was a perfect place as it carried abundance of water.  Once the Abbasid caliphs relocated the Islamic capital from Damascus to Baghdad, Faid gained even more importance as a vital stop halfway between the Caliphate and the Holy Mosques. Interestingly, the construction of Zubaydah trail is purely attributed to the wife of Caliph Harun al-Rashid and a granddaughter of the Caliph abu Ja’far al Mansour (the founder of Baghdad) Zubaydah – who after failing to reach Mecca from Baghdad ordered and paid for the development of a proper pilgrimage route. Best Arab and Byzantine architects and engineers participated in its construction. The route’s directions were sketched out, with sandy and muddy sections covered with stones, all obstacles were removed and it was designed and built in a professional architectural style with a precise system of water infrastructure such as dams, wells, reservoirs, canals and basins. Milestones, flags, and watchtowers were placed along the path to guide pilgrims at all hours of day and night. Zubaydah trail was 1,400 km long and passed through 29 town-stations equipped with accommodations, wells, protective walls, castles, palaces, mosques etc. It was well-organized and most importantly, safe.  Pilgrims and commerce convoys made all those stations, especially Faid, wealthy, as locals bartered whatever they produced (meat, animals, dairy) with visitors. The trail flourished for almost 500 years, until the fall of Baghdad in 1258 when it was abandoned due to lack of safety. Most of its stations, facilities and monuments were destroyed, leaving just a few vestiges. Notably, ibn Battuta visited Faid in 1327 as he continued his area explorations after leaving Mecca.
Now in ruins, by the side of the road of a tiny village with the same name, the entire site is unusual for the area as the structures are made of much darker basalt stone from nearby lava fields rather than the traditional light colored Najd mud brick. The entrance to the site is via a modern and well-designed Faid Archeological Museum. It contains various artifacts from pottery to coins and jewels. A few videos help to situate the visitors in place, time and importance of this place. Faid has an area of 2 sq km and was built in style of Islamic -Arab towns: the city’s core dominated by a large fort, a gated seat of government, residential, commercial and agricultural lands, water infrastructure and towers. The archeological site contains two concentric walls built to protect the settlement. The outer wall has 10 towers along its 750m length. Inside this wall used to be residential areas (40 houses) and shops along the internal roads. 5m high and 370m long interior wall was built as a military stronghold. Some of the walls have been restored, but almost most of the site remains in ruins while awaiting the UNESCO recognition. Excavations on the south side revealed ovens that are estimated to have produced food for as many as 1,000 people, large cisterns for gathering water (22m in circumference and 2m depth) and a mosque. It was such an interesting historical place to visit and incredibly fascinating to walk the roads and visit, barely the foundations, the residential area.   

Our third stop was in Ha’il town at Qasr Aarif (free). This fort was constructed during the reign of Mohammed bin Abdul Mohsen in the 17th century, with additions made by the al Rashid family during their rule. Built on a high hill in the center of Ha’il, it has been carefully restored and represents a beautiful example of Najd architecture. Qasr is 40m by 11m and named after the rooster’s comb due to the large piece of rock sticking out at the base of the fort. The walls are made of mud, straw and small pebbles, filled with tiny round and rectangular windows. Inside, there are several courtyards, balconies, storage rooms, living quarters, baths and even a toilet, as well as a praying area and a mosque. A gun platform has a German-manufactured Ottoman cannon which was mostly used to announce the start of Ramadan. From the upper terrace, there are wonderful panoramic views of the city. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a museum or any annotations within the castle for more information. 

Our next stop in Ha’il was at Al Qishlah Castle (free). Built, also in Najd style, in 1941 as an artillery and weapon depot, this enormous (143m by 141m) fortress was only briefly used for military services. Two stories accommodate 80 and 60 rooms respectively; equipped with a private kitchen, each room could house up to 15 people. There are a total of eight watchtowers, two gates to the south and east and a large mosque with an outdoor praying area. There is a pedestaled teal old jeep greets you at the entrance – it was confiscated from a Kuwaiti citizen who accidentally had a pack of cigarets (then a contraband) in his pocket while crossing to Saudi Arabia. A tale or a true story, judge for yourself.

