AlUla Old Town Taxi — 900-Year Mud-Brick City Transfer
Taxi to AlUla Old Town (Al-Ula Al-Qadimah) — 5km, 5 minutes. 900-year continuously inhabited mud-brick city, abandoned 1983. 800 houses, old souq, hilltop fort, restored heritage lanes. Fixed rate.
AlUla Old Town — What to See
The Mud-Brick City
The old town is a dense urban fabric of mud-brick and stone construction — multi-story houses with thick earthen walls, small windows, internal courtyards, and carved wooden doors. The narrow lanes are covered in some sections, creating a cool interior street at ground level. The atmosphere of the abandoned city is extraordinary: structurally intact but silent, with the ghost of daily life still visible in the domestic architecture.
Guided tour: 45–60 minutes through main lanes.
Souq Al-Khumayyis (Old Market)
The traditional covered market street ran down the centre of the old town — selling agricultural produce, textiles, spices, and crafts to the valley population. Today, some stalls are restored and operating artisan workshops and cafes in the original market spaces. The combination of the original mud-brick structure with contemporary activation makes the souq the most visitor-friendly part of the old town.
Evening: some workshops open after 4pm.
Fort & Valley View
The fort at the top of the rocky outcrop above the old town has a panoramic view over the entire AlUla valley — the palm grove oasis below, the sandstone canyon walls rising on either side, and the modern new town to the north. The climb takes 10–15 minutes on stone stairs cut into the rock. The view is particularly good at sunset when the canyon walls turn amber-red.
Fort climb: 10–15 minutes from town entrance.