Old Town Tour

FROM SAR 70

The tour is currently unavailable due to restoration work but will return in October 2023. Follow @AlUlaMoments on Social to be the first one to know when this tour is back

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Old Town Tour

Get a glimpse into AlUla’s not-so-distant past on the Old Town Tour. A Rawi (guide) will lead you through AlUla's Old Town, where pilgrims, travellers and permanent settlers congregated through the ages. Inhabited from before the 12th century up until the early 1980's, Old Town offers researchers unique oral histories and living memory that the area’s other heritage sites cannot.

With 900 houses, 500 shops and 5 town squares, you can explore a maze of remnants of original stone and mudbrick buildings and enjoy views of an AlUla Castle dating back to the 10th century. Guest will learn about Old Town’s settlers and pilgrims, as well as their motives and methods in the city’s construction.

Find more tour and transportation details below.

Old Town Tour

Tour Details

Tour Schedule
Our heritage team is working carefully to restore the ancient mudbrick structures of Old Town to their former glory. Due to this restoration work, the Old Town Day Tour is currently unavailable, but will return on 1 October 2023. Old Town Market Street, filled with shops, restaurants and cafes, is still open to visitors.

Oct 2023 - Mar 2024
Weekdays
  • 8:30 am
  • 9:30 am
  • 3:30 am

Weekends
  • 8:30 pm
  • 9:30 pm
  • 2:30 pm
  • 3:30 pm
Tour Details
  • Parking is available at the AlJadidah northern parking. Shuttles services are available from the parking zone to the entrance of AlUla Old Town. 
  • Please arrive at AlJadidah northern parking 30 minutes before your tour start time to allow time for shuttle transfer from AlJadidah to AlUla Old Town
  • Guests will need to be at the AlUla Old Town visitor center 15 minutes before tour start time
  • Book your tickets in advance and have your e-ticket ready when you arrive to check-in.
  • Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints.
  • AlUla Old Town Tour is a walking tour, so we recommend that you wear comfortable footwear.
  • AlUla Old Town is an open site and exposed to the elements. We encourage you to take responsibility for your health and safety and stay hydrated.

Tip: Visitors can download the Experience AlUla app for an immersive 360 location-specific digital guide.
Recommended attire
  • Both men and women are encouraged to dress modestly in public and avoid tight-fitting clothing.
  • Women should cover their shoulders and knees in public, but do not need to wear traditional clothing.
Refunds & Rebooking
  • We will gladly refund the ticket price of cancelled experiences up to 3 days before the scheduled tour. Unfortunately, we are unable to refund credit card fees.
  • Experiences cancelled within 1–3 days before your tour may be rebooked if timeslots are available but are not eligible for a refund.
  • We are unable to refund or rebook experiences cancelled on the day of the scheduled tour.

 
Old Town

Old Town

Inhabited until the not-so-distant past, Old Town is a labyrinth of tightly packed streets lined with mudbrick houses, shops and squares. Above it all, a 10th-century fort still watches over the town and its scenic desert valley.

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Old Town Market Street


Stroll along Old Town Market Street and follow in the footsteps of the merchants who traced this ancient route for thousands of years. A historic marketplace still thrives here today, offering shoppers everything from local handicrafts to freshly squeezed juice.
 

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Restaurants in Old Town

Entrecote

The dining experience at Entrecôte Café de Paris brings a taste of the finest French cuisine to AlUla Old Town. Their world-famous steak frites and secret sauce make this set menu special.

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Origin Cafe

Located in AlUla Old Town, Origin Cafe is brewing some of the best coffee from around the world. It is the perfect place to sit back, take a deep breath and enjoy a cold brew or Chemex. If you want to keep exploring, get your drink to go. Most known for serving speciality coffee, so give their coffee of the day a try.

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Suhail Old Town

A high-end Saudi Arabian dining concept serving dishes inspired by old Arabian Peninsula spices and time-honoured traditions, matched with a modern twist and exemplary service.

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AlNakheel Café

A relaxed and casual dining venue, Palm Garden is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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Tomoor AlUla

Sample local date varieties, sip speciality coffee and eat authentic desserts in AlUla Old Town at Tomoor AlUla. This high-end cafe honours AlUla's history by serving eight date varieties, all grown locally on lush farms. Look up in awe at the sandstone canyons from outdoor and rooftop seating.

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Wacafe

Mouthwatering croissants and scrumptious cinnamon rolls fill the cases at Wacafe. Grab the perfect cup of coffee and settle in at this great AlUla Old Town café.

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Temporarily Unavailable ACME

ACME’s unique burgers and delicious bites bring fun new flavours to AlUla’s Old Town. From refreshing drinks to savoury snacks, an exciting menu awaits kids and adults alike.

This dining option is currently unavailable but will return to AlUla soon. Follow @alulamoments on Social to be the first one to know when this dining option is back.

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Temporary unavailable SHI Lounge

A new café in AlUla Old Town, SHI Lounge is overflowing with ambience, making it the perfect place to relax and unwind. Chill after a busy day exploring AlUla or keep the night going after dinner with friends.

This dining option is currently unavailable but will return back to AlUla soon. Follow @AlUlaMoments on Social to be the first one to know when this dining option is back.

 

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Heritage Product Terms

Terms & Conditions
To protect our heritage:
The heritage sites have been part of AlUla’s cultural landscape for thousands of years. We hope the visitors who explore these sites will preserve this historic area by adhering to the following:


Please do:
  • Take nothing but pictures; leave nothing but footprints.
  • Please adhere to the designated walking paths and do not enter non-designated areas, such as the tombs. There is still much to be discovered about AlUla, and entering the tombs or other areas may damage the antiquities yet to be discovered underneath.
  • Please avoid distorting or marking the rock surfaces, including touching our pouring water on the engravings.
  • Do not remove rocks or take anything from the heritage sites.
  • Keep these sites clean; put your litter in the allocated bin.
  • For your safety, please do not climb rocky ledges.
Please Do Not
  • Do not scratch, draw or in anyway mark the monuments.
  • Do not climb.
  • Heritage sites are non-smoking except in the designated smoking areas.
  • Do not remove or take anything from the tombs.
  • Do not remove or take anything from the ground.
  • No fires of any kind are permited including campfires.
  • No trees or plants are to be removed.

Visitors who mistreat the monuments will be asked to leave and will not be allow to revisit in future.
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Customer Bookings: We will gladly refund the ticket price of cancelled experiences up to 3 days before the scheduled tours. Unfortunately, we are unable to refund credit card fees. Experiences cancelled within 1–3 days before your tour may be rebooked if timeslots are available but are not eligible for refund. We are unable to refund or rebook experiences cancelled on the day of scheduled tours.

Booked through 3rd Party or Travel Agent: If you booked your experience through a third party, please coordinate with them on policies, changes and updates.

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