UltimateCity Guide Riyadh
Our favourites
Riyadh at dusk: the Kingdom Centre and the Al Faisaliah tower with its golden sphere, above the lights of the city

The city guide to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Best of Riyadh

Mud-brick At-Turaif lit after dark across Wadi Hanifah, the Masmak and the souqs of the old centre, the towers of King Fahd Road and KAFD, Saudi kitchens with a Bib Gourmand, and the cliffs of the Edge of the World: Riyadh, checked place by place.

Launch edition · Autumn 2026

Where to eatWhat to see
The red carriages of the Glacier Express crossing the stone arches of the Landwasser Viaduct below a snow-capped peakSister guideULTIMATE Rail JourneysThe story of the train, the great journeys and where to book themA cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, MontenegroSister guideULTIMATE CruisesLines, ships and itineraries, from river to expeditionThe Matterhorn in winter above ZermattSister guideULTIMATE Ski ResortsSeason dates, hotels, après and ski schools, resort by resortThe Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-FerratSister guideULTIMATE PropertyThe new law for foreign buyers, KAFD, Diriyah and the northern districts

Riyadh, from the mud-brick wadi to the glass towers

Riyadh is a capital of two cities: the mud-brick oasis town of Najd, still standing in At-Turaif and around the Masmak, and the glass city of King Fahd Road and KAFD that has grown around it. Here are its grand hotels from the Kingdom Centre to Diriyah, the Saudi kitchens and grand tables of the first MICHELIN Guide Saudi Arabia, lounges for mocktails and qahwa, seven areas from Diriyah to the northern districts, the six-line metro, and journeys to the Edge of the World, Ushaiqer, Qiddiya, Al-Ahsa and AlUla. We’ve checked every listing against the venue’s own website or an official source, and we leave out anything we can’t confirm.

Riyadh, a city of mud brick and glass

In depth

A city of mud brick and glass

Riyadh·In depth

At-Turaif on the wadi, the Masmak and the souqs, the National Museum and the towers of King Fahd Road: how to read the capital.

Read the story

Riyadh by area

From the mud-brick lanes of Diriyah and the souqs of the old centre to the towers of King Fahd Road, KAFD and the northern districts where Riyadh goes out: each area has its own guide.

The courtyard of Bab Samhan in Diriyah at dusk, lanterns and shade sails among mud-rendered wallsArea guideDiriyahThe mud-brick city on the wadiThe Kingdom Centre at night, its arch lit at the top, above palms on Olaya StreetArea guideAl Olaya & King Fahd RoadThe landmark towersThe towers of the King Abdullah Financial District at night, with the full moon risingArea guideKAFDThe financial districtThe Masmak, the mud-brick fort of 1865, framed by palms in the old centre of RiyadhArea guideThe old centreThe fort and the souqsVia Riyadh at dusk, its stone buildings lit with floral projections around a fountain courtArea guideDiplomatic Quarter & Al HadaGardens and Tuwaiq stone

Getting about

The Blue Line runs through Al Olaya to KAFD: take the metro by day, and keep a car for Diriyah after dark.

  1. Area guideThe northern districtsWhere Riyadh goes out
  2. Area guideAs Sulimaniyah & TahliaCafés and boutiques

Plan your trip

The practical things to know before you go: the tourist e-visa, dress and prayer times, the six-line metro, and itineraries from a first day to a weekend in Diriyah.

Before you goRiyadh essentialsThe e-visa, dress, prayer times and the numbers to callEscalators and the wave-patterned lattice inside the KAFD metro stationGetting aroundGetting around RiyadhThe airport, six metro lines and the trainsA platter of kabsa: spiced rice and lamb with tomato, cucumber, onion and lemonItineraryA day in RiyadhFrom the Masmak to At-TuraifThe Mandarin Lounge at Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, blue velvet armchairs under an amber glass chandelierLuxury guideLUX LivingThe finest addressesThe Al Faisaliah tower, with its golden glass sphere near the tipItineraryThe Gold weekendThe Kingdom Centre, Julien and Diriyah
  1. ItineraryThe Edge of the WorldUshaiqer and the cliffs at sunset

Our advice

At-Turaif after dark

At-Turaif opens in the evening: buy your pass on diriyah.sa, arrive as the light goes, and book dinner on Bujairi Terrace facing the walls you have just walked. Our Diriyah guide

Beyond the city

The cliffs of the Edge of the World, the Najdi village of Ushaiqer, the theme parks of Qiddiya, the great oasis of Al-Ahsa by train and the Nabataean tombs of Hegra.

