Abha

A cool highland summer retreat in southwest Saudi Arabia: a misty mountain city over 2,000 m up, with painted mud-house villages, cable cars and Al Soudah's mountain parks.

Abha is the capital of Asir Province in southwest Saudi Arabia, set on a plateau in the Sarawat Mountains at about 2,200 m, with cliffs to the west plunging down to the Tihamah lowlands along the Red Sea coast. The climate is cool and rainy, and the mountains are covered in juniper forests and terraced fields, making it Saudis' top choice for escaping the summer heat; it is known as the "City of Fog". The Al-Qatt Al-Asiri wall painting tradition of Asiri women is inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Key areas: in the city are Shada Palace, Al-Muftaha Art Village, Art Street, Shamsan Castle, Green Mountain and the Dam Lake, and in the evening you can take the cable car for views of the city lights. About 20 km northwest are Al Soudah (around 3,000 m) and the cliff-top parks of Asir National Park; cross over Al Soudah and descend to the valley floor to reach Rijal Almaa, a village of stone tower houses. About 60 km southeast is the cliff village of Al-Habala, reached by cable car, and to the northeast around Khamis Mushait are the Bin Hamsan Heritage Village and the ruins of Jurash.

Getting there: Abha International Airport has flights to Riyadh, Jeddah and other cities. Sights are spread out and public transport is limited, so renting a car is recommended; mountain roads have many hairpin bends and frequent fog, so drive slowly at night. Allow 3–4 days.

Climate: from Jun to Sep, daytime temperatures are in the 20s°C; this is peak season, with events such as the Soudah Season. Winters are cool and foggy, with chilly nights. Dress and behave in a way that respects local customs.

Top sights

• Al Soudah (Jabal Sawda) – One of Saudi Arabia's highest peaks, at around 3,000 metres, surrounded by juniper forests and sea-of-clouds views. It is the top summer re…
• Rijal Almaa Heritage Village – A village of multi-storey stone towers in a canyon, with window frames painted in colourful patterns. It is the most iconic historic villag…
• Habala – A village built halfway up a 300-metre cliff. Villagers once climbed up and down by rope, but now you can take a cable car down into the vi…
• Abha Cable Car – A sightseeing cable car spanning a valley in central Abha, with views of the dam lake, green mountains and the whole city along the way; it…
• Green Mountain (Al Jabal Al Akhdar) – A small hill beside the city centre, with a viewing platform, restaurant and café at the summit overlooking the whole city; at night it is…
• Asir National Park (Al Sahab Park) – Saudi Arabia's first national park, where cliff-edge parks such as Sahab sit above the clouds, with views over the Tihama lowlands.
• Shada Palace – A mud-and-stone tower palace in the Asir style, built in 1927, now a museum showcasing local folk culture and crafts.
• Al-Muftaha Art Village – A restored cluster of traditional Asir buildings housing artists' studios, galleries and a theatre, showcasing the wall paintings of Asir w…
• Abha Dam Lake – A reservoir lake southwest of the city, where a lakeside walkway, boat rides and the Abha Palace Hotel on the shore form a leisure area for…
• Shamsan Castle – A stone fortress on a hilltop north of the city, built in the 19th century under Ottoman rule; climbing the walls offers views over Abha's…
• Al Dabbab Walkway – A viewpoint trail along the ridge on Abha's southern outskirts, often drifted over by mist and popular with locals for evening walks.
• Art Street, Abha – A pedestrian street in the city centre, close to Al-Muftaha Village, lined with cafés and craft stalls where street performers gather and t…
• Raydah Escarpment Reserve – A juniper woodland reserve on the steep western slopes of Asir, a hotspot for observing birds endemic to the Arabian Peninsula.
• Bin Hamsan Heritage Village – A restored mud-brick village near Khamis Mushait, with watchtowers, an old mosque, and folk museum displays that show rural Asir life.
• Jurash Archaeological Site – The ruins of the central town of the Asir region in the early Islamic period, with surviving city walls, fortress foundations, and an ancie…

Where to eat

• Bab Al Turath Restaurant – A three-storey restaurant in Abha's Al Muftaha district, built in the style of traditional Asiri houses and recommended…
• Hosn Abha Heritage Restaurant – An affordable southern restaurant in an Asiri-style building in central Abha, known for authentic mfattah bread, areeka…
• Ali Ramzi Haneeth – A longtime local spot specializing in haneeth, with lamb and chicken slow-roasted in traditional tannour ovens and serv…