Things to Do in Jeddah
Jeddah's draw is the mix: a millennium-old port district, a seafront built for evenings, and Red Sea reefs on the doorstep — in a country most travellers are seeing for the first time.
Last verified 26 August 2026
The essential Jeddah
★5.0(3)The UNESCO-listed old town: coral-stone tower houses with wooden roshan balconies, 1,400-year-old market lanes, and a restoration wave turning merchant mansions into museums and cafés.
★3.7(3)Jeddah's underrated superpower: warm, clear Red Sea reefs minutes north of the city — wall dives, wrecks and beach clubs along Obhur creek.
Thirty kilometres of sculpted Red Sea waterfront, floating mosque included — crowned after dark by the world's tallest fountain jetting 260 m over the bay.
The white 'floating mosque' on stilts over the Red Sea — at high tide it appears to rest on the water; at dawn it's Jeddah's most serene photograph.
Into the mountains
The kingdom's summer capital: a 2,000 m escape through the Al Hada mountain switchbacks to rose farms, cool air, baboon-lined viewpoints and the fruit souqs of the Sarawat.
Frequently asked questions
What is Jeddah best known for?
Al-Balad's coral-stone old town (UNESCO), the world's tallest fountain, its corniche evenings, and being the historic gateway of Hajj pilgrimage — plus Red Sea diving locals kept quiet about.
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