Jeddah – Saudi Arabia

Jeddah is one of the most popular and well known Saudi Arabian city located at the Red Sea. It is one of the most significant commercial, corporate and urban centers of West Arabia and the second biggest city in the country, after the capital city of Riyadh.

Jeddah is famous not only because of it’s a commercial and business hub of the Middle East but also because it is one of the major gateways to Mecca, the holy city of Islam. Consequently it is visited by millions of tourists and religious travelers every year, as except for the curious visitors there also the Muslims who have to visit Mecca at least once in their lifetime.

There are many explanations for the choice of the name Jeddah, but two are the most significant ones: one referring to the word Jaddah, which in Arabic means “the grandmother” and the other is based on a misspelling : Ibn Battuta,  who was a Berber traveller, wrote in his travel memoirs the word Juddah for the city he visited but the British foreign office chose to write it as Jedda. It was only in 2007 that the spelling changed to Jeddah, as we write it today.

Jeddah is a city of long and rich history. It is a patchwork of cultures, ethnicities and civilizations, as a result of the many conquerors and colonies that Saudi Arabia had in its history, but also, nowadays due to the numerous foreigners who live and work there. Consequently, this mixture of ethnicities and races has influenced radically the customs, habits and cuisine of the Saudi Arabian city.

The Western visitor can find a wide variety of restaurants in the area, offering Lebanese, Turkish, Greek, Syrian and international cuisine. There are even major fast food chains, for those who don’t want to miss their favorite hamburgers or snacks. It is recommended though, when in Jeddah, to try the Nejdi Kabsa, which is one of the most popular dishes of Saudi Arabia, as well as the Yemeni Mandi. Among the reliable and infamous restaurants of the city, where you can find both locals and visitors, are the Al-Quarmooshi, Aiyaz, and Hejaziyat, which cater the most known for their quality and taste local specialties.

The fact that Jeddah became the centre of international attention during the oil boom in early 80s had an impact on other areas of its life as well. Today visitors can admire an array of artworks in public areas, featuring some of the most famous international artists: Henry Moore, Joan Miró , César Baldaccini are just some of them. These pieces of art depict traditional items and elements of the Arabic culture, as well products of modern technology. The Muslim laws prohibit the depiction of human forms, so the selection of art subjects is a little more limited.

Jeddah boasts the highest fountain in the world, King Fahd Fountain, a vast selection of beaches and the renowned Corniche, which is the place to relax and unwind. It is defiantly different than any other Saudi Arabian city, mostly due to the cosmopolitan atmosphere and more tolerant to the West way of life. Tourists who visit Jeddah can expect nothing less than state of art hotels and services, always with a touch of the hospitality that characterizes the Middle East.