Al-Balad is the old walled heart of Jeddah, the port that received pilgrims arriving by sea for Makkah for centuries. Its tall coral-stone houses are famous for rawasheen, carved wooden bay windows painted in blue and brown that shade the rooms and catch the sea breeze. Merchant families built them high and narrow, and the lanes between them open into souqs such as Souq Al Alawi, still busy with spices, perfume and textiles. The district became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014 and many houses are being restored. Come in the evening, when the lanes cool down and the old facades are lit.

Bab Makkah, the Makkah Gate, is one of the surviving gates of the old wall of Jeddah, on the eastern side of the historic district of Al-Balad. Pilgrims once set out from here on the road to Makkah. A busy traditional market spreads around it, selling spices, dates, grains and household goods.

King Fahd's Fountain shoots a jet of seawater more than 300 metres into the air over the Red Sea at Jeddah, making it the tallest fountain in the world. It was a gift from King Fahd to the city in the 1980s, and it is lit by hundreds of spotlights after dark, visible from most of the waterfront. The Corniche below runs for kilometres along the shore with walking and cycling paths, sculptures, beaches and cafes, and it is where Jeddah comes out in the evening. The Al Rahma mosque, built on stilts over the water, is a short way along the same road. Wind can carry the spray a long distance, so keep your camera covered.

The Jeddah Flagpole stands in King Abdullah Square near the seafront. Completed in 2014, it is about 171 metres tall and was the tallest flagpole in the world when it was raised. It flies a Saudi flag roughly the size of half a football pitch. The square around it is laid out with gardens and lighting.

South Abhur Waterfront is a seaside park on Abhur creek in the north of Jeddah. It has a long landscaped promenade, sandy swimming areas, play spaces, shaded seating and piers over clear, shallow water. It is one of the city's main public beaches and is busiest in the evening, when families come to walk and picnic.

Al Wahbah Crater lies on the western edge of the Harrat Kishb lava field, about 250 km from Taif. It is roughly two kilometres across and 250 metres deep, with a white floor of sodium phosphate crystals. Geologists believe it was formed by an underground steam explosion. A path leads down to the floor; allow two to three hours for the return walk.

Al Hada is the mountain shoulder above Taif, reached by a famous road of sharp switchbacks that climbs some 2,000 metres from the Tihamah plain in about 20 km. Taif itself is known as the summer capital, cooler than the coast and famous for its damask roses, which are distilled into rose oil each spring. From the top of Al Hada the view drops away over the escarpment, and a cable car runs down to the Al Kar resort in the valley. Families come up at weekends for the parks, viewpoints and cooler air. The road is spectacular but demands careful driving, especially in fog.

Al Shafa is a mountain area about 25 km south of Taif, rising above 2,200 metres in the Sarawat range. Its cool air, juniper trees, terraced farms and fruit orchards make it a favourite summer retreat. Roadside stalls sell local honey, figs and pomegranates, and the hairpin roads have viewpoints over the valleys. Baboons are common along the road.