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Al-Balad Tour: Explore Jeddah's Historic Heart
4.9
36 Ratings
Jeddah
Discover the hidden gems of Jeddah’s historic district, Al-Balad. Explore ancient coral-stone houses turned museums, art galleries, and coffee shops on this private tour.
Discover the hidden gems of Jeddah’s historic district, Al-Balad. Explore ancient coral-stone houses turned museums, art galleries, and coffee shops on this private tour.
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Bab Jadid - One of the oldest gates in the historic town. The tour guide will meet you here.
- Al-Balad - Explore old houses, museums, art galleries, cafes, and traditional markets.
- Biet Nassif - Nassif House Museum is one of the most notable houses in the historic town.
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Al Shafei Mosque - The oldest mosque in the historic town.
-…
- Bab Jadid - One of the oldest gates in the historic town. The tour guide will meet you here.
- Al-Balad - Explore old houses, museums, art galleries, cafes, and traditional markets.
- Biet Nassif - Nassif House Museum is one of the most notable houses in the historic town.
- Al Shafei Mosque - The oldest mosque in the historic town.
- Souq Al Alawi - A traditional market.
- Gabel Street Souq - One of the oldest markets in Jeddah.
- Matbouli House Museum - An ancient house turned museum, showcasing a collection of valuable items and handicrafts.
- Zawiya 97 زاوية ٩٧ - A cultural destination and hub for crafts in Historic Jeddah.
- Jeddah Academy Of Fine Arts - An art gallery.
- Makkah Gate - A historic monument in one of Jeddah’s oldest areas, witnessing millions of pilgrims on their journey to Makkah.
What's Included
- Museum fees
- Tea and coffee
- Bottled water
- Snacks
- Museum fees
- Tea and coffee
- Bottled water
- Snacks
What's Not Included
- Private transportation
- Private transportation
Additional Information
Discover the heart of Jeddah in Al-Balad, the city’s most iconic archaeological and heritage district. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014, Al-Balad offers a unique journey through time, where cultures have intertwined for centuries. On my tour, you’ll explore the stunning coral-stone architecture of historic houses, many of which have…
Discover the heart of Jeddah in Al-Balad, the city’s most iconic archaeological and heritage district. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014, Al-Balad offers a unique journey through time, where cultures have intertwined for centuries. On my tour, you’ll explore the stunning coral-stone architecture of historic houses, many of which have been transformed into museums, art galleries, and charming coffee shops. But beyond the well-known landmarks, I’ll guide you to the hidden gems that only a local can reveal.
Experience the rich history and vibrant culture of Jeddah with a certified guide deeply connected to this remarkable city. My deep roots in the region, combined with my local expertise, allow me to bring the stories of Al-Balad to life. Join me for an unforgettable exploration of this timeless district, where the echoes of the past blend seamlessly with the energy of the present, uncovering the true essence of Jeddah.
- No lifts inside historical houses
Location
Bab Alfurdhah
الملك عبدالعزيز
I will meet you at Bab Alfurdhah gate, which is a huge stone-built gate.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(36 Ratings)
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Elisev742
Sep 22, 2024
Best tour guide in Jeddah - The best tour guide to take you through Jeddah. She anticipates your needs and wishes and tailors the program to your liking. She holds extensive historical knowledge which makes it the best tour you can grant yourself. 10/10, would highly recommend to anyone (couples, friends or families).
