Life in Taif

Taif has long been known as the summer retreat for the Saudi Royal family. Due to its elevated location in the Hejaz mountains it benefits from a much cooler climate than both Riyadh and Jeddah. Winters are mild and, in summer, the thermometer tends to level out at the mid to high thirties. Following the pattern of change and development seen quite recently across all of Saudi Arabia, Taif now boasts a range of malls, restaurants and entertainment centres that give the city a more modern and cosmopolitan feel. That isn’t to say that ‘old Taif’ has disappeared-it’s still there and definitely worth seeking out. Whilst everyone who comes to Taif will find something new to add to the list of ‘must dos’, I would suggest the following:

 

·       Taking the ‘Taif Escarpment’ route to down to Jeddah for a couple of days of shopping and beach time.

 

·       A visit to the Souk Okaz festival to experience to experience the diversity of Arab culture and heritage

 

·       A visit to Taif gold souk.

 

·       A visit to the Taif Rose Festival and a visit to the rose farms and factories

 

For the times when you feel that you’ve exhausted everything that Taif has to offer, there is a small international airport. Current destinations are: Riyadh, Cairo, Sharjah, Dubai and Istanbul.