It was almost 16.00 when we finally made it to Jubbah (free), a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its rock art and petroglyphs. Jubbah is one of the oldest inhabited places in the Arabian Peninsula, evidenced by archeological findings on Mount Umm Sinman which date back to the Middle Stone Age (80,000-40,000 years ago). The area where Jubbah currently stands once was a large lake (presence of salt flats, sea shells and water markings on the surrounding rocks). The rocky mountains around Jubbah served as shelters for hunters who actively documented their way of life on the rock faces and their carvings still remain today for us to see. In the 4th millennium B.C., climatic changes led to the drying up of Lake Jubbah and gradual disappearance of its vegetations, decline in human activities and wildlife migration. Archeological data doesn’t show any residential structures from the Stone Age, indicating that early humans likely lived in caves and rock shelters, especially on Mount Umm Sinman. Key artifacts of that era are burial sites and rock art. During the second millennium B.C., camels were domesticated, trading routes became active, rainfall increased and kingdoms and empires emerged, leading to increase in human activities around Jubbah too. Populated mostly by Thamudic tribes since the first millennium B.C., the local mountains are excessively covered with Thamudic inscriptions which paint a detailed picture of their civilization, as well as those of many travelers and traders who passed through the area en-route from Mesopotamia to Levant (most notably, in Lihyanite, Musnad and Nabatean). One of the earliest mentions of Jubbah comes from Greek geographer Ptolemy in the 2nd century A.D., who referred to it by its Aramaic name “Aina” which means “spring”. Although Jubbah wasn’t a major stop on the pilgrimage routes during the Islamic period, relevant inscriptions were also found on its rock faces, including inscriptions in Kufic script reciting Qur’anic verses and prayers. 

I started my exploration of Jubbah at the Visitor’s center where a museum guide explained to me the significance of this site, its history and chronology, she also pointed out a few petroglyphs to watch out for as they were the oldest (10,000 years old) among hundreds of thousands of others. The UNESCO site consists of two different parks 3km apart and the Visitor’s Center is adjacent to one. Once I was outside, the rock paintings and writings were everywhere. My guide explained the most interesting ones to me, indicating their importance and message. Deer, gazelles, horses, ibex, lions, oryx and ostriches were easy to identify and knowing the history of the place, I knew they were the earliest depictions of life here when Lake Jubbah sustained all that diversity. The images of camels were probably added centuries later as the climate turned drier. Ones to pay special attention to are: two rows of dancing people wearing donkey masks, a king with a round necklace, a headless ox hunter (two paintings), an ibex, herd of oryx, an ox with a calf.

When we reached the second park (long after its 17.00 closing time), museum guide was waiting for us there to unlock and let us in. Two of the most important and oldest petroglyphs are located on the same rock. One is of a tall hunter and another is of a chariot/carriage pulled by two horses. My guide took me slightly to the side and sat me on a rock to explain the tradition and evolution of circular burials. Apparently, lots of them were recently discovered in Harrat Khaybar and Al-Hayit regions of Saudi Arabia and archeologists call them “pendant tombs”. Abu Hamad told me how the process of burial, position of the body and the visual adornment of the burial sites changed and progressed from era to era, starting from a small circular stone enclosure and growing into the ones hundred meters in diameter with 200-300 m long stone “tails”. I wasn’t quite sure why he was explaining this to me because we were nowhere near the excavations of Harrat Khaybar, until he told me to look around and I realized that I sat on one of the stones which comprised a perfectly circular burial. It has not been excavated yet, but preliminary study showed that the body inside is buried in a fetus position and a relatively modest size of the circle (6-8 m) indicates that it was built about 4,500 years ago. Next to the circular ruins was a rock with a clear early Islamic time inscription in Arabic, which was also very interesting.

Once we drove into orange sunset, I couldn’t stop thinking about how lucky I was to be in Ha’il and experience all those unique and captivating places, and how fortunate I was to have abu Hamad to share his knowledge with me and make me learn about and appreciate it even more. It was one of the highlights of my trip to Saudi Arabia.  

Other places/things to do in the area:

• Barzan Castle in Ha’il.
• camping in the An Nafud desert, not only it is so a-là Lawrence of Arabia, who crossed this desert many times, but also it is the place where the oldest human fossil (85,000) outside Africa and the Levant was discovered. 
• Rata and Al-Majur in Ash-Shuwaymis – a UNESCO listed site with ancient rock art and petroglyphs. 
• purchase some of the local arts and crafts. 

Day 8. Riyadh. 