Mud-brick houses among palms at Ushaiger Heritage Village in NajdBeyond the cityThe Edge of the WorldCliffs at the end of TuwaiqBeyond the cityUshaiqerA Najdi villageThe Six Flags Qiddiya City sign and entrance plaza, with the escarpment behindBeyond the cityQiddiyaThe theme parksThe arched, lantern-lit lanes of Al Qaisariya souq in Hofuf, Al-AhsaBeyond the cityAl-AhsaThe great oasisQasr al-Farid at Hegra, the Nabataean tomb carved into a lone sandstone outcropBeyond the cityAlUla & HegraNabataean tombs

Our advice

Go in the cool months

From November to March the days are warm rather than hot: the season for the Edge of the World, the dunes and walking the old centre. Go to the cliffs with a licensed operator. The Edge of the World

The ULTIMATE letter

Riyadh in your inbox

An occasional email with new places, events, area guides and our latest in-depth articles. No spam, ever.

In depth: the stories of Riyadh

Riyadh Season, the mud-brick city and the glass one, its museums and traditions, its table, its hotels, its metro and the new rules for buying a home.

This winterRiyadh Season 2026–2027From 21 October: concerts, shows and Boulevard WorldFeatureRiyadh, the wadi and the towersMud brick, glass and the desertIn depthMuseums, architecture and traditionsFrom the National Museum to JAX

Onward with the ULTIMATE guides

Dubai across the Gulf, Cairo on the Nile and the great rail journeys of the world.

Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hourULTIMATE DubaiDubaiThe Gulf’s great cityThe pyramids of Giza across the desertULTIMATE CairoCairoThe Pyramids and the Nile

The ULTIMATE City Guides around the world

See all Middle East & North Africa

Planning a longer journey? Each city in the network has its own independent guide, written with the same care and checked place by place. Here are the guides that are live, with more on the way.

The pyramids of Giza across the desertEgyptULTIMATE CairoThe Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, the minarets of Islamic Cairo, feluccas on the Nile and journeys to Luxor and Aswan.Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hourUnited Arab EmiratesULTIMATE DubaiBurj Khalifa and the Fountain, abras on the Creek, resorts on the Palm, every MICHELIN star of 2026 and day trips to Abu Dhabi and Hatta.Canal houses and bridges in Amsterdamthe NetherlandsULTIMATE AmsterdamThe canal ring, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, canal-house hotels, twenty MICHELIN-starred tables, brown cafés, and day trips to Haarlem and Keukenhof.The Alhambra in Granada in the evening lightSpainULTIMATE AndalusiaSeville, Granada and the Alhambra, Córdoba, Málaga, Cádiz and Jerez, Ronda and the white villages, Doñana and Cabo de Gata.The floodlit Acropolis and Parthenon at dusk, seen from Philopappos HillGreeceULTIMATE AthensThe Acropolis and the Plaka, rooftop bars facing the Parthenon, the Athens Riviera and the Greek islands: our original guide, and our deepest.The road winding out to the lighthouse on Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, above the open seaSpainULTIMATE Balearic IslandsMallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera side by side, and how to hop between them by ferry.

See all 81 guides

HOT TOPICS · Have Your Say

What readers are saying about Riyadh: At-Turaif at dusk, the best Saudi kitchens, the metro, Riyadh Season and the road to the Edge of the World.

    Have your say in HOT TOPICS

    This week's pick

    Boulevard City

    Hittin·Entertainment district

    Riyadh Season 2026–2027 opened on 21 October: concerts, plays, fight nights, family rides and restaurants across the city, with the Boulevard World experiences running from 30 October. Programmes and tickets on riyadhseason.com.

