Jeddah has been a bustling port city for centuries and some of its oldest neighborhoods are even older than Saudi Arabia.

In fact, Al Balad, Jeddah’s oldest neighborhood has remained largely unchanged over the years and is like a trip down memory lane

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In fact, the neighborhood used to be known as the ‘Gateway to Makkah’ because it established itself as the seaport through which pilgrims would visit the city. These pilgrims would also bring trade to Jeddah and many stayed back and established themselves as merchants and traders.

And because of this constant influx of pilgrims, Jeddah established itself as a thriving hub for regional commerce and a city that was diverse in its cuisines, cultures, and communities living in it.

 

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Jeddah remains the first point of entry for most pilgrims

And even though Jeddah has developed drastically in the past few decades, some things haven’t changed.

Even today – in the days of air travel – Jeddah remains the first point of entry for most pilgrims.

And the second, of course, is Al Balad, an UNESCO world heritage site, that has continued to remain largely unchanged over the decades.

In fact, a lot of efforts have been made in the last few years to preserve the historic neighbourhood and make it an absolutely worthwhile visit.

 

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The neighborhood’s iconic architecture – made from corals from the Red Sea and wood – is unique to the neighborhood and have been constructed to be cooling in the hot desert heat

 

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Some buildings are especially iconic – like the Naseef House

The Naseef House was built at the end of 1800s to a wealth merchant family and is most known for later becoming the royal residence of King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud.

For the longest time, the Naseef house was the tallest building in Jeddah and also the only one with a tree planted right outside. In fact, it was known as ‘the house by the tree’.

And that is just one of the 600 preserved houses in the neighborhood. Many have been converted to art galleries or spaces for artists now so expect a lot of art and creativity thriving in the neighborhood now.

And some are new-age community hubs, such as the Historical Nights cafe that is a very popular space amongst the young people of the city.

And for anyone looking to revive an old tradition – start planning an Umrah trip that also allows some time to appreciate and enjoy Jeddah for its heritage (and its present of course!).

Jeddah has excellent hotels (across price ranges), a beautiful waterfront, great shopping opportunities, a diverse cuisine, and heritage that is older than the Kingdom itself.

And it’s just over an hour’s drive from Makkah!

Sana Tourism, the go-to travel company in Saudi Arabia, can arrange any travel plan – intereted? Get in touch to plan a memorable vacay!

 

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