One day in Jeddah

Day by day

1. Day 1: Al-Balad (Historic Jeddah) and Nasseef House

   Al-Balad (Historic Jeddah), Nasseef House, Souq Al Alawi and Bab Makkah and its souq, then King Fahd's Fountain in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Al-Balad (Historic Jeddah)

      Walk in the late afternoon and stay into the evening, when the souqs fill and the restored houses are lit. Allow Half a day.

   2. Late morning

      Nasseef House

      Look up at the rawasheen on the facade from the small square in front, then visit the upper floors for views over the rooftops. Allow 45 minutes.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Saleeg

      Hijazi restaurants across the city; ask for it at traditional places rather than international ones.

   4. Afternoon

      Souq Al Alawi

      Buy a small bag of Hijazi sweets or balila from a street vendor and wander the side lanes off the main souq. Allow 1–2 hours.

   5. Late afternoon

      Bab Makkah and its souq

      Combine it with Souq Al Alawi; the two souqs connect through the old town on foot. Allow 45 minutes.

   6. Evening

      King Fahd's Fountain

      Watch it from the Corniche promenade in Al Hamra after sunset, when it is lit and the sea breeze cools the air.

If it rains

• Swap in Fakieh Aquarium (Al Shati): Visit at midday to escape the heat, then head to the Waterfront for the evening.
• Swap in Hayy Jameel (Al Rawdah and Tahlia): Check the programme before visiting and pair it with a film screening or a talk.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 6–8 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.8 hours in December to 13.4 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Ride-hailing. Uber and Careem are widely used and the most practical way to move between Al-Balad, the Corniche, Tahlia Street and Obhur.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Jeddah
• 3 days in Jeddah

Questions travellers ask