The Bride of the Red Sea, the traditional nickname of the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, has long been the region’s most cosmopolitan city, having served as the gateway to Makkah for centuries. Few Saudi cities have the distinct personality that Jeddah exudes, with its sometimes chaotic traffic and unique driving habits, chic malls, seaside promenades and massive northside mansions.
Jeddah is also home to the Kingdom’s most recently named UNESCO World Heritage site, al Balad. Al Balad is the ancient city center with its winding alleyways, colorful markets and old coral-brick mansions that once housed the city’s most elite families.
The Red Sea also offers an unparalleled technicolor experience for scuba divers or snorkelers who explore the coastal coral reefs and other reefs in the sea reachable only by chartered boats. With an aquarium, a planetarium, beaches and museums, Jeddah has it all.