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Madinah

Madinah, Saudi Arabia

Madinah

Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, "the Illuminated City", is the second holiest city in Islam and home of the Prophet's Mosque, where the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is buried. A calm, green city of palm groves and historic mosques — Quba, Qiblatayn, the Seven Mosques — and the battlefield of Uhud, visited by millions of Muslims every year, often together with Umrah in Makkah.

Favourite places

Historical places

Local food

  • Ajwa dates

    Madinah, Saudi Arabia

    Madinah's most famous dates: small, dark and soft, with a gentle sweetness. Ajwa is grown in and around Madinah and is linked with the Prophet ﷺ in well-known hadith, so pilgrims buy it as a blessed gift to take home. Madinah's date shops also sell Sukkari, Safawi, Mabroom, Anbara and many other varieties.Read more

  • Mandi

    Madinah, Saudi Arabia

    Lamb or chicken cooked slowly over long-grain spiced rice, traditionally in a pit oven so the meat turns tender and smoky. Served on a big shared platter with a tomato and chilli salsa (daqoos).

  • Saleeg

    Madinah, Saudi Arabia

    A Hejazi comfort dish: short-grain rice slow-cooked in chicken or lamb broth and milk until creamy, finished with ghee and served with the roasted meat on top. Popular across the Hejaz, especially in Taif and Jeddah.

Where to eat

  • Madinah Dates Market

    Near the Prophet's Mosque, central Madinah

    Stall after stall of dates — Ajwa, Sukkari, Safawi, Anbara and more — with tasting, plus date paste, nuts and gift boxes. Ask for each variety by name and taste before you buy.

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  • Central Area restaurants (Markaziya)

    Streets around the Prophet's Mosque

    Hotel buffets, food courts and simple restaurants serving Saudi, Turkish, South Asian, Indonesian and Middle Eastern food for pilgrims from every country. Busiest straight after each prayer.

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  • Quba Road eateries

    Along Quba Road, between the centre and Quba Mosque

    Local restaurants, bakeries and juice shops along the road to Quba — good for mandi, kabsa, mutabbaq and fresh juice.

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Where to stay

  • Central Area — north side

    Madinah, Saudi Arabia

    Large hotels a few minutes' walk from the Prophet's Mosque and its northern gates. The most convenient for Muslim pilgrims who want to pray all five prayers at the mosque.

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  • Central Area — south and west side

    Madinah, Saudi Arabia

    Hotels and serviced apartments on the southern and western edges of the central area, close to the mosque, the Dates Market and the road to Quba.

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  • Outside the centre (King Abdullah Road and beyond)

    Madinah, Saudi Arabia

    Newer hotels and apartments further out, quieter and roomier, with a car or taxi ride to the centre. A practical choice for families with a car, and for non-Muslim visitors.

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Culture

Madinah is calmer and gentler than many big cities — locals often say its people are known for kindness to visitors. Life follows the five daily prayers, when streets fill and empty around the Prophet's Mosque. Dress modestly everywhere (women usually wear an abaya and headscarf; men long trousers), keep public behaviour respectful, and greet people with "As-salamu alaykum". Pilgrims from every country meet here, so the markets and restaurants feel truly international.

History

Before Islam the oasis was called Yathrib, a farming town of date palms and wells settled by Arab and Jewish tribes. In 622 CE the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ migrated here from Makkah with his companions — the Hijrah, which marks the start of the Islamic calendar. The town took the name Madinat an-Nabi, "the City of the Prophet", and became the first capital of the Muslim community.

The Prophet ﷺ built his mosque at the heart of the city and lived beside it; he died in Madinah in 632 CE and is buried there, together with his companions Abu Bakr and Umar. The battles of Badr, Uhud and the Trench were fought to defend the young community, and the city remained the capital of the early caliphs until the capital moved away from Arabia.

For centuries Madinah has been a city of pilgrims and scholars. The Prophet's Mosque has been expanded many times — by Umayyad, Mamluk and Ottoman rulers and, on the largest scale, by the Saudi state — and the city grew around it with hotels, markets and the Islamic University. The Hejaz Railway reached Madinah in 1908; today the Haramain high-speed railway links it with Makkah and Jeddah.

Travel information

  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Language: Arabic; English is common in hotels, airports and larger shops.
  • Currency: Saudi riyal (SAR). Cards and mobile payments are widely accepted.
  • Time zone: Arabia Standard Time, UTC+3.
  • Suggested stay: Three to five days: daily prayers at the Prophet's Mosque plus a day for Quba, Qiblatayn, Uhud and the Seven Mosques.

Tour plans

Madinah in four days

4 days, 3 nights

  1. Step 1: Day 1 — Arrival and the Prophet's Mosque

    Check in to the central area, pray at the Prophet's Mosque and send salam to the Prophet ﷺ and his two companions. Walk the courtyards in the cool of the evening.

  2. Step 2: Day 2 — Rawdah and Quba

    Morning Rawdah visit at your Nusuk time slot. Later, walk or ride to Quba Mosque to pray two rak'ahs, and stop at the date shops on the way back.

  3. Step 3: Day 3 — Ziyarah of the historic sites

    Masjid al-Qiblatayn, the Seven Mosques at the Trench, and Mount Uhud with the Martyrs' Cemetery — by taxi or a half-day ziyarah tour, starting early to avoid the heat.

  4. Step 4: Day 4 — Markets and farewell

    Shop for Ajwa dates, prayer mats and perfume around the central area, pass Al-Ghamamah Mosque, and pray a last prayer at the Prophet's Mosque before leaving.

Map

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Travel information

Best time to visit

November to February for mild days and cool evenings. Summer is very hot. Ramadan and the weeks around Hajj are spiritually special but extremely busy.

How to get there

By air: Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport (MED) is about 15–20 km north-east of the centre, with flights from Saudi cities and international routes from the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe. Taxis, ride-hailing apps and hotel transfers run to the central area.

By train: The Haramain high-speed railway connects Madinah with Makkah, Jeddah (city and King Abdulaziz Airport) and King Abdullah Economic City. Madinah station is outside the centre; take a taxi or app ride to your hotel. Book tickets in advance in busy seasons.

By road: Madinah is roughly 420–450 km north of Makkah by highway. Intercity buses (SAPTCO) and pilgrim coaches connect it with Makkah, Jeddah, Riyadh and other cities.

Getting around

The central area around the Prophet's Mosque is best on foot. For Quba, Qiblatayn, Uhud and the Seven Mosques use taxis or ride-hailing apps (Uber, Careem and local apps), or a ziyarah tour — many hotels and agents run half-day tours of the historic sites. Quba Mosque is also reachable on foot from the centre (about 3 km) along Quba Road. City buses and hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses also run in some seasons.

Travel tips

  • Madinah is a holy city in Islam. Non-Muslim visitors may visit the city, but the Prophet's Mosque and the central sacred area around it are for Muslims only — follow the road signs and any guidance from local authorities. The mosques described in this guide are places of worship first: visit them as a worshipper or a respectful guest, outside the busiest prayer times.
  • Praying in the Rawdah (Ar-Rawdah ash-Sharifah) inside the Prophet's Mosque needs a time-slot permit booked in the official Nusuk app; book early, as slots fill quickly.
  • Shops, cafés and many services close briefly for each of the five daily prayers — usually for 20–30 minutes. Plan errands around them, and check the day's prayer times on a phone app.
  • Friday is the weekly holy day: Jumu'ah prayer at noon is extremely crowded — arrive very early.
  • Carry water and use shade in summer; the mosque's courtyard umbrellas open in the heat.

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