Abha

Painted Walls, a fogbound ridge and Rijal Almaa

Three days in Abha cover the painted-wall studios of Al-Muftaha, the lookout on Jabal Sawda at Al-Soudah, the highest ground in Saudi Arabia, and one escarpment village: the stone tower houses of Rijal Almaa or the cliff village of Habala. Both villages in a single day makes it very long, so pick one.

Give the first day to the city. Spend the morning in Al-Muftaha, where studios keep Al-Qatt Al-Asiri alive, the bold geometric wall painting that Asiri women have long used to decorate their homes. After lunch, rest through the warmest hours, then join the city in its parks at dusk, when families spread out with flasks of coffee and the air cools fast.

On day two, drive up to Al-Soudah early, before the fog rolls in, and stand at the lookout on the Jabal Sawda ridge, the highest ground in the kingdom. If you are happy on hairpins, come down by Monkey Road towards Muhayil, watching for the baboons that give it its name, and loop back by the main road.

Day three is for the villages. Rijal Almaa, down the escarpment, is a cluster of stone tower houses several storeys high with a small museum inside. Habala, the cliff village once reached only by rope, lies a couple of hours from the city in another direction.

Areeka breakfasts, haneeth lamb and kabsa in the Asir highlands

Order areeka in Abha, the Asir breakfast of hand-worked wheat dough with ghee and honey. Slow-roasted haneeth lamb and kabsa fill out the menus, local honey is sold everywhere, and in summer dinner moves outdoors to cafes near the lookouts, where evenings fall into the teens.

Asir food is mountain food: filling, built on grain, meat and honey. The national dish, kabsa, is everywhere, spiced rice piled with lamb or chicken, and it is the safe order in any town restaurant. Look beyond it, though. Areeka is the regional breakfast and comfort food, a dense wheat dough worked by hand and served with a pool of ghee and honey in the middle, eaten with the fingers. Haneeth is lamb slow-roasted until it falls apart, served on rice for a group.

Honey is a point of pride in these mountains, and you will see jars of it on sale in shops and markets; ask to taste before you buy, as quality and price vary enormously. Arabic coffee with cardamom and a plate of dates follows any proper meal. On summer evenings the best tables are outdoors, at the cafes and kiosks near the lookouts and parks, where the temperature drops into the teens after dark. Bring a jacket to dinner.

Summer storms and clear autumn air at 2,270 metres

October to December gives Abha its clearest views and driest weather, while July and August bring the Saudi summer holiday crowd, highs near 31C, afternoon storms, fog and full hotels. At 2,270 metres the city stays cool all year, and winter nights drop to about 8C, colder still at Al-Soudah.

Height keeps Abha cool. Even in July and August, the warmest months, average highs stop at about 31C, and nights fall to around 17 to 18C. That is the whole reason Saudi families arrive in June and stay through September. Summer is also wet by Saudi standards: July and August each average about 46 mm of rain, often in afternoon storms that drag cloud and fog across the ridges.

Spring is the other rainy spell, with March and April close to 45 to 49 mm, and the terraces turn green. Highs then sit in the mid-20s. October to December is the driest stretch, under 10 mm a month, which gives the clearest views from Al-Soudah and quieter roads to the villages. Winter days are sunny and around 20 to 21C, but nights drop to about 8C, and the high ground at Al-Soudah is colder still. For views, come in autumn. For the atmosphere of a Saudi summer holiday, come in July, but book rooms early.