JEDDAH
DRIVE AROUND OPEN-AIR ART
Jeddah’s numerous pieces of alfresco artwork – which are said to make the city the largest open-air art gallery in the world – first sprouted in the 1970s and ’80s, funded by the area’s oil boom. Under the eye of former mayor and city planner Mohamed Said Farsi, roundabouts and public spaces in Saudi’s second city were adorned with large pieces of art from some of the world’s leading sculptors, such as Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, Cesar and Joan Miró. You can’t miss Spanish artist Julio Lafuente’s giant sculptures, including a towering bicycle.
RIYADH
TAKE A FLIGHT WITHOUT LEAVING THE GROUND
The Saqr Al-Jazeera Museum of Aviation was inaugurated as part of Saudi Arabia’s centennial celebrations in 1999 and officially opened late 2003. It houses Royal Saudi Air Force jet-fighters, commercial airliners and helicopters. You can experience some of the exhibits on film – though there are occasional live demonstrations by flying teams in the sky overhead. |
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