With its historical importance in global trade, as well as the influences of Islam and Arab culture, the Saudi culture is incredibly rich and unique. Overall, Saudi culture has strong principles of hospitality, loyalty, and strength in the community.
You see these principles and Saudi Arabia’s rich heritage come to life in every element, from its food and drink to its architecture and arts.
Saudi Delicious Food & Drink
If you’re not already hungry, you should be!
Saudi Arabian cuisine is quite distinctive and flavorful, owing to its history of nomadic cultures, prominence of spices, and frequency of global travelers. With all these factors in mind, traditional Saudi food often leverages a set of basic ingredients, such as meats, rice, spices, dates, fruits, and milk.
These ingredients combine in numerous ways to create some of the most beloved dishes in Saudi Arabia, such as Kabsa (the national dish of Saudi Arabia), Jareesh, and Lamb Stew.
Saudi Arabia is also known for several key beverages. Traditional coffeehouses, though now less commonplace, are an important element of culture.
In fact, fine coffee itself is a sign of generosity and hospitality.
The traditional process of preparing the coffee, which includes roasting, cooling, and grinding the beans, is very specialized and results in delicious coffee.
Other important beverages to try include laban, a beverage made out of yogurt, a staple food in Saudi Arabia. Finally, on hot days, you won’t want to miss out on Sobia, a cold beverage with light fermentation.
It makes a great beverage to cool off on a hot desert afternoon!
Saudi Culture & Arts
The lively arts and culture in Saudi Arabia draws from its rich history of Islam and Arab customs.
For example, the art of calligraphy, which dates back 1,400 years, relates to the prominence of Islam, as calligraphy was principally used in the Qur’an.
Today, you see calligraphy of text, but also in metalwork, ceramics, glass, sculpture, painting, and other forms of art.
On the other hand, poetry is central to Arab cultural life and has prominence in Saudi culture as well. You’ll see lots of excitement around poetry at the Jenadriyah National Culture and Heritage Festival and throughout the year.So much so that there is a popular poetry competition on TV!
Finally, Saudi music is a key component of culture, which pulls its roots from Bedouin culture. You’ll find that music in Saudi Arabia varies from region to region, exemplifying the differences between regions in both music and dance!
One very unique dance you should look out for is Ardah, a folk dance. This folk dance involves two rows of men dancing opposite each other with swords or canes, with drums or poetry accompanying it.
It is a celebratory dance often seen at weddings, celebrations, and cultural events, which really embodies the power and joy of Saudi culture.
Saudi History & Heritage
Since ancient times, Saudi Arabia has been integral to trade routes, which exposed the area and its people to many cultures. These cultures were diverse, from South Asia and the Mediterranean to Egypt.
This constant interaction with other cultures, paired with a strong commitment to maintaining Arab traditions, created a unique heritage and history in Saudi Arabia, which can still be appreciated today.
At top-tier museums throughout Saudi Arabia and UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as Hegra and the At-Turaif District in ad-Dir’iyah, you can get acquainted with this rich history and see evidence of the cultures that fed into modern-day Saudi culture.
Explore Saudi Arabia For Yourself
These are just a few points on the basics of Saudi culture, but the lived experience is so much more rich!
To get the feel for a culture, you must see it and experience it for yourself. There are countless beautiful cities and locations to visit in Saudi Arabia, with accommodations and activities to fit every type of traveler.
