Experience the best of Medina

Medina lies in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, an oasis ringed by volcanic hills and lava fields, north of Mecca. It was known as Yathrib before the Prophet Muhammad settled here in 622 after leaving Mecca, a migration called the Hijra, and it became the first capital of the early Muslim community. At its heart stands the Prophet's Mosque, with its green dome over his tomb and its many minarets.

Beyond the mosque, the Quba Mosque, traditionally the first mosque built in Islam, stands in the south of the city, and the Masjid al-Qiblatayn is known as the mosque of the two prayer directions. Mount Uhud, a mountain north of the city, was the site of a battle in 625, and the old Hejaz railway station has been restored as a museum. Date farms stretch across the oasis, with dry mountains and wadis beyond.

Medina is famed for its dates, especially the soft, dark Ajwa, and many varieties are sold in the markets beside nuts and sweets. Meals are built on rice and lamb, in dishes such as kabsa, with flatbreads, harees and Arabic coffee spiced with cardamom. Summers are extremely hot, and the mild months of winter, from November to February, are the comfortable season.