The second holiest city in Islam, Madinah is the burial place of the Prophet Muhammad and a key point on the Hajj pilgrimage.

Entry to the city centre – where the majority of the holy sites are located – is restricted to Muslims, though non-Muslims are welcome in other areas of the city.

Top things to see and do

• Visit Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, one of the largest mosques in the world with room for up to half a million worshipers.
• See the Prophet’s burial site at Al-Masjid an-Nabawī – men can visit the site at any time and women are taken there in groups after the Fajr (dawn) and Duhr (afternoon) prayers.
• Stock up on Madinah’s most famous produce – dates. You’ll find over 150 different varieties of dates at the Madinah date market, Souq Al Tumor.
• Climb the slopes of Mount Uhud and look out over the valley at the burial ground of 70 martyrs who died in the Battle of Uhud.
• Head north of Madinah to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Madain Saleh. Home to around 130 tombs carved into the cliff faces, the site dates back to the 1st century BC.

Tips for travellers

30km north of Madinah you’ll find Jabel Magnet – a mountain where people say gravity is reversed. It’s a trick of the mind, but find the right spot and you’ll feel like gravity is pulling you up the slope – some travellers have even reported seeing water flow uphill here.