Places to visit in Hail
Located in the centre of the northern Arabian Peninsula on the eastern side of the massive Jibal Aga and at the fringe of the vast desert of the Rub' Al-Khali, Hail's central position and the wells fed by the rainwater drained off the nearby mountains made it an important oasis on the ancient caravan trade routes.
Hail has a variety of historical places and things to do, and here are some:
Arif Fort
Standing on a hill on the edge of the city, Arif Fort is a mud-brick fort built over 200 years ago as a combined observation post and stronghold. Coveted because of its strategic location the city of Hail hosted several fortified buildings protecting its rulers. The oldest and probably the most famous is the Arif Fort which provides the best viewpoint over the city.
Barzan Palace
Barzan Palace consisted of three floors and covered an area of more than 300,000 square meters. The ground floor featured the reception halls, gardens, and kitchens. The first floor housed diplomatic guests, and the second floor was occupied by the royal family. The Palace was destroyed in 1921 and today only one tower remains standing in the middle of the city but it gives an idea of the size of this building before its destruction.
At-Turathy Restaurant
At-Turathy Restaurant is a large historical mud-brick building located in Hail center which is used as a traditional restaurant. Its appearance is half-restaurant, half-museum with a large number of local traditional items used as decorations. The atmosphere is very traditional, food is traditional, and seating is on the floor.
Al-Qishlah Castle
The Castle is an impressive sight located in the center of Hail. It was built in the 1940s during the principality of Prince Abdul-Aziz bin Musa'ad Al Saud of Hail province. It is a two-floor mud palace, with long walls that stretch over 140 meters and are 8.5m tall, and it has eight watch-towers along with the walls with two main gates, east and west. It also has a large inner courtyard with old military items on exhibition.
Hail Desert Life Festival
Hail Desert Life Festival is an annual festival held in Hail to celebrate and exchange experiences about desert life and culture around the world.
Hail weather
Hail has a hot desert climate with hot summers and cool winters. It has a somewhat milder climate than other Saudi cities due to its higher altitude. January is the coldest month in Hail, with an average high-temperature of 15.9°C and an average low-temperature of 3°C. June through August are the driest months of the year. Months with rainfall in Hail are January through May, September through December.
