A visit to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, guarantees a perfect first introduction. In a short period of time, you will dive into history, look out over the city from great heights and get to know the new Saudi Arabia. Because the city lies at the intersection of several wadis (oases), there is always plenty of groundwater available. Besides museums, shopping malls and mosques, the city also offers the opportunity to explore the desert surrounding Riyadh in 4×4 jeeps for a spectacular off-road adventure.
After Riyadh was recaptured from the Ottomans in 1902 under the leadership of Salman bin Abdoel Aziz, no one could have imagined that, more than a century later, a modern metropolis would rise on this dry spot. The capital of Saudi Arabia is home to just under eight million residents and stretches over a huge swath of land - if you decide to walk from north to south Riyadh in a fit of insanity, you're in for at least ten hours. The upside is that you do get to know Saudi Arabia's capital in a special way.
Riyadh is not a city that immediately blows you away. It sometimes feels a bit like a thrown together mess: an endless concrete jungle with the occasional outlier in the form of an architecturally sound skyscraper. Perhaps the beauty of the Saudi capital lies precisely in the absurdity of it all. Pedestrians are not exactly in their element here. The distances are great and the different neighborhoods are far apart.
Everything, but really everything in Riyadh is done by car. Public transportation is virtually nonexistent. And that's not surprising, considering that the average Saudi has several cars in their driveway or parking garage and fuel prices are laughably low. The cab driver is your best friend during your stay in Riyadh. Park your car at your hotel and let them drive you around. Saves a lot of parking and navigational stress in one of the Middle East's largest cities.
The first place in Riyadh where you will be dropped off by the cab driver is the National Museum of Saudi Arabia. Before going inside, take a moment to take in the exterior. Designed by Canadian architect Raymond Moriyama and inspired by the red-colored sand dunes surrounding the city, the museum is a powerful piece of design. Inside, a time travel through the various eras that shaped the Arabian Peninsula awaits. A fun way to brush up on your knowledge before beginning your tour of Saudi Arabia begins.
For you as a foreigner (and non-believer), the hall that focuses on the hajj is probably the most special. Impressive scale models of the two holy mosques are displayed in this room: the Al-Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca and the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina. Both are forbidden to non-Muslims. You won't get much closer than that. The immense magnitude of the Hajj, the largest "migration of people" on earth, is also made very clear in the hall. In fact, every believer should make this pilgrimage once.
In addition to the historical and religious objects and subjects that predominate, the museum also makes room for contemporary works by promising Saudi artists.
The Al Masmak fortress is an imposing citadel that means high, strong and thick and is made of clay and mud bricks. It is a magnificent relic of Saudi Arabia's recent history. In 1902, King Abdulaziz captured the fortress and gained control of Riyadh after living in exile in Kuwait. From the Al Masmak fortress, Abdulaziz Al Saud conquered and united the various kingdoms and provinces that now make up the Saudi nation. Originally built in 1865, the fortress has served many functions over time. Although it initially served as housing for garrisons protecting the city, it later became a munitions depot and still later a prison.
Today, the restored building serves as a museum where historical artifacts, photographs and maps from the early 20th century are on display. One of the highlights of the museum is the film and documentary that lifelike recreates King Abdulaziz's conquest of the fort. Right next to the fort is Souq al-Zal, a market that sells traditional handicrafts, jewelry, spices and cashmere scarves. It is the perfect place to find unique items that embody the kingdom's rich cultural heritage.
In the middle of Riyadh stands the city's flagship building: the 302-meter Kingdom Tower is, at 99 stories, the second tallest skyscraper in Saudi Arabia after the Abraj Al Bait Tower in Mecca. The futuristic and iconic building is simply unmissable and visible from all corners of the city of Riyadh.
A distinctive feature is the floating sky bridge and the "hole" below it. According to many, the tower resembles a giant bottle opener - obviously for non-alcoholic beverages. Two elevators take you in ninety seconds to the panoramic bridge at a height of three hundred meters that is made almost entirely of glass. The view of Saudi Arabia's sprawling capital and far beyond is impressive, to say the least. Between the Mont Blanc and Carolina Herrera stores you will find the entrance and also the ticket office. After you buy your ticket, an elevator will take you to the 77th floor where the tallest mosque in the world is located. You will then take a second elevator to the Sky Bridge on the 99th floor. Cheers!
The Boulevard World in Riyadh has reopened its doors to visitors with new, rich and diverse entertainment experiences from different parts of the world.
Boulevard World, considered one of the biggest areas in the fourth edition of Riyadh Season, has returned with new global areas such as the ancient Levant, telling its life story through buildings.
The Egypt area offers visitors the opportunity to explore the Pyramids of Giza. The area has professionally transferred its historical techniques, showing them in their original form.
The Boulevard World is divided into 20 sub-areas, including the global section that consists of different regions with their cultures, each of them designed with a special theme that stands out in terms of food, building and music.
The region represents Egypt, the United Kingdom, India, Asia, Mexico, France, Levant, China, the United States, Spain, Italy, Greece, Japan and Morocco.
Fans of games can indulge as 14 entertainment games and 24 types of skill games are offered.
One of the most striking experiences in the Boulevard World is the Metaverse World with its games that combine reality and imagination.
You can also take a ride on the longest mobile roller coaster in the world at 110 kilometers per hour.
The Boulevard World also includes an interactive film museum of the greatest archaeological discoveries in history.
Furthermore, Boulevard World is characterized by about 200 stores selling food and drinks, as well as 621 stores selling products from all over the world.
Saudi Arabia has announced the construction of Murabba, together with NEOM and Red Sea Global one of the country's most prestigious construction projects.
Furthermore, the Royal Commission for the City of Riyadh (RCRC) announced that work has begun on King Abdulaziz Park. The mega-project spans about 4.3 million square meters and is expected to be completed within 36 months.
The park will house 6 different tree species and has a distinctive design. One of the highlights of the park is the Botanical Garden, which spans 200,000 square meters and contains more than 200 species of local plants.
This park is part of the Green Riyadh project and is in line with one of Vision 2030's goals of planting 10 billion trees within the Kingdom to improve air quality.
Jebel Fihrayn, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Saudi Arabia, is also known as the Edge of the World, or Edge of the World. This nickname is due to the spectacular view from the 300-meter-high cliffs overlooking the surrounding plain, which formed the ocean floor millions of years ago. From these cliffs, you can see the dried-up riverbeds and ancient caravan routes that passed through this area. To get to the Edge of the World, you must cross the Sha'ib Kharmah Valley, which turns lush green during the rainy season (November through April) and offers several picnic areas. From Riyadh, the drive takes about ninety minutes. There are several routes for hikers to reach the top of the cliffs.
Get inspired by one of the other highlights in Saudi Arabia