You can’t visit Saudi Arabia and skip Riyadh – the country’s capital and home to 8 million people. Riyadh, which translates as “garden”, has been in existence since pre-Islamic times. Originally known as Hajr al Yamamah, it was first settled as early as the Paleolithic in about 1st millennium B.C. by Bani Hanifa tribe, who were also the early converts to Islam and came under the Rashidun Caliphate. Hajr then became a capital of al Yamama province during the times of the Umayyad and Abbasid empires, however it lost its status when the area was conquered by the Ukhaydhirites in 866 A.D. and went into decline for the next several centuries. Name “Riyadh’ first appeared in 1590 A.D. In 1737, it referred to the oases that were walled in for protection by Deham bin Dawwas, who took over the area from neighboring Manfuha. In 1744, the “al Saud and al Wahhab” alliance was formed, creating the First Saudi State and controlling Riyadh and other nearby settlements out of Diriyah (just outside Riyadh). After the destruction of the First Saudi State, the control of the region was held by the Ottomans. Riyadh was named the capital of the tempestuous Second Saudi State in 1823 and was ruled by Al Saud and his rival al Rashid tribe from Ha’il. During this period , the Masmak fortress of Riyadh was built, however, the state collapsed in 1891. 

In 1902, Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman bin Faisal al Saud came back from exile in Kuwait. He captured the Masmak fortress, regained control of Riyadh and eventually (by 1932) consolidated all of the other regions of the modern Kingdom. The Najd region in central Arabia was so little known in the West at that time that the precise location of Riyadh was a mystery to Western cartographers who did not know the latitude and longitude of Riyadh. In his book “The Kingdom” Robert Lacey wrote that in Western maps of the early 20th century “Riyadh was a dot placed capriciously somewhere in the central wilderness”. It all changed since the discovery of oil in 1938, which propelled the country and its capital into the future.

I took the very first flight to Riyadh where I arrived at 7.30 am, checked into my hotel – Hyatt Regency on Olaya street. My local friend recommended me this location, however, any place along the new subway lines would be perfectly fine. The city is not pedestrian friendly, and despite great pavements and lots of malls and restaurants, the Olaya Street area was pretty much deserted for most part. Hyatt  Regency was a great 5* hotel with excellent amenities and restaurant. Its women’s gym – as most gyms in KSA are segregated – was the only one with the proper weight machines and weights as oppose to just cardio equipment, yet it was still not on par with the gym facilities for men. 

Knowing that souks would be closed around noon for the midday break, I took metro to Al Batha and Dirah areas  – Riyadh’s historic center that could be explored on foot. I got off “Al Owd” stop and first, visited the Maqbarat aloud cemetery known as the final resting place of many kings, queens, crown princes and royals of the second and current Saudi states. All graves are unmarked, humble and homogeneous, aline with the local traditions. Then, via King Faisal Road I walked through Dirah area – residential, not touristy, clean but haggard, with carpets hanging out of the windows and roofs. I stopped by the Kingdom Heritage store to get some souvenirs for kids and bedouin jewelry for myself. Masmak Fortress was closed for renovation, so I walked through the infamous Al Safat aka “chop-chop” square. This is a place where Saudi justice is executed, in the literal sense, by public beheadings. It was quiet in the morning, except for a few dozen workers who were setting up a big stage for the Founding Day celebration. As a non-muslim, I couldn’t go inside the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Grad Mosque, adjacent to al Safat Square, however, it is one of the largest and oldest mosques in Riyadh built in a beautiful Nadj architecture with a huge courtyard in the middle. They say that funeral prayers of kings and many other members of royal family upon their death are held here. The rest of my morning I spent browsing through Souk al Zel that sells fabrics, oud, perfumes, spices, shoes, carpets and other goods for local buyers. Obviously, morning isn’t the best time to visit souks but it was my only free time so I seised the opportunity. On the north of al Safat Square there was a building with a plaque I couldn’t ignore, it read “General Presidency of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice”, I had to take a selfie with it. 

Then I walked to al Batha area to the north, the street was lined with wholesale shops and trade was quite active. The area itself was a bit peculiar and I saw a few homeless men, the only ones during my entire trip, but it didn’t feel unsafe. People threw curious looks at me, but never failed to greet me with a smile. The area of interest in al Batha is King Abdulaziz Historical center – it comprises of King Abdulaziz library, al Watan park, the Murabba Palace and the Saudi National Museum. 

Murabba Palace (”Square palace”, free), built between 1936-1945, was home of King Abdulaziz from 1938 till his death in 1953. He lived there with one of his wives, Hussa bint Ahmed al Sudairi, whose life deserves its own story. The palace was constructed in Najd style, using mud bricks, straw, wood and palm tree fronds. The doors, windows and ceilings are made of wood with geometric patterns painted in black, red and yellow. There are two levels with a total of 32 rooms designed around an open courtyard with one lonely palm tree. The ground floor was used as government offices as well as workers’ rooms, while the second floor housed the king’s living quarter and reception halls. The palace, when it was built reflected all innovative features, like electricity, plumbing, air conditioning and the kingdom’s first elevator. I found the architecture itself and the photographs of the era to be the most fascinating pieces in the palace. 

