Jeddah Travel Guide

Jeddah also known as Jiddah the native name of Saudi Arabia is located between 21 and 22 Degrees north latitude and about on the 39th Degrees east longitude on the western edge of a roughly 20 km wide arid coastal plain. Jeddah (Jiddah) is the major Arabian Red Sea port, located 70 km west of Mecca (Saudi Arabia) and is the main arrival point for pilgrims to the holy city for Muslims. The Jeddah port has more than 40 piers, and modern international airport can accommodate thousands of pilgrims daily.

On the coast line of Jeddah are high-rise office buildings and the city is constantly widening. Jeddah is a walled city of 300 years old, which still retains characteristics of the Al-Balad (Old Town) as a modest remnant of the once beautiful city, including houses with facades of coral and carved wooden balconies, such as Beit Nassif and Tree house, built in 1850. The Tree house at one times the tallest building in the city; Abdul Aziz, the first monarch of Saudi Arabia (1932-1953), used to sit on the roof to enjoy the panorama of the city. It is now a folk museum.

Among the most notable buildings is the spectacular Corniche with palm trees, a great number of hotels, and resorts clustered around it, adorned with renowned sculptures and statues by international artists! It leads to over snow-white mosques, King's palace, luxury villas, beaches and amusement parks.

Jeddah, the port city on the Red Sea is the most tolerant and lively city of Kingdom. And the most interesting. In the Old Town also know as Al-Balad, the small shops in the maze of narrow streets where the dreamed magic of the Orient continues. About 800 houses of coral rock are considered to be worth protecting as the heritage of the city.

Jeddah is an example of Saudi Arabia, within only two generations, the city took to the Middle Ages behind and a ring of industrial estates, shopping malls and residential areas lie around the town. Even in 1947, old city walls of coral rock encompassed only one square kilometer. Behind the walls there were approximately 30,000 people. Jeddah now counts more than two million inhabitants and stretches over 1,000 square kilometer.