Madinah
Medina is the second holy city of Islam. The Prophet Muhammad
migrated to Medina from Mecca, and taught there for some years before his
triumphant return to Mecca. The city is commonly visited as part of the Hajj
pilgrimage.
By plane
For pilgrims, the most common route is to arrive in Jeddah by plane, and get on
a special pilgrims' bus to Mecca and Medina, and come back to fly home in a
couple of weeks. However, Medina's Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport (IATA:
MED) fields an increasing number of direct flights from around the Middle East,
and the airport is accessible to non-Muslims.
[edit]By bus
The Saudi Arabian Public Transport Company (SAPTCO) runs to and from luxurious
buses several times daily from most parts of the country at cheap rates. There
are also privately run buses. The SAPTCO terminal is off-limits to non-Muslims.
[edit]Get around
There is no public transport other than taxis.
See
Since it is visited only by Muslims, for religious purpose, the main thing to
see is the Masjid Nabawi or the Prophet's Mosque where devout Muslims offer
prayers. Men are allowed to visit the actual burial site of the Prophet and pay
respects throughout the opening hours of the mosque, which used to close for the
night at around 10PM but has since become 24/7. Women may visit only after the
Fajr or dawn and Duhr or afternoon prayers, when they are taken there in groups
according to their countries. In fact most of the things to be done or seen are
around this grand mosque which is at the city centre. Adjacent to the mosque is
Jannatul Baqi, a huge graveyard, where most family members and companions of the
Prophet are buried. Other things to be seen ,a little away from the city,are the
plains and mountain of Uhud where the battle took place. There is also the
burial ground of the 70 martyrs of this battle including the Prophet's uncle
Hamza who is considered one of the greatest martyrs of all time. Further away is
the Masjid Qiblatayen where the Prophet was ordered by Allah to turn his face
from Masjid Aqsa in Jerusalem to the Kaaba in Makkah while offering prayers;
Masjid Jumua where the Prophet prayed the first Jumua or Friday prayers; Masjid
Gamama where once he had prayed for rain; Masjid Quba at Quba, which is the
first mosque of Islam. Another place worth visiting is the battleground of
Khandaq or the Trench.
[edit][add listing]Do
Visit the grand mosque called Masjid Al-Nabawi. The Prophet Muhammad's burial
site lies inside the mosque, along with the astonishing view and glamorous
architecture of the beautiful mosque.
[edit][add listing]Buy
The streets leading to and around the Prophet's Mosque are lined with shops
selling goods of every variety. Visitors to Madina usually buy prayer rugs (some
with magnets pointing towards the Kaaba), caps, Tasveeh or rosary beads, Abayas,
pictures of the holy city and mosques, religious cds, copies of the Holy Quran,
clocks sounding Azan or the call to prayer ( correct to the second) for nearly 5
million cities, etc as souvenirs to take back with them or as gifts for family
and friends. The best of them to take back are Dates from Medina.
There are also huge glittering shopping complexes and malls selling goods from
all over the world.
Credit cards are largely unaccepted, and few banks will exchange travelers'
checks.
[edit][add listing]Eat
There are restaurants selling almost all types of food from all over the world.
There are Indian, Pakistani And Bangladeshi restaurants in abundance. There are
also Chinese,Indonesian, Turkish,Egyptian, and local food available. The well
known western fastfood chains like Mc Donald's,Pizza Hut, Don Giovanni's, KFC
all have outlets, as well as the country's own famous fastfood chains like Al
Baik,Kudu, Hardeez, etc also abound. The cheapest local delights are shawarma,
taamiyya (a type of vegetable sandwich), foul (cooked beans) with tameez
(bread), roasted whole chickens called Broasts.
Sleep
Medina has many hotels, most of which are very close to the Mosque,as it is
visited mostly by Muslim pilgrims.
[edit]City center
The following hotels are for Muslims only.
Al-Majeedi ARAC Suites, Northern Central Zone, P.O. Box 6388, ☎ 966 4 820 0000
Ext. 5100, [1]. It offers spacious and air-conditioned serviced apartments, all
of which has a telephone, cable TV, and private toilet and shower with bathtub.
Some of its amenities are currency exchange, dry cleaning/laundry, and safe
deposit boxes. While staying here you can visit some tourist spots like Masjid
Al Nabawi, Qiblatayn Mosque, and Masjid Musallah. Best rates on official website
start at SAR 400.00. edit
Madinah ARAC Inn, Western Central Zone, P.O. Box 6388, ☎ 966 4 819 6666, [2]. It
offers rooms furnished with air-conditioning, cable TV, a phone, private toilet
and bath, and mini-bar. Some of its facilities are currency exchange, airport
transfer, and dry cleaning/laundry. While staying here you can visit some
tourist spots like Quba Mosque, Jannatul Baqi, Battleground of Khandaq. Best
rates on official website start at SAR 350.00. edit
Taiba ARAC Suites, Northern Central Zone, P.O. Box 6388, ☎ 966 4 820 0000 ext.
1005, [3]. It offers air-conditioned suites aptly boasting a private toilet with
shower and bathtub, cable TV, and phone. Some of its amenities are currency
exchange, dry cleaning/laundry, and safe deposit boxes. While staying here you
can visit some tourist spots like Masjid Al Nabawi Al Sharief, Qibalatin Mosque,
and Baqi ‘Al-Gharqad. Best rates on official website start at SAR 2300.00. edit
Madinah Mövenpick Hotel, Sharia Court Road, P.O. Box 1582, ☎ 966 4 818 8888,
[4]. Madinah Mövenpick Hotel is located south of the Holy Mosque, near Al Rawda
Al Sharifa and Al Baqie areas. edit
Anwar al Madinah Mövenpick Hotel, Central Zone P.O. | Box 41340, ☎ 966 4 818
1000, [5]. Anwar al Madinah Mövenpick Hotel is Madinah’s largest hotel and the
nearest to the Prophet's Mosque. edit
Numerous 5 star hotels have been and are being constructed all around the
Prophet's mosque within a radius of 500 m.
Al Andalous Suites
Madina Al Rawda Suites
Dar Al Hijra Intercontinental
Hilton Hotel
The Oberoi
Beyond these are many budget hotels extending miles from the Masjid Nabavi. The
tariff depends on a hotel's distance from the mosque, the nearer the more
expensive. Even these low cost hotels have facilities like proper beds with
clean linen, carpeted floors, air conditioning, refrigerator in every room,
tiled bathrooms fitted with either eastern or western type WCs (sometimes both),
24 hours running hot and cold water. Kitchens with LPG and burners and sinks are
also available for those pilgrims who would like to cook their own meals. But
now all of these small old hotels are being demolished on a large scale to make
way for starred hotels.
[edit]Outside forbidden zone
The following hotels are open to all.
LeMeridien Medina, [6]. Previously the Sheraton, this is the only branded hotel
in Medina open to non-Muslims. Near the airport and often used by airline crew.
One night is about 600 riyals
Postal address
Suite #220A Panorama center Office Plaza,
Fatima Jinnah Road. Karachi. PAKISTAN.
Web address
https://www.travel-culture.com
Phone : +92-21-3521-8097 or +92-21-3521-8097 or 0321-2424-778