    Find out more

    Every list in the guide

    Plan your day

    ItineraryForty-eight hours in RiyadhTwo daysBujairi Terrace in Diriyah at dusk, its mud-brick restaurants lit behind the palmsItineraryDiriyah at duskAn eveningItineraryA property viewing day: the north, KAFD and DiriyahOne day

    Know your neighbourhoods

    Our favourites right now

    Restaurants

    1. 1Eating in Riyadh: kabsa, qahwa and the new Saudi tableRiyadh · In depth
    2. 2Najd VillageAl Olaya · Saudi
    3. 3Fi GlbakAl Mohammadiyyah · Saudi
    See all 21

    Cafés

    1. 1Saudi coffee: qahwa and datesCitywide · Tradition
    2. 2Elixir BunnCitywide · Coffee roaster
    3. 3Camel StepCitywide · Coffee roaster
    See all 6

    Lounges

    1. 1Tonic Bar, Four SeasonsAl Olaya · Mocktail bar
    2. 2Il Baretto, KAFDKAFD · Restaurant and mocktails
    3. 3Obaya Lounge, Four SeasonsAl Olaya · Hotel lounge
    See all 6

    Hotels

    1. 1The hotels of Riyadh, from the Kingdom Tower to DiriyahRiyadh · In depth
    2. 2Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom CentreAl Olaya · Luxury hotel
    3. 3Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, RiyadhAl Olaya · Luxury hotel
    See all 7

    Sights

    1. 1Riyadh, a city of mud brick and glassRiyadh · In depth
    2. 2At-Turaif, DiriyahDiriyah · UNESCO World Heritage
    3. 3Bujairi TerraceDiriyah · Dining terrace
    See all 8

    Arts & Culture

    1. 1Riyadh’s museums, architecture and traditionsRiyadh · In depth
    2. 2The National Museum of Saudi ArabiaAl Murabba · Museum
    3. 3JAX DistrictDiriyah · Arts district
    See all 15

    Outdoors

    1. 1Wadi HanifahWest Riyadh · Restored wadi
    2. 2The Diplomatic Quarter gardensDiplomatic Quarter · Landscaped quarter
    3. 3Salam ParkAl Dirah · City park
    See all 5

    Walks

    1. 1At-Turaif and Bujairi Terrace at duskDiriyah · Walk
    2. 2The old centre: the Masmak to the National MuseumAl Dirah · Walk
    3. 3Wadi Hanifah below DiriyahDiriyah · Walk
    See all 5

    Shopping

    1. 1Via RiyadhAl Hada · Luxury destination
    2. 2Kingdom Centre MallAl Olaya · Shopping mall
    3. 3Al Faisaliah MallAl Olaya · Shopping mall
    See all 5

    Health

    1. 1Emergencies: call 911Riyadh · Emergency numbers
    2. 2King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research CentreRiyadh · Hospital
    3. 3Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib HospitalCitywide · Hospital
    See all 8

    Property

    1. 1Buying in Riyadh: the new law and the first stepsRiyadh · In depth
    2. 2Real Estate General Authority (REGA)Riyadh · Regulator
    3. 3Savills Saudi ArabiaRiyadh · Property consultancy
    See all 4

    Developments

    1. 1Riyadh MetroCitywide · Project
    2. 2DiriyahDiriyah · Project
    3. 3King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD)KAFD · Project
    See all 6

    Cars & Drivers

    1. 1Driving in Riyadh: a city made for the carRiyadh · In depth
    2. 2Rolls-Royce Motor Cars RiyadhAl Nafel · Showroom
    3. 3Porsche Centre RiyadhRiyadh · Showroom
    See all 6

    Getting Around

    1. 1Riyadh by metro, train and planeRiyadh · In depth
    2. 2King Khalid International AirportNorth Riyadh · Airport
    3. 3Riyadh MetroCitywide · Metro
    See all 5