{"id":11366,"date":"2023-12-12T17:32:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T17:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/?p=11366"},"modified":"2024-10-24T10:59:19","modified_gmt":"2024-10-24T09:59:19","slug":"introducing-saudi-arabia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Places to Visit in Saudi Arabia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For years, the many wonders of Saudi Arabia have been hidden away from all but pilgrims, but now everyone is welcome to come and discover this enigmatic destination, and we think you’re going to love it…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Considered by many to be the last frontier of travel, before 2019 Saudi Arabia was closed to the world, unless you happened to be travelling there on business or on a pilgrimage. But now Saudi Arabia holidays<\/a> are open to anyone who wants to come, explore and experience the magic of Arabia. We suggest you do it quickly (our nine day ‘Secrets of Saudi Arabia<\/a>‘ tour is ready and waiting!) because this is a destination that is bellowing to the discerning traveller to “get over here right now before the whole world discovers me!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vast and varied, Saudi Arabia is a kingdom of two faces, one that looks back at a mind-bogglingly long history and one that looks fixedly at the future. Exploring the past, all 10 millennia of it, brings a world of the past back to the present with ancient rock drawings, the desert ruins of long fallen empires, holy cities at the heart of the Islamic faith, traditional, bustling souks and huge camel markets. The future, however, can be found in the fast-paced, mega-rich cities, particularly capital Riyadh, bustling with the gleaming skyscrapers, world class museums, shopping malls and entertainment districts that are springing up in earnest. It is learning about the interaction of these two faces, the past and the future, that give us a glimpse of what it is that makes Saudi Arabia tick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A destination with a difference, this is a place for those who are fascinated by the combination of staunch tradition and forward-looking, for those who can dive headlong into rich culture, lose themselves to history and thrive on the enigmatic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome to Saudi Arabia\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Top Places to Visit in Saudi Arabia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hegra<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Built by the Nabataeans, the trading empire also responsible for Petra in Jordan, Hegra<\/a> was a spice route city that faded into history when it was taken over by the Romans in 106 AD. Overwhelmed by the desert, its 131 tombs, all carved from rock, are beautifully preserved and a wonder to explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeddah<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jeddah<\/a> is a pilgrimage centre, thriving city and home to the country\u2019s largest market, Souk Al Alawi, an emporium of exotic sounds and scents. The streets of al-Balad are an ancient delight, lined with coral stone buildings with carved teak balconies that have changed little since the 7th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medina<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The second holiest city in Islam, Medina<\/a> was established in the 6th century BC and is steeped in fascinating heritage. Spectacularly set among mountains, plains and oases, it\u2019s only recently that non-Muslims have been able to enter the city to admire its many religious and historical attractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ushaiger<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The epitome of a living museum, Ushaiger was settled by Bedouins 1,500 years ago and became a popular stopping point for pilgrims en route to Mecca. Wander the maze of narrow alleyways between the mud houses for a glimpse of a quieter, slower Saudi Arabia of times-gone-by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jubbah<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Surrounded by the Nefud Desert on an old caravan trade route, Jubbah is best known for the ancient petroglyphs and inscriptions in the sandstone outcrops that surround the city. UNESCO-listed, the rock art depictions include birds, monkeys, archers, chariots, camels and gazelles.
<\/p>\n

\n \n
\n

Secrets of Saudi Arabia<\/h3>\n
<\/span>8 Reviews <\/span><\/div>\n

9<\/strong> days from \u00a35290pp<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

