Olaya
First-timersThe central district, near the metro and the Kingdom Centre.
Riyadh city guide
Things To Do In Riyadh
The fast-changing Saudi capital: a mud-brick fortress, the restored birthplace of the Saudi state at Diriyah, a brand-new metro, and a sheer escarpment in the desert called the Edge of the World.
8
Hostels in the city
7.0
Average, from 152 reviews
1902
Ibn Saud takes Masmak
2010
At-Turaif joins UNESCO
2025
The metro opens
The desert capital
Riyadh grew from a walled mud-brick town into a city of more than seven million in a few decades, and it is changing faster than anywhere in the region, with a new metro, entertainment districts and museums.
Its roots are in the old town: the Masmak Fortress, taken in 1902 by Ibn Saud in the raid that began the modern kingdom, and Diriyah, the mud-brick capital of the first Saudi state, now restored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Two or three days is right, with the Edge of the World as a day trip.
Where to stay
Olaya, the central business district, is the most practical base: near the metro, the Kingdom Centre and plenty of restaurants. Diriyah, on the north-western edge, puts you beside the old capital and its restaurants, but is further from everything else. Al Malaz and the old centre around Masmak are cheaper and closer to the souqs.
Diriyah
HistoryBeside the restored old capital and its restaurants.
Old centre
ValueAround Masmak and the souqs, cheaper and more traditional.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 8 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Riyadh
Start in the old centre. The Masmak Fortress, a mud-brick fort with watchtowers and a heavy palm-wood door, is where Ibn Saud's raid in 1902 began the modern kingdom; the spearhead of that raid is still lodged in the doorway. The souqs around it, including Souq Al Zal, sell carpets, daggers, incense and antiques. The National Museum, a short walk away, is the best introduction to Arabia, from rock art to the founding of the state.
Diriyah, on the city's edge, was the capital of the first Saudi state in the eighteenth century. Its At-Turaif district, a citadel of mud-brick palaces, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been restored with galleries and museums inside. Visit in the late afternoon, then eat at the Bujairi Terrace, a row of restaurants facing it across the wadi.
The Kingdom Centre's Sky Bridge, 300 metres up, gives the best view over the city's spread. Riyadh Season, from about October to March, brings concerts, festivals and huge entertainment zones such as Boulevard City.
The Edge of the World, about two hours north-west, is a sheer escarpment where the Tuwaiq cliffs drop away to the desert plain. The last stretch is off-road; go with a tour or a four-wheel drive and a guide, and check it is open, as it closes in extreme heat.
Free things
Free things to do in Riyadh
The Masmak Fortress is free, and so are the old souqs around it and Deera Square, the old centre beside them.
The Wadi Hanifa park, a long green valley along the city's western side, is free for walking and picnics. Boulevards like Tahlia Street and King Abdullah Park are where locals walk in the evening.
Some events in Riyadh Season are free, but most of the big zones charge entry.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Riyadh
Kabsa, rice cooked with spices and topped with chicken or lamb, is the national dish; mandi, meat slow-cooked in an underground oven, is just as popular. Many traditional restaurants serve on the floor, with families in separate sections.
Arabic coffee, gahwa, flavoured with cardamom and served with dates, is offered everywhere as a sign of hospitality. Jareesh, a cracked-wheat porridge, and saleeg, rice cooked in milk, are Najdi dishes from the region around Riyadh.
Riyadh also has a huge, fast-growing international restaurant and café scene, especially in Olaya and around Diriyah, and speciality coffee is a local obsession.
A meal in a local restaurant is €6 to €15.
Nightlife
Going out in Riyadh
Alcohol is not available to visitors. There are no bars, and bringing alcohol into the country is banned; the one licensed shop, in Riyadh, serves only diplomats and some premium residents.
Evenings are about cafés, which stay open late, restaurants and shisha lounges, and alcohol-free beer and mocktail bars are increasingly popular. In the cooler months, Riyadh Season's concerts, festivals and entertainment zones run until late at night.
The city comes alive after dark, especially in summer, when it is too hot during the day.
