Danube Supermarket

Stop at Danube before the train and pick up a few essentials for the journey - fresh bread, local cheese, fruit, drinks and perhaps some Taif figs. It quickly became one of our favourite travel rituals.

The Mohammed bin Salman Global Center for Arabic Calligraphy

Ask if a private lesson with Ustaz Mohammed Muktar can be arranged. Watching him write with a traditional calligraphy pen was unforgettable. He wrote my name in Arabic and Farsi, then handed me the pen to try. He is one of a small group of master calligraphers entrusted with the calligraphy of the Kaaba’s covering.

I bought my abaya on my first evening in Medina and wore it throughout my journey. Mama Jeje at Alhayy has a beautiful collection, and with a little help from the owner and two friendly Saudi women, I found the perfect one. One of my favourite purchases in Saudi.

The Prophet’s Mosque is one of the most significant places in the Islamic world. As a non-Muslim, I couldn’t enter, but seeing it from a private rooftop offered a remarkable perspective. What stayed with me most was the sense of calm.

Visit the Date Market with a guide who knows the traders, and if you’re lucky, catch the lively daily auction. Then stop by the neighbouring Date Museum to discover the Kingdom’s many varieties and why Ajwa is so closely linked to Medina.

Ask your guide to stop at the local bakery and pick up freshly baked mamoul. Soft with dates inside, they travelled with us all the way to AlUla, though not many made it that far.

An Ajwa date box, an abaya you’ll love to wear again, and perhaps your name in hand written Arabic calligraphy. Some souvenirs are bought; others come through conversation.