Medina (Arabic: المدينة, Madinah), officially known as Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (Arabic: المدينة المنورة, al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah), is a city in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia. Commonly referred to as the "cradle of Islamic culture and civilisation", it is Islam's second holiest city. Although a visit to Medina is optional (though highly encouraged) and not part of the Hajj, most pilgrims visit Medina after completing the Hajj before they head home.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Medina, where he was welcomed, and taught there for some years before his triumphant return to Mecca. He died in Medina in AD 632 and was buried there, the location on which the Prophet's Mosque now stands. His house where he passed away is still part of that mosque. Medina Regional Municipality website
A new bus network debuted in mid-2025 in Medina. The routes of the buses are available on the official App or on Google Maps. You can tap your card to pay, but as of June 2025, it seems not to work very well. So drivers usually let you in without paying. If you are on the side of the road, you might find locals willing to pick you up and take you to your destination for a fee, even though they are not officially taxis, but beware of con artists from among both official and unofficial taxi drivers (see "Stay safe" below). If you take an unofficial taxi ride, negotiate the price up front. You can use Uber to establish your baseline (maximum) price.
Whether you are a practising Muslim or simply curious about Islam, Medina is the perfect place to deepen your curiosity about one of the world's largest religions. 1 The Prophet's Mosque (Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, المسجد النبوي). The Masjid Nabawi, or the Prophet's Mosque, is the second most important pilgrimage site in Islam, where devout Muslims offer prayers. Men are allowed to visit the 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.
There are restaurants selling diverse foods, largely from across the Muslim world. There are Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi restaurants in abundance. Many of these restaurants will serve favourites such as shawarmas and falafel. There is also Chinese, Indonesian, Turkish, Egyptian, and local food. The Western fast-food chains 1 McDonald's, KFC, and Hardee's have outlets in the city, as do Saudi chains such as Al Baik and Kudu. The cheapest local specialities are shawarma, taamiyya (a type of vegetable sandwich), foul (cooked beans) with tameez (bread), and Broasted chicken which refers to pressure fried chicken cooked and seasoned similarly to KFC.
As it is everywhere else in the country, alcohol is prohibited. Drinking any kind of beverage during daylight hours during Ramadan is subject to punishment by the religious police and thus should not be done in the open.
Many visitors think that because Medina is a holy city, they need not fear being treated dishonestly. That is not a safe assumption. Below are some scams to beware of: As you leave the secure area of the Medina airport and into the arrivals hall, if you look like a well-to-do visitor from a wealthier country, you will be approached by a confident and well-spoken man demanding to see your passport. This person is not an airport or government official, but is actually working for a local taxi company and you should demand to see ID if anyone asks for your passport.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Medina typically sees ~42°C daytime highs and 0 rainy days.
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