Getting around
Getting around Riyadh
King Khalid International Airport is about 35 kilometres north of the centre, connected by the Riyadh Metro and by Uber, Careem and taxis.
The Riyadh Metro, with six lines that opened in late 2024 and early 2025, covers much of the city; pay with a contactless card or the Darb app. Uber and Careem fill the gaps, and Riyadh is not built for walking, especially in the heat.
Flights reach Jeddah in under two hours and AlUla in about an hour and a half. Trains run east to Dammam and north towards Qassim, Hail and the Jordanian border.
Costs
What Riyadh costs
Riyadh is expensive, and budget beds are scarce, from about €30. A careful day is €50 to €70.
The metro is cheap, and Uber rides across the city are €5 to €15. At-Turaif in Diriyah and the Sky Bridge charge entry, and the Riyadh Season zones charge per event. A tour to the Edge of the World is the biggest expense, often €50 or more per person.
The currency is the Saudi riyal (SAR), pegged to the US dollar; prices here are euro equivalents. Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere, even at small cafés.
Safety
Staying safe in Riyadh
Riyadh is very safe, with very low crime.
Alcohol is not available to visitors. There are no bars, and bringing alcohol into the country is banned; the one licensed shop, in Riyadh, serves only diplomats and some premium residents. Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees; foreign women do not need an abaya or headscarf except in mosques. During Ramadan, do not eat, drink or smoke in public in daylight. Public displays of affection are frowned upon, and photographing people, especially women, without permission is not acceptable.
Summer heat regularly passes 45°C; limit time outdoors between late morning and late afternoon, and carry water.
Emergency number is 911.
Day trips from Riyadh
The cliffs at the edge of the plateau, the old capital and the tombs of Hegra.
Edge of the World
Cliffs dropping away to the desert plain. Closes in extreme heat.
AlUla
Hegra's Nabataean tombs and desert canyons.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Riyadh Season brings concerts and events through the cooler months.
October to March
Riyadh Season
Riyadh
Concerts and entertainment.
23 September
Saudi National Day
Nationwide
Green lights and celebrations.
22 February
Founding Day
Diriyah and nationwide
Celebrating the first Saudi state.
Hostels
Where to stay in Riyadh
The top-rated places to stay in Riyadh right now, live from Hostelworld.
Sands Inn Hostel - City Center
Dorms from €19 a night
See dates and book
Urban Bunks - Riyadh
Dorms from €28 a night
See dates and book
Su Casa
Dorms from €16 a night
See dates and book
12hour hostel - ALWADI
Dorms from €14 a night
See dates and book
Lux Hostel
Dorms from €31 a night
See dates and book
La Casa Beduina Hostel
Dorms from €12 a night
See dates and book
Sunday Riyadh Central Near Kingdom Tower
See dates and book
Palette Luxury Credi Hotel
See dates and bookWhen to go
November to March. Summers are extremely hot.
Jan
Riyadh Season
Feb
Founding Day
Mar
Good
Apr
Warming
May
Very hot
Jun
Extreme heat
Jul
Extreme heat
Aug
Extreme heat
Sep
National Day
Oct
Riyadh Season
Nov
Good
Dec
Good
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Prices are in riyals locally; these are euro equivalents.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Riyadh travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
Do women need to wear an abaya?
Foreign women do not, except in mosques, but should dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees. A scarf is useful for mosque visits.
Is there alcohol?
Not for visitors. There are no bars and it cannot be brought in. The single licensed shop in Riyadh serves only diplomats and some premium residents.
How do I get around?
By the Riyadh Metro, which opened in late 2024 and early 2025, and Uber or Careem for the rest. The city is not built for walking.
How far is the Edge of the World?
About two hours north-west, with an off-road final stretch. Go on a tour or with a four-wheel drive and a guide, and check it is open in summer.
How many days do you need?
Two or three: one for Masmak, the souqs and the museum, one for Diriyah, and one for the Edge of the World.
When is the best time to visit?
November to March, when days are warm rather than extreme and Riyadh Season is on. Summers pass 45°C.
What is Diriyah?
The mud-brick capital of the first Saudi state, founded in the eighteenth century. Its At-Turaif district is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, restored with museums and galleries.
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