Saudi's Jeddah old town regains glory as the Grand Prix lures tourists


People walk through a street in the historic old city known as "Al-Balad" in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, April 16, 2025. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

JEDDAH (Reuters) - When Saudi Arabia's Red Sea port of Jeddah hosted Formula One star Lewis Hamilton and U.S. singer Jennifer Lopez during its Grand Prix this month, visitors found they were also drawn to a less obvious attraction - the historic old town.

Jeddah is known for being the kingdom's modern commercial hub, and the exodus of its merchant class meant its old town had fallen into neglect.

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