Tabuk

Visit a city that is both steeped in ancient history dating back to 1500BC, and a stylish, tree-lined modern commercial centre.

An area rich in agriculture, Tabuk is well-known for its flower exports to Europe and is idyllically positioned on the Red Sea, famous for its clear waters and allure for scuba divers.

Top things to see and do

• Visit the Prophet’s (PBUH) Mosque originally built with mud and roofed with palm trunk trees, and more recently restored.
• Experience Tabuk Castle, an archaeological landmark also known as the castle of Ashab Al-Ayka and dating back to 3500BC.
• See the Rock Art and Inscriptions Site in Wadi Dam, with inscriptions ranging from the prehistoric Paleolithic to Islamic periods.
• Take in the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography, exhibiting antiquities discovered by various archaeological excavations in the area as well as local traditional crafts.
• Admire the Hisma mountain range, the highest in the area, including Wadi Abiod, Wadi Hisma and Wadi Zeita.

Tips for travellers

Tabuk has a number of historical forts situated within 50km of the city. These include Al-Azlam Fort, one of the stations on the Egyptian pilgrimage route during the Mamluk Ottoman period, Al-Muwailih Fort dating back to the same period built in the 10th century, and Az-Zuraib Fort built during the reign of Sultan Ahmad in 1026.