Taif
★ 4.5🇸🇦 TaifSuggested visit Half a dayBest season March to April for the roses; summer for cooler air
NatureFlowersLocal life
A cool hill retreat in the Asir mountains, where spring rose fields and distilleries produce prized Taif rose water.
Overview
About 100 kilometres east of Mecca in the Asir mountains at around 1,700 metres, Taif has long been the summer retreat of the Arabian peninsula for its cool climate. Each March and April the valley rose fields bloom; growers pick at dawn and take the petals to traditional distilleries for rose water and oil, with Taif rose water counted among the most prized in the Islamic world. Grapes, honey and pomegranates are also grown here.
History
Long a summer retreat in the Hejaz with an Ottoman-era summer palace, its rose growing and distilling traditions run back centuries and remain small-scale and largely manual.
Highlights
- •The spring rose fields
- •Traditional rose distilleries
- •Rose water and oil workshops
- •The Asir highlands and the summer palace
Practical tips
- •The bloom runs late March to mid April — plan around it
- •Most fields are privately owned; arrange visits in advance
Practical information
- Best time
- March-April
- Tickets
- Distillery visits are usually by appointment
- Opening hours
- By arrangement
- Local food
- Kabsa, honey, dried figs
- Getting around
- About 2.5 hours by car from Jeddah, eight hours from Riyadh.
- Visa
- A visa is required, available as an e-visa or on arrival.
Traveller reviews
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