Makkah

The ultimate blessing

For many Muslims around the world, an opportunity to visit Makkah is the ultimate blessing. This is the holiest city in Islam: the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and the city where the Quran was first revealed to him. It’s also a fixture in observant Muslims’ daily lives, as they orient themselves toward Makkah to pray five times a day. The annual Hajj pilgrimage to the city is one of the five pillars of the faith, but millions of people journey to the city year-round to perform the shorter Umrah pilgrimage as well.

 

Since the vast majority of the visitors are pilgrims—non-Muslims aren’t permitted to enter the city— most travelers spend as much time as possible within the opulent complex of the Grand Mosque, which is a lively hive of activity at all hours of the day. But if you have time to spare once you’ve completed the required steps of the Umrah, the historic city has much to offer to complement your understanding of the region and the faith itself, from museums to landmarks that were backdrops to some of the most pivotal moments of Islam’s earliest days.

Saudi, the future

Upcomming Saudi wonders

Discover upcoming Saudi experiences

The Red Sea is the world’s most ambitious luxury tourism development. It will be an exquisite sanctuary offering indulgent experiences, seamlessly customized to the unique needs of each visitor. Meanwhile, AMAALA will be an ultraluxury resort destination spanning three sites. It will be a place of self-transformation, inspired by the arts, wellness and the purity of the Red Sea. Both wonders will be open to the public from 2022.

 

On the other hand, Qiddiya will be the capital of Entertainment, Sports and the Arts in Saudi. It is being built around five cornerstones: Parks & Attractions, Sports & Wellness, Motion & Mobility, Arts & Culture and Nature & Environment. And NEOM will become the world’s most ambitious futuristic and sustainable ecosystem for living and working, over 33 times the size of New York. These two wonders are scheduled to be open to the public from 2023 and 2030, respectively.

What to see at Makkah
Our recommendations to plan the perfect holiday

Masjid Al Haram

Museums

Further information

Saudi culture

The official language

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Getting to Saudi

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