The capital
Most trips start or end in Riyadh. Walk the restored mud brick palaces of At-Turaif in Diriyah, browse Souq Al Zal, look down from the Kingdom Centre Sky Bridge and drive out to the Edge of the World escarpment. Give it two to three days.
The Red Sea port
Jeddah is the most relaxed big city in the kingdom. Its old quarter, Al Balad, is a UNESCO site of coral stone houses with carved wooden balconies, and its long Corniche and coral reefs make it the base for the Red Sea. It is also the gateway for Umrah pilgrims heading to Makkah.
The ancient desert
AlUla is the showpiece: the Nabataean tombs of Hegra, the country's first UNESCO site, set among sandstone canyons, plus an abandoned mud brick old town, Elephant Rock and the mirrored Maraya concert hall. Fly in and stay at least three nights.
The mountains
Abha and the Asir highlands are cool, green and misty in summer, with painted village houses at Rijal Almaa, cable cars and hanging villages. It is where Saudi families escape the heat.
The Gulf coast
Al Khobar and the Eastern Province mix a breezy corniche, the Ithra cultural centre in Dhahran, the bridge to Bahrain and the palm oasis of Al Ahsa, another UNESCO site.
Putting it together
A week fits Riyadh, AlUla and Jeddah if you fly between them. With ten days or more, add Abha or the east. Use the free trip planner to shape a route around your dates.