Across the park from the Murabba palace is the Saudi National Museum (free, 6 rooms out of 8 were open for visitors, allow 2-3 hours).  I really liked this museum because it gave a very comprehensive look at the history of the peninsula including current and past excavation sites, different civilizations and writing systems. And it was all done in chronological order (starting with the Hall of Man and the Universe and ending with Hall of the Hajj and Two Holy Mosques), for someone with a minor OCD, it was just perfect. 

At 18.00 I went to Old Diriyah (free before 17.00, after R50, allow 2-3 hours) – home of the At Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site. This village next to Riyadh is the historical capital of the Saudi kingdom and was recently extensively renovated. The al Sauds were the leaders of the Emirate of Diriyah during the First Saudi State, dating back to 1744. Old Diriyah’s historic structures, built from 1766, were once the center of their power, as well as the home of al Wahhab family whose religious influence can be felt to this day in the Kingdom and beyond, in the form of Salafism. The streets of at Turaif wind around a series of mud-brick and straw-walled buildings that range from huts to palaces, and from shops to mosques. Built in Najd style, lots of beautiful bright geometric designs can be spotted throughout the area. There are multiple museums to visit – the Diriyah Museum of Salwa Palace, the Military Museum, Arabian horse Museum, the Saudi Daily life Museum etc – that provide artifacts and details about the history of the Saudi royal family. 

Uber literally dropped me off at al Bujairi Terrace (restaurants, exhibition halls, outdoor stage), which I had to cross in order to get to at Turaif. In order to enter the terrace, you need to show either the restaurant reservation QR code or an online ticket to visit Diriyah. The ticket offers free guided tours but I had limited time, so I went to explore on my own. From the Bujairi terrace I approached a beautifully lit at Turaif village. I explored it for a few hours and loved how curators highlighted the meaning of the place, the ordinary life of its inhabitants, the traditions via palace and small-house museums and experiences (coffee ceremony, dance, musical performances). I visited Sibalat (charitable foundation), Endowment Mouhdi (accommodation for students), Horse Museum, Imam Abdullah bin Saud Palace, Military Museum, House of Ardah, Al-Majlis (the gathering house), the ruins of the original mosque and Diriyah History Museum that houses a huge family tree of the entire royal family. I also arranged to see the traditional ardah dance at al Turaif Nuzul, a theater where life performances are held, but was given a wrong time so I missed it. 

At 20.30 my Saudi friend and I celebrated my 45th birthday at Takya restaurant in Bujairi Terrace. I highly recommend this place, it serves Saudi cuisine with modern twist, which was delicious and plentiful. 

Day 9. Ushaiger.

I booked a trip to Ushaiger Heritage village ($260 via Viator, I paid for two people since I was alone) but Aziz’ number is +966 50 885 0930. Ushaiger was described as “a wonderful example of a typical Najd village that brings the past back to life”. Translated as “little blond”, describing the mountain to the north, it was settled by Bedouin tribes about 1,500 years ago as the land was rich with fresh springs, palms and olive trees. Since then, other prominent tribes lived there, including the al Sheikh and al Thani of the Benu Tamim tribe. The current Qatari ruling family Al Thani are descendants from Ushaiger. Currently, the village is in the process of restoration, there are about 400 houses and 25 mosques, all constructed with mud-brick and palm-roofs, decorated wooden doors and the distinctive triangular rooftops. We wandered along many of the pathways in the village, and discovered gardens and courtyards, historical Mahasiri market and governor’s house, multiple elaborate water collection systems/wells and houses exhibiting eclectic collections of the owners’ past glories, schools and mosques. And this all was set in the middle of a green oasis. This nearly abandoned town, with only one family-resident in situ was definitely worth a day trip from Riyadh – I enjoyed its beautiful architecture (some in ruins, but some carefully restored but not overdone), interesting history and few curious house-museums (Al Salem museum, al Nashwan House, Dar Alhumaid Heritage Museum, etc). Aziz was a wonderful guide and shared a lot of historical and personal details about this place which made it even more special. His dream is to buy and restore one of the houses in town, so he can bring visitors for overnight stays.

In the end of the tour, we had an early dinner at the Amassi Alreef restaurant in new Ushaiger town where we tried a few Saudi dishes like maqluba (upside down rice and chicken), jareesh with caramelized onions (oatmeal-like kasha) and margoog. Since alcohol is prohibited in the country, Saudis took juicing to a totally new level and I have to admit that nowhere in the world I have tried such fresh, delicious and unique combinations of difference fruits and vegetables.

