Date Market
Qassim
Copyright: Suliman Alkurishan/cc by 2.0/FlickrDate Market
The Al-Qassim region is known for its dates, and the main market in Buraidah offers a spectacular variety of this sweet and chewy fruit year-round, though especially during the Annual Date Festival. An estimated 300,000 tonnes of dates are sold annually here, picked from 8 million palm trees in the region. Special seasonal dates are available and should not be missed.
Shopping
Much of Saudi Arabia's social life revolves around shopping. It is very common for families to visit one of the many large shopping centres and spend the whole day browsing, enjoying some refreshments, and escaping the intense heat in the air-conditioned malls. But be sure to head to some of the smaller markets for more traditional and authentic shopping experiences, as well. The date market is an absolute must.