Head to Al-Ula this winter

The archeological jewel of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Al-Ula will play host to a special season of events and festivities over the next few weeks. Winter at Tantora festival will be the first-of-its-kind to be held in this UNESCO World Heritage site.

TT Bureau

Al-Ula, which lies in the north of the Arabian peninsula, is home to numerous archeological sites, and is a point where many civilisations meet. Winter at Tantora Festival reflects this heritage and showcases the historical depth of the region to the world, which has been witness to the development of Al-Ula society on many different levels including agriculture, astronomy and construction. During the festival, feature weekends included the Tantora Festival, The Wonder of Winter – a celebration of light and life from December 20-27, 2018. Moreover, now on the cards are the Hot Air Balloon Festival from January 31 to February 9, 2019, and Fursan Festival.

The festival began on December 21 with a series of eight weekend concerts from some of the world’s greatest musicians. Under the dazzling night skies of Al-Ula, tourists were able to experience the transcendent power of virtuoso talents such as Mohamed Abdo and Majida El Roumi during the last month while Renaud Capuçon, Omar Khairat, Lang Lang, Um Kulthum, Andrea Bocelli and Yanni will be taking place from January onwards till February. Each will perform in a purpose-built concert hall which showcases the natural majesty of Al-Ula’s scenery, thus bringing together the beauty of music and nature. To add to the already memorable event, Egyptian legend Um Kulthum will give her world-first ‘performance’, via a hologram show. The reception area inside the halls will have visual shows of classical artworks by renowned painter Van Gogh.

Winter at Tantora is also a local festival where Al-Ula’s proud residents will welcome you to discover the wonders of their region and culture. With a name inspired by a sundial located in Al-Ula’s old town, Winter at Tantora, is a celebration of life, culture, heritage and beauty.