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Guide to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Click to go to Flight Prices for Jeddah
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Jeddah Saudi Arabias commercial capital (not capital city) and main port-city, Jeddah is a feast for the eyes for those who like the transition from modern to historic, and back to modern again.
The makeup of the city is what makes Jeddah especially interesting. The modern districts encircle the 'Old City' with their 20-21^st century buildings and magnificent high-rises. The city is still very much adept to Saudi Arabian customs and traditions, though people here seem to be a bit more liberal, friendly, and welcoming to foreigners.
Youll find great shopping districts and interesting alleyways, where youre bound to run into some locals wholl be glad to recommend a visit to various places throughout the city. Though most of the consulates that were once stationed in Jeddah moved to Riyadh, Jeddah still has quite an influence in Saudi Arabias international relations. All of these characteristics, along with great cultural influences, show Jeddah to be the ideal middle-eastern city for just about any traveler.
When to go:
Jeddah positioned along the Red Sea has quite a bit of daily humidity throughout the year. Though it seems to dissipate somewhat in the summer months, its still quite noticeable, especially for visitors. Not to worry, if youre in the port area, or just near the water, youll experience some nice calm breezes. Just in case there are some unexpected rains, carry an umbrella with you, or at least a hat. Jeddah gets a boost in crowd volume every year during the pilgrimage to Mecca, so if youre not taking part in the Muslim tradition, its best to stay out of Jeddah during this time.
Getting there and around:
Flights to Jeddah arrive at King Abdul Aziz International Airport. And while that may seem like quite an official title for an airport, more so for a big Saudi Arabian citys airport, the terminal seems somewhat run down. The building is definitely showing age, and the service is not quite 'top-notch', so expect to wait in line for quite some time. Other than that, travel to the city (all 20 kilometers) is quite a breeze, with numerous taxis waiting outside offering bargain fares. You can rent a vehicle, but thats just an added nuisance in a bustling city that no traveler should have to deal with.
Though the airport is not serviced by city buses (or even airport buses), these rolling boxes are quite numerous throughout Jeddah; they are very inexpensive, and offer service through most of the metropolitan area. Taxis are also numerous and the fares are just slightly more expensive, but their immediate availability is worth the extra cost. Travel throughout Jeddahs Old City is best done on foot, when you can appreciate the intricacies of the neighborhoods quite a bit
Attractions:
The Old City is a great place to start your exploration of Jeddah. The perimeter is surrounded by a wall and gate that stood for centuries, and throughout the streets youll find beautifully kept and/or restored buildings with unique carved-wood balconies and latticework. The Old City is home to Jeddahs Municipality Museum which holds a great number of items including photos of Jeddahs development and items left from the British Legation which inhabited the place during WWI.
Also in the Old city lies the only known Christian cemetery in any Saudi Arabian city. Locals will deny its existence, however it is there; located on the Street of the Cemetery of the Foreigners. Though the last burial was over half-a-century ago, foreign consulates from around the city routinely do up-keep of the cemetery.
Jeddah Museum is a fascinating place to visit as well, where youll find great archaeology and ethnography exhibits. The Jeddah Museum is much the same as the Riyadh Museum, for the exception of their differences in artifacts.
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