Mecca

Mecca, officially spelled Makkah, is a city found on the western part of Saudi Arabia. This city is considered as the center of the Muslims’ spiritual activities as they believe that Muhammad appointed it as the holy city of Islam. It is also said to be the city where the followers of Islam should offer their prayers. Hence, on the Islamic month of Dhu’l-Hijja each year, Muslims coming from different parts of the globe gather for a pilgrimage to this holy city.

So if you are in a spiritual quest and are on for a holy trip, this city offers tourist attractions that could cater to all your religious needs. In the heart of the sacred city lies Al-Masjid al-Haram which is named as the world’s holiest mosque. Its 7th-centry form was expanded that it can now lodge more than 800,000 parishioners. The mosque has also been transformed into an air-conditioned area for added comfort. The Well of Zamzam, which in Muslim belief is a source of water miraculously provided by God, is located in the said mosque too. Pilgrims visit this sacred well to drink its water just as Abraham’s infant son, Ishmael, did thousands of years back.

Another religious attraction visited by millions of pilgrims each year is The Ka’ba, which enshrines a sacred stone and where Muslim prayers are directed. This is also considered sacred as it is believed that the shrine was built by Ishmael and his father.

The expansion of the sacred city is ongoing; hence, aside from these religious mosques, pilgrims will soon see the 577 meters (1893 ft) Abraj Al Bait Towers across the holy mosque. It will be launched in 2010 and is set to be one of the tallest buildings in the world.

Unlike other cities in Saudi Arabia, Mecca remains warm even during winter; at night, the temperature is around 17 °C while in the afternoons, you can experience a temperature of 25 °C. Summers are described as hot and dry as the temperature breaks up to 40 degrees Celsius. If you do not want to witness the dry season of Mecca, you could visit some time between November and January since rain usually comes in this period.