Riyadh does not reveal itself easily. The city sits on a plateau in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, surrounded by desert that reaches 45 degrees Celsius in summer. For decades it was closed to tourism. The first tourist visas to Saudi Arabia only became available in 2019. What visitors find now is a city negotiating between deep conservatism and sudden, massive change—a negotiation visible in every neighborhood, museum, and construction site.
The old city center is Dir'iyah, on the northwestern outskirts. This was the original home of the Saudi royal family and the site where, in 1744, Mohammed ibn Saud formed his alliance with the religious reformer Mohammed ibn Abdul Wahhab. The At-Turaif district here is a UNESCO World Heritage site, a sprawling mud-brick complex of palaces, mosques, and defensive walls built in the traditional Najdi style. The architecture is distinctive: thick earthen walls, triangular windows, and wooden doors with heavy iron studs. The restoration work has been extensive but careful. You can walk through the Salwa Palace, the largest structure in the complex, and see how the ruling family lived in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Bujairi Terrace nearby has restaurants with outdoor seating—a relatively new development in a country where gender segregation was until recently strictly enforced in public dining.
The Masmak Fortress in the city center is where modern Saudi Arabia began. In 1902, Abdulaziz ibn Saud captured this mud-brick fort from a rival clan, an event that marked the start of his campaign to unify the kingdom. The fort is now a museum. The spear tip embedded in the main gate—left there from the original battle—is one of the most photographed artifacts in the country. The interior has exhibits on the unification campaign, with maps, weapons, and photographs. The building itself is more interesting than most of the displays: four corner towers, thick walls, a central courtyard with a well. Free admission. Open Saturday through Thursday, 8 AM to noon and 4 PM to 9 PM; Fridays 4 PM to 9 PM only.
The National Museum is the best in the Arabian Peninsula. It opened in 1999 and covers Saudi history from prehistoric times through the unification. The archaeological section is strongest, with artifacts from the ancient Nabatean and Lihyanite civilizations that controlled trade routes through the region. There are fragments of the original Kiswah, the black cloth that covers the Kaaba in Mecca, woven in a factory here in Riyadh until production moved to Mecca in 1962. The museum does not avoid the religious context—this is Saudi Arabia, after all—but it presents the history more comprehensively than you might expect. The building itself is worth noting: modern Arabic architecture with extensive use of local stone and geometric patterns. Located on King Abdulaziz Historical Center grounds. Open Saturday through Thursday, 8 AM to 8 PM; Fridays 4 PM to 8 PM. Admission 10 SAR ($2.70).
The souks are where the city's commercial character is most visible. The most famous is Souk Al-Zal, near the Masmak Fortress. It has been operating in some form for over a century and still specializes in traditional goods: carpets from across the Middle East and Central Asia, silver Bedouin jewelry, copper coffee pots, oud oil and perfumes. The merchants are practiced hagglers—start at half the asking price and be prepared to walk away. More practical for daily shopping is the Date Souk on Al-Batah Street, where dozens of vendors sell the hundreds of varieties of dates that Saudi Arabia produces. The Ajwa variety, grown in Medina, is the most prized and the most expensive. A kilogram can cost 200 SAR ($53) or more.
Kingdom Centre is the building that defines Riyadh's skyline. The 99-story tower was designed by the American architect Ellerbe Becket and completed in 2002. The distinctive design—a parabolic arch with a sky bridge at the top—has become the symbol of modern Riyadh. The sky bridge is open to visitors for 69 SAR ($18). The view is genuinely impressive: the city spreads for miles in every direction, a grid of low-rise buildings and highways interrupted occasionally by construction cranes. At night, the city lights extend to the horizon. The shopping mall at the base is upscale and indistinguishable from luxury malls anywhere else in the world, which is either comforting or disappointing depending on your perspective.