Fully Inclusive of Tour & Flights<\/p>\n

Explore Riyadh's Souks - Ushaiger Heritage Village - Buraidah's Camel Market - Visit the Qishlah Fortress - Marvel at AlUla & Hegra - City Tour of Jeddah<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n View Tour<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For years, the many wonders of Saudi Arabia have been hidden away from all but pilgrims, but now everyone is welcome to come and discover this enigmatic destination, and we think you’re going to love it… Considered by many to be the last frontier of travel, before 2019 Saudi Arabia was closed to the world, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":11368,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":""},"categories":[306,307],"tags":[88,21,20,26,29],"yoast_head":"\nThe Best Places to Visit in Saudi Arabia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Long closed to the world, the enigmatic Middle Eastern destination of Saudi Arabia is ready to welcome visitors to discover it's treasures.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Best Places to Visit in Saudi Arabia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Long closed to the world, the enigmatic Middle Eastern destination of Saudi Arabia is ready to welcome visitors to discover it's treasures.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Wendy Wu Tours Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/wendywuofficial\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-12-12T17:32:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-10-24T09:59:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Saudi-Arabia-banner.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@WendyWuToursUK\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@WendyWuToursUK\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Nicci Kimmel\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Wendy Wu Tours Blog\",\"description\":\"Travel Articles and Inspiration\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Saudi-Arabia-banner.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Saudi-Arabia-banner.jpg\",\"width\":1600,\"height\":800},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/\",\"name\":\"The Best Places to Visit in Saudi Arabia\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2023-12-12T17:32:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-10-24T09:59:19+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/419e1eb6b692b12481e1b6dbc50ea778\"},\"description\":\"Long closed to the world, the enigmatic Middle Eastern destination of Saudi Arabia is ready to welcome visitors to discover it's treasures.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Best Places to Visit in Saudi Arabia\"}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/419e1eb6b692b12481e1b6dbc50ea778\",\"name\":\"Nicci Kimmel\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a9592f6c4799b82ec2b2d4091b202b63?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a9592f6c4799b82ec2b2d4091b202b63?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Nicci Kimmel\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Best Places to Visit in Saudi Arabia","description":"Long closed to the world, the enigmatic Middle Eastern destination of Saudi Arabia is ready to welcome visitors to discover it's treasures.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Best Places to Visit in Saudi Arabia","og_description":"Long closed to the world, the enigmatic Middle Eastern destination of Saudi Arabia is ready to welcome visitors to discover it's treasures.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/","og_site_name":"Wendy Wu Tours Blog","article_publisher":"http:\/\/wendywuofficial","article_published_time":"2023-12-12T17:32:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-10-24T09:59:19+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Saudi-Arabia-banner.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary","twitter_creator":"@WendyWuToursUK","twitter_site":"@WendyWuToursUK","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Nicci Kimmel","Estimated reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/","name":"Wendy Wu Tours Blog","description":"Travel Articles and Inspiration","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Saudi-Arabia-banner.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Saudi-Arabia-banner.jpg","width":1600,"height":800},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/#webpage","url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/","name":"The Best Places to Visit in Saudi Arabia","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/#primaryimage"},"datePublished":"2023-12-12T17:32:00+00:00","dateModified":"2024-10-24T09:59:19+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/419e1eb6b692b12481e1b6dbc50ea778"},"description":"Long closed to the world, the enigmatic Middle Eastern destination of Saudi Arabia is ready to welcome visitors to discover it's treasures.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/middle-east\/introducing-saudi-arabia\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Best Places to Visit in Saudi Arabia"}]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/419e1eb6b692b12481e1b6dbc50ea778","name":"Nicci Kimmel","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a9592f6c4799b82ec2b2d4091b202b63?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a9592f6c4799b82ec2b2d4091b202b63?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Nicci Kimmel"}}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Saudi-Arabia-banner.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":11113,"url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/jordan\/the-magical-middle-east\/","url_meta":{"origin":11366,"position":0},"title":"The Magical Middle East","date":"24th March 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Our top 10 highlights\u00a0 The Middle East conjures images of orange-hued deserts lit by a hazy sunrise and ancient cities stowing long-lost treasures; that\u2019s exactly what it delivers. If you\u2019re into history, then the Middle East will feel a lot like Aladdin\u2019s cave, no other region in the world has\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Egypt"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/shutterstock_2249339429.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8620,"url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/jordan\/introducing-the-home-of-ancient-hospitality-jordan\/","url_meta":{"origin":11366,"position":1},"title":"Introducing the Home of Ancient Hospitality – Jordan","date":"29th May 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Follow in the footsteps of Lawrence Arabia and Indiana Jones as you discover a country of legendary history and hospitality.","rel":"","context":"In "Israel"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/shutterstock_1030695895.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9399,"url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/jordan\/spotlight-on-wadi-rum-jordan\/","url_meta":{"origin":11366,"position":2},"title":"Spotlight On: Wadi Rum, Jordan","date":"23rd October 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Few places on earth compare with the rugged and dramatic beauty of Wadi Rum, Jordan\u2019s \u2018Desert of the Moon\u2019. Lying 30 miles east of Aqaba, Jordan\u2019s only coastal city, this otherworldly, Mars-like desert encompasses an area almost the size of New York City, and has been inhabited since at least\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Israel"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shutterstock_44211007-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":11538,"url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/morocco\/our-top-things-to-do-on-holiday-in-morocco\/","url_meta":{"origin":11366,"position":3},"title":"Our Top Things to do on Holiday in Morocco","date":"25th July 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"We've just released our very first Morocco tour - Moroccan Odyssey - and we could not be more excited about sharing the wonders of this gorgeous country with you. If there was ever a destination that deserved to be called a \u2018kaleidoscope of colours\u2019 it would be Morocco. From the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Morocco"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Morocco-banner-mobile.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1535,"url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/china\/china-to-be-top-destination-in-2016\/","url_meta":{"origin":11366,"position":4},"title":"China Expected To Be One Of Top Destinations in 2016","date":"7th January 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"China is already a hugely popular destination, and according to a number of travel industry experts the country could be high on people\u2019s travel bucket lists for 2016.\u00a0 Many popular China tours show visitors the number of attractions that the country boasts with the likes of the Great Wall of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "China"","img":{"alt_text":"hangzhou, china","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/hangzhou.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6068,"url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/travel-advice\/top-christmas-gifts-for-travellers\/","url_meta":{"origin":11366,"position":5},"title":"Top Christmas Gifts for Travellers","date":"6th December 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"While the more organised half of the population may have their Christmas shopping all wrapped up already, for the rest of us, the struggle is still very real. Perhaps your life is full of people who give the \u2018oh I don\u2019t know, don\u2019t worry about me\u2019 when you ask for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Travel Advice"","img":{"alt_text":"Snow covered Great Wall of China","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/advent_banner.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11366"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11366"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11366\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11602,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11366\/revisions\/11602"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}