Visit AlUla

Saudi Arabia's Nabataean rock tombs.

Ancient desert city of windcatchers.

The "museum without walls": grassy royal burial mounds, the Cheomseongdae observatory and Silla-dynasty treasures across the town.

Tombs of the pharaohs near Luxor.

Parthian desert city whose temples fused Greek, Roman and eastern styles.

Visit Mecca, the holiest city in Islam. Perform the Hajj pilgrimage to the Kaaba (the black cube at the center of the Grand Mosque, the most sacred site in Islam) and see the Zamzam Well (a historic well believed to have miraculous properties). Explore the surrounding mountains like Jabal al-Nour, where the Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation.

Visit Jeddah, a major port city on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast. Explore the historic Al-Balad district (a UNESCO World Heritage site with traditional coral houses and markets), see the King Fahd's Fountain (one of the tallest fountains in the world, reaching 312 meters), and stroll along the Corniche (a scenic waterfront promenade with parks and beaches).

A city built on water with no cars — gondolas, Byzantine mosaics, and getting happily lost in the back canals