The Edge of the World is the most spectacular natural site near Riyadh. It is part of the Tuwaiq Escarpment, an 800-kilometer cliff face that cuts through central Saudi Arabia. From the viewpoint, you look out over an ancient seabed that stretches to the horizon, a flat plain interrupted only by the occasional acacia tree. The cliffs are 300 meters high in places. The drive from Riyadh takes about 90 minutes on paved roads, followed by 30 minutes on rough track that requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle. The site has become increasingly popular with both expats and Saudis. Visit on weekdays to avoid crowds. Bring water—temperatures even in winter can reach 30 degrees Celsius, and there is no shade. No entrance fee.
Diriyah, separate from the historical At-Turaif district, is being developed as Riyadh's primary entertainment and cultural zone. The Diriyah Gate project is massive—$50 billion over ten years, according to public statements—with plans for museums, hotels, restaurants, and a Formula 1 racetrack. The first phase is already open. Bujairi Terrace, mentioned earlier, has high-end restaurants including branches of international chains and local Saudi concepts. The prices are high by Riyadh standards—expect to pay 200-300 SAR ($53-80) per person for dinner. The area is designed for walking, which is still unusual in a city built around cars.
The food scene in Riyadh reflects the city's contradictions. Traditional Najdi cuisine is available but increasingly hard to find in central areas. Try Al-Najdiyah Restaurant near the Masmak Fortress for dishes like jareesh (crushed wheat with meat), hashi (baby camel), and the ubiquitous kabsa (spiced rice with meat). For something more contemporary, Takya in the Diplomatic Quarter serves modern Saudi cuisine in a stylish setting—think local ingredients prepared with techniques learned abroad. The Diplomatic Quarter itself is worth exploring: a planned neighborhood built in the 1970s to house foreign embassies, with parks, walking paths, and some of the only outdoor public spaces in the city where unrelated men and women can mix freely.
Prayer times structure the day in ways that visitors must adjust to. Everything closes for 20-30 minutes at each of the five daily prayers. Many restaurants have separate sections for families (women and mixed groups) and single men. This is changing rapidly—the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the religious police, had their powers reduced in 2016 and were effectively disbanded in 2019—but social norms still lag behind official policy. Women can now travel without a male guardian's permission and drive legally, but you will still see very few women in public spaces compared to men.
The best time to visit is November through March, when temperatures range from 8 to 25 degrees Celsius. Summer visits are possible but unpleasant—June through August sees regular highs above 40 degrees, and the city empties of anyone who can afford to leave. The Riyadh Season runs from October to March and includes concerts, sporting events, and cultural programming that would have been unthinkable five years ago. In 2023, the season featured performances by Western pop stars, international football matches, and a six-week-long carnival.
Transportation is challenging. Riyadh has no metro system yet—the first lines are scheduled to open in 2025. Buses exist but are designed for low-income workers, not tourists. Uber and Careem (the local ride-hailing app, now owned by Uber) work well and are affordable. Expect to use them frequently; distances are large and walking is impractical in most areas due to heat, lack of sidewalks, and the city's car-centric design. Taxis are available but less reliable than ride-hailing apps.
Accommodation ranges from international luxury chains to basic local hotels. The Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton are both in the Kingdom Centre complex. More interesting for some visitors might be the boutique hotels opening in Diriyah, which attempt to blend traditional Najdi architectural elements with modern amenities. Prices for decent hotels start around 400 SAR ($107) per night and rise quickly.
Riyadh is not a beautiful city in conventional terms. The architecture is mostly functional, the climate harsh, and the urban planning designed for cars rather than people. But it is a city where history is being made rapidly and visibly. The question of what Saudi Arabia will become in the 21st century is being answered here, in real-time, in the construction projects and policy changes and social negotiations that fill the news and the streets. For visitors interested in that question, there is no more relevant destination in the Middle East.
By Elena Vasquez
Cultural anthropologist and culinary storyteller. Elena spent a decade documenting traditional cooking methods across Latin America and the Mediterranean. She holds a PhD in Ethnography from Barcelona University and believes the best way to understand a place is through its kitchens and ancient streets.