Originally Posted by
IAN-UK
There's plenty to see, but distances are taxing and the leisure tourism infrastructure is not well developed, so what there is tends to be expensive.
Saudi Arabia is none too keen about welcoming backpackers stereotypically low budgets. Al Ula is a good example of this. Neom and various Red Sea projects are no different.
Originally Posted by
YVR Cockroach
One of the draws highlighted in the Saudi tourism website are some Nabataean (same tribe/civilization that created Petra) archaeological sites. Otherwise not much for the old. Mecca (at least the interesting parts) appears off-limits to non-Muslims. All research when considering a JED stopover on SV (ultimatelly rerouted).
There are a number of historical/natural sites throughout the country, it's just that non-religious tourism is still a very new concept for Saudi Arabia.
For now, I can say that Madinah is open to tourism, save for Al Masjid an Nawabi. Makkah is officially closed to non-Muslims ... but I happened to visit twice anyway.
Jeddah has an old town, called Al-Balad; some of the buildings were made with Red Sea coral. The nearby city of Taif has some cable cars overlooking particularly austere landscapes.
Riyadh is "building" old history in Diriyah, seat of the original house of Saud, and former capital.