Historical & Heritage Tour in Jeddah Al Balad

Overview

Available languages

Arabic

English

5 hours

Mobile ticket

Discover with us one of the most fun experiences in old Jeddah. Before naming it as the royal seaport for Makkah in 657 AD, the Al-Balad site, “Historic Jeddah”, was built on beautiful coastal land. The area has a fascinating history.

It was founded in the seventh century and was once the beating heart of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Balad can literally be translated as "The Town. We will Explore the old town and try some traditional dishes and go shopping in the bazaar.

Itinerary:

1. Pick up from the hotel or the Cruise Pier.

2. Start walking around the unique buildings

3. Grabbing local beverages in an old cafe.

4. Visiting Al Shafei's old mosque.

5. Visiting Biet Nassif.

6. Visiting Gabel Street Souq (bazaar).

7. Driving back to the hotel or the Cruise Pier.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Air-conditioned vehicle

Purchase

Dinner

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

What To Expect

Al-Balad

Starts with walking around the unique buildings and learning about albalad history.

1 hour • Admission Included

Nassif House Museum

See a 700-year-old flag mast and a 15th-century cannon at this restored building, one of several crumbling structures preserved by the government.

1 hour • Admission Not Applicable

Options

Historical & Heritage Tour in Jeddah Al Balad

Pickup included

Reviews

4.86

64 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Most amazing visit to Jeddah
deannalB6274MZ,
Nov 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had an amazing tour. Sulaiman was knowledgeable and kind. Jeddah is a very beautiful city and so much history and places to visit.
Al Balad evening trip.
Janeux,
Nov 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
It was very great. Our guide Abdullah way very kind. He us a lot of information about the old Jeddah. It was an excellent showing of the Al Balad.
Great tour!
Shiela C,
Oct 26, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
My friend and I had an amazing tour with our guide Sulaiman. He arrived on time for hotel pick up, friendly and knowledgeable.
Great to know Jeddah's story
ilton104,
Sep 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
It was great to learn about the culture and the tales of the old city! I really enjoyed the experience. We started from the new Cornish and walked around Al Balad, stopping in cozy cafes and nice, typical restaurants.
An unforgettable experience, I knew perfectly well of the subject, gave us much peace of mind, we would return to
SERGIO G,
Aug 13, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
That was unique and very enriching, we felt at home. Your knowledge we loved, despite being so young
A wonderful evening in Al Balad
J1876QDjohne,
Jul 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
A wonderful evening visiting historic Jeddah’s buildings, shopping districts, coffee and tea shops and the Al-Shafi’i Mosque. The full five hours was required and we could have stayed longer! Our guide Abdullah did a great job… very friendly, thoughtful commentary on the sites and history, good food recommendations, and on-time pickup with a very nice car.
Best guide ever made it the best tour
Cval233,
Jul 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Excellent Abdullah is a wonderful guide very knowledgeable and respectful of our time and our needs. Very interesting city 5⭐️ to our guide he went out of his way to accommodate us. He helped us a lot with the language while shopping and ordering food. He knows the places to go, and has friends everywhere.
Great tour
Sarah N,
May 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Very much enjoyed this very informative tour of the lively and history filled old town. Highly recommend for any visit to Jeddah!
Quick glimpse into Jeddah’s rich heritage
Ltansg,
May 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
The tour’s great! Very informative tour to offer a quick glimpse into Jeddah’s history & heritage - for first time visitors to Saudi. Our guide, Sulaiman, was great with his narratives & very friendly guy. A walking tour so get ready comfortable walking shoes. You wont be disappointed!
F1 Race weekend visit to Jeddah
Tsj A,
Apr 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We booked this tour to see the city during our F1 race week. Actually we had visited the old town during midday the day before. But it was so much better taking the tour with an expert. Ibrahim picked us up from the hotel - and was an excellent guide through the old city. He described the history and pointed out key buildings. Even introduced us to camel milk and suggested an excellent seafood restaurant for dinner. Much easier having a local as a guide - and Ibrahim seemed to knew so many of the locals owners and guides in the area. It was a lovely evening and would recommend doing this tour - Al Balad comes alive at night !