A 3000-year-old city situated on the east coast of the Red Sea, Jeddah is Saudi Arabia's most cosmopolitan city of Saudi Arabia with millions of international visitors passing through it each year. The region has been inhabited for thousands of years, as indicated by Bronze Age tombs found nearby at Harrat Al-Jabriya, Harrat Nuqrah and the 2000-year-old inscriptions carved into stone amongst the Wadis. Legends also suggest that Eve descended from heaven here and is buried in the city at Maqbart Ummana Hawa’a, the Cemetery of our Mother Eve.

In the seventh century AD, the city rose to prominence as a commercial port city and later became the gateway to Mecca for pilgrims of Islam. Today the cultural heart of this ancient port city can be explored at t Al Balad, the Old Town, where the 19th-century tower houses of wealthy merchants still rise above the street with elaborate, colourful wooden Roshans. The waterfront around Al Balad is dotted with cafes, restaurants and shops and is great for people-watching in the evenings when locals come out to enjoy the cool air along the corniche.

Jeddah's Museum of Archaeology housed in the former Khuzam Palace and the Fekieh Aquarium displaying over 200 species of sharks, stingrays, and other marine life are a must.

The waters around Jeddah are blessed with beautiful and colourful coral reefs and marine life.  Visitors can enjoy these on boat cruises out into the Red Sea. Diving enthusiasts can explore  just north of the city at Obhur, where you will also find some beautiful private beaches and well-run resorts.