For centuries, the Al Balad district in the Red Sea city of Jeddah was a cosmopolitan crossroads for global pilgrims who descended on Saudi Arabia en route to Mecca, just 50 miles away.

Saudi Arabia's Jeddah, a modern commercial hub, is seeing a cultural revival through Vision 2030, as the historic old town al-Balad gains popularity. Attracting visitors during events like the F1 ...