European exploration of Arabia
The Arabian Peninsula, where modern Saudi Arabia is, has long attracted European explorers. For much of history the region was hard to reach, dangerous, and off-limits. Even today some areas remain dangerous or closed to visitors. Mecca and Medina, the holiest cities in Islam, are off-limits to non-Muslims. The first European exploration of Arabia happened in the 16th century, when the Portuguese sailed around the Arabian Peninsula.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 14:56 (CET).