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Grandtour22103443204
Jul 14, 2024
Unforgettable Tour! - I recently visited Jeddah and decided to take a tour of the Old District for the first time, despite having lived in the city before. I was absolutely mindblown by the experience! The tour was perfectly organized, offering an in-depth exploration of the area's rich history. We visited charming cafes and unique shops, each with its own story. Ayat's passion and knowledge truly brought the district to life. She went above and beyond to make our experience exceptional. This tour has given me a newfound appreciation for a city I thought I knew so well. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chris_m
May 26, 2024
Unforgettable Al Balad Tour with Ayat - Ayat, our wonderful female Saudi tour guide made our trip around Al Balad unforgettable. She was friendly, knowledgeable and so smiley she really made the tour fun and engaging. We saw all of the main sights and stopped for some amazing local, traditional drinks too (Saudi coffee and sugarcane). We also stopped at some local shops to see antiques, spices, dates and perfumes. It really was an amazing tour and nothing was too much trouble. She would take you anywhere you wanted to see (even if it was all the way over the other side of the souq 🙂). Best Al Balad tour. 5*
Review provided by Viator
Andrewq549
May 18, 2024
Relaxing and cheerful afternoon w Ayat. - I booked with Ayat because she had very positive and trustworthy reviews. After meeting her, I was able to see why. Every part of her tour was delightful. We knew exactly when and where to meet her, thanks to a map and photo. She is an official and licensed tour guide with a badge, so no trouble with security. She took us to all the hidden places I would have just walked by unknowingly. She graciously treated us to various snack and drink stops to try local flavor such as drinking camels milk, Arabia coffee, some traditional snack also, which I will try to recreate back home. The micro-museum were quite enjoyable and I loved getting to further expand my knowledge of Islamic culture. She even set us up with an awesome dinner spot after the tour was over. Her English is perfect and she also let us work on our Arabic with her in comfort. She is an incredible, nice woman who is a joy to both the ears and the eyes. My friend and I agreed that was our favorite activity in Jeddah. Would go again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gina_c
Apr 17, 2024
Highly Recommend! - Ayat was an amazing guide! She was so knowledgeable about Jeddah and Saudi history. She lead the tour while also giving us freedom to spend more or less time on things we wanted to. This was our first time in Saudi Arabia and she also gracefully answered a lot of general questions we had. She translated between arabic and english for us at shops and even helped negotiate when buying gold - we owe her! She treated us like family and gave us a wonderful experience. We stopped to see artwork, wood craft shops, cafes, museums, and more. We learned a lot and would highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Waqeeac
Mar 27, 2024
Relaxing tour of Balad - Ayat is a fantastic tour guide. She is fluent in English, very well-mannered and has an incredible depth of knowledge about Old Jeddah and its history. She knew Balad like the back of her hand and took us into tiny streets, shops and very old mansions, explaining the local architecture, pointing out small details we may have missed, explaining things about the royal family. She made sure we were comfortable, stopping for coffee and snack breaks, letting us take as many photos as we wanted, answering our unending questions. Really a pleasure to be around, highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Francispj5026ny
Mar 16, 2024
Amazing tour of Jeddah - Ayat, our guide when visiting Jeddah was amazing! Her knowledge of the history of the city & especially Old Town was most informative. Her kind & approachable manner meant we felt at ease with our many questions. Her brother Ahmed drove us around, was also very knowledgeable & had a great sense of humour. Our group of seven women all really enjoyed the experience, had a great time exploring all the sights we visited, we can’t wait to return. Highly recommend Ayat, she was wonderful.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jopeesydney
Mar 12, 2024
Amazing day tour - Our group of friends had an amazing day with Ayat and her brother Ahmed. They took us to a wonderful museum, Al Balad and many other sites in Jeddah. Ayat had an amazing knowledge of Jeddah and Saudi and along with Ahmed made the day so informative and fun! Would highly recommend this tour for a real look at Jeddah!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lozzafoel
Mar 12, 2024
Ayat AAA+ - Ayat is fantastic. She is so knowledgeable and passionate about Jedda. Ayat shepharded our group of 7 around Jedda, all the time enlightening us on any historical detail. She is very knowledgeable and she was such lovely company too, as was her driver! Ayat and her tour are highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
513bf
Mar 8, 2024
A great tour of Historic Jeddah - The tour was great. Our guide thought of everything from transportation, to refreshments along the tour. There was a lot of history within the architecture and it was great yo see how it has prospered over the years.
Review provided by Tripadvisor