Day 10. Riyadh.

Fridays are for prayers so until 2-3 pm there is absolutely nothing to do in Saudi Arabia as everything is closed and everyone is at the mosques. So, I spent my late morning exploring area around Olaya street – walked around Al Faisaliah Tower and took some photos of King Fahd National Library. Then took a metro to KAFD. The metro station “KAFD” is a museum of its own – designed and built by Zaha Hadid, it features multiple art installations including Alexander Calder’s Janey Waney and Robert Indiana’s LOVE. The Financial district is still very much under development but there were a few very architecturally interesting buildings and parks that were worth exploring. Interestingly, most buildings are connected via elevated bridges but also via monorail that is still under construction. In the afternoon, I visited Riyadh Park Mall and had lunch with my Saudi friend at Bateel cafe. 

At 20.00 I attended Al Nassr  (Ronaldo!) vs Al-Ettifaq football game at Al Awwal Stadium (R140 $37). Al Nassr team lost 2:3. Before buying tickets, I was asked which team I supported and my sex and the site generated the most appropriate seat options. Majority of fans were men, but everything went peaceful and cheerful. After the game, I met with my local friend for a late shawarma take out dinner at Mama Noura restaurant. Apparently, it is a very popular place. On the way back, we saw lots of cars flying Saudi flags and playing traditional songs on speakers in anticipation of the Founding Day celebration. 

Day 11. Riyadh.

Unlike many other countries, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia only recently introduced public holidays (four in total) and I was lucky to plan my trip during the Saudi Founding Day (February 22) – commemorating the establishment of the First Saudi State in 1727 by Imam Muhammad bin Saud. Many streets in Riyadh’s center were blocked for car traffic. No locals, including hotel staff, actually knew the exact time and locations of closures and that predetermined my plans. My flight to NYC (via Doha) wasn’t till 2 am but I checked out of the hotel at 3 pm, went to the airport (before they completely closed off the roads), and left my luggage at the T3 storage room (R110, $30 for one large/one small suitcase).

Then I went to the Saudi Cup 2025 ($50) at the King Abdulaziz racetrack. I am not that interested in the activities that use animals for human entertainment, but I thought it would be a unique cultural experience and it definitely lived up to my expectations. It felt like a healthy combination of sport competition, the Met gala and a high-end social club. Men and women were all dressed up in the most beautiful clothes from their places of origin within the kingdom (and it was ok to take photos of them). Foreign dignitaries, royal members, horse-lovers and simply tourists were all mingling together. The races, song and dance performances, social venues, exhibition halls and restaurant areas were very well designed and executed. There was a hall dedicated to modern Islamic dress design and I got to meet a few women – designers (Dawlah Alshehri) whose pieces of art were exhibited there.

The last race was around 20.30 and it bought a lot of attention mostly because of its prize money -$10,000,000 – the largest sum for one single race in the world, but also because the same horse, Forever Young, was competing to regained its crown of a champion. In a breathtaking race, it won the race. So after the crown prince MBS presented a trophy to the horse owner, it was time to leave. As with every event in KSA that ended late and involved lots of people, I had no luck in getting an Uber. A total stranger, leaving the Saudi Cup, stopped and offered me his help. He drove me to the airport and wished me a safe trip home. 

I spent a total of 4 full days in Riyadh, but there were so many more places I would have wanted to visit:

• The Edge of the World;
• dune bashing in Empty quarter;
• the Kingdom Centre or one of the other rooftops
• Hidden cave
• Qaryat al Asba “Graffiti Rocks”
• Heet cave
• Souk al Jamal Camel Market
• Boulevard World and City
• art galleries
• eat at Najd village, Lusin, Spazio or even at ALBAK.

Some more comments:

1. I used Webook app to book tickets and find events. 

2. I wish I had time to try some of the hihome.sa activities.

3.  I found locals to be friendly, kind, curious, approachable and very nice. Majority spoke very good English. 

4. At no point during my trip I felt unsafe, harassed, asked for “bakshish”, cheated etc. It was one of the most relaxing trips I’ve taken. 

5. I enjoyed looking for tourists shops, not the other way around. 

6. Everything in KSA starts late and ends late, some museums and venues stay open till midnight. 

7. Useful sites: https://www.visitsaudi.com/en, https://www.timeoutriyadh.com/, https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g293991-i4477-Saudi_Arabia.html

More videos and photos.

Ma Salama! Best of luck to you, trip planners and remember, the time to visit the Kingdom is now.

The post The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. February 2025 first appeared on SvetaNYC.