Old Town
Part of AlUla Old Town Village

All-New Experience AlUla App
Check out the new Experience AlUla app to really make the most of your visit to this extraordinary destination. With fast and easy-to-navigate information, interactive features and bookable experiences, you have the best of AlUla at your fingertips.








Modern AlUla encompasses one of Saudi Arabia’s most exceptional heritage sites, Old Town.
One of the reasons it evokes such a deep sense of emotion is that it was actually inhabited in the not-so-distant past. AlUla Old Town is located in the narrowest part of the AlUla Valley. Built on a slight elevation, the town is overlooked by the Musa bin Nusayr Castle, a citadel dating back approximately to the 10th century.
Historical Significance
In the 12th century, AlUla Old Town became an essential settlement along the pilgrimage route from Damascus to Makkah. The city gradually replaced Qurh, to the south of AlUla, and is favourably mentioned by travellers from the 12th to the 20th centuries, when modern AlUla was constructed nearby. The houses were designed to be attached to one another, providing fortification, which hints to defence being a priority for the city's early inhabitants. At one point, the city was accessed by 14 gates, which were opened in the morning to welcome travellers, pilgrims and other visitors, and closed each evening. The ancient city’s recent occupation has enabled researchers to begin to gather oral histories, painting a picture of what life was like inside its walls. These stories will one day be available to visitors who can look forward to tapping into AlUla Old Town’s living memory.

ALULA AUTONOMOUS POD
Experience the future of sustainable, zero-emission mobility! With the launch of a new, fully autonomous pod vehicle service, enjoy a quick and easy link to AlUla Old Town from the south car park for free.

UNWTO Best Tourism Village
AlUla Old Town has been awarded the title of Best Tourism Village by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, joining an esteemed collection of villages across the five regions of the world. This prestigious award recognises AlUla's sustainable preservation initiatives across nature, culture, heritage and more.