{"id":1305123,"date":"2026-10-01T15:38:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T15:38:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/?page_id=1305123"},"modified":"2026-10-02T10:10:02","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T10:10:02","slug":"riyadh","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/asia\/saudi-arabia\/riyadh\/","title":{"rendered":"Riyadh"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":200,"featured_media":0,"parent":1302955,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"hw-hub-city","meta":{"footnotes":"","hw_hub_hero_eyebrow":"","hw_hub_hero_h1":"","hw_hub_hero_intro":"","hw_hub_hero_image":"","hw_hub_hero_overlay":"","hw_hub_hero_cta":"","hw_hub_why_title":"","hw_hub_why_body":"","hw_hub_why_link_label":"","hw_hub_why_link_url":"","hw_hub_why_cards":"","hw_hub_stats":"","hw_hub_countries_title":"","hw_hub_countries_intro":"","hw_hub_featured":"","hw_hub_regions":"","hw_hub_hostels_title":"","hw_hub_hostels_intro":"","hw_hub_hostels_cta_label":"","hw_hub_hostels_cta_url":"","hw_hub_hostels_source":"","hw_hub_hostels_location_type":"","hw_hub_hostels_location_id":"","hw_hub_hostels_currency":"","hw_hub_hostels_count":"","hw_hub_hostels_cache":"","hw_hub_hostels":"","hw_hub_when_title":"","hw_hub_when_intro":"","hw_hub_seasons":"","hw_hub_costs_title":"","hw_hub_costs_body":"","hw_hub_cost_rows":"","hw_hub_cost_note":"","hw_hub_money_reads":"","hw_hub_rail_title":"","hw_hub_rail_body":"","hw_hub_rail_link_label":"","hw_hub_rail_link_url":"","hw_hub_rail_image":"","hw_hub_routes":"","hw_hub_events_title":"","hw_hub_events_intro":"","hw_hub_events_source":"","hw_hub_events_continent":"","hw_hub_events_count":"","hw_hub_events_cache":"","hw_hub_events_cta_label":"","hw_hub_events_cta_url":"","hw_hub_events":"","hw_hub_events_pills":"","hw_hub_reads_intro":"","hw_hub_article_rows":"","hw_hub_show_read_time":"","hw_hub_all_title":"","hw_hub_all_body":"","hw_hub_all_cta":"","hw_hub_trips_title":"","hw_hub_trips_note":"","hw_hub_trips":"","hw_hub_faq_title":"","hw_hub_faq_note":"","hw_hub_faqs":"","hw_hub_cta_title":"","hw_hub_cta_body":"","hw_hub_cta_buttons":"","hw_hub_newsletter_title":"","hw_hub_newsletter_body":"","hw_hub_newsletter_shortcode":"","hw_hub_hub_term":"","hw_hub_scope_rows":"","hw_hub_country_hero_eyebrow":"","hw_hub_country_hero_h1":"","hw_hub_country_hero_intro":"","hw_hub_country_hero_image":"","hw_hub_country_hero_overlay":"","hw_hub_country_hero_cta":"","hw_hub_country_stats":"","hw_hub_country_intro_title":"","hw_hub_country_intro_body":"","hw_hub_country_facts":"","hw_hub_country_cities_title":"","hw_hub_country_cities_intro":"","hw_hub_country_cities_live":"","hw_hub_country_cities":"","hw_hub_country_trips_title":"","hw_hub_country_trips_intro":"","hw_hub_country_trip_types":"","hw_hub_country_do_title":"","hw_hub_country_do_body":"","hw_hub_country_do_points":"","hw_hub_country_do_tag":"","hw_hub_country_do_more":"","hw_hub_country_food_title":"","hw_hub_country_food_body":"","hw_hub_country_food_points":"","hw_hub_country_food_tag":"","hw_hub_country_food_more":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_title":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_body":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_points":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_tag":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_more":"","hw_hub_country_transport_title":"","hw_hub_country_transport_body":"","hw_hub_country_transport_points":"","hw_hub_country_transport_tag":"","hw_hub_country_transport_more":"","hw_hub_country_money_title":"","hw_hub_country_money_body":"","hw_hub_country_money_points":"","hw_hub_country_money_tag":"","hw_hub_country_money_more":"","hw_hub_country_safety_title":"","hw_hub_country_safety_body":"","hw_hub_country_safety_points":"","hw_hub_country_safety_tag":"","hw_hub_country_safety_more":"","hw_hub_country_entry_title":"","hw_hub_country_entry_body":"","hw_hub_country_entry_points":"","hw_hub_country_entry_tag":"","hw_hub_country_entry_more":"","hw_hub_country_season_title":"","hw_hub_country_season_intro":"","hw_hub_country_season_note":"","hw_hub_country_season_rows":"","hw_hub_country_budget_title":"","hw_hub_country_budget_intro":"","hw_hub_country_budget_note":"","hw_hub_country_budget_rows":"","hw_hub_country_budget_currency":"","hw_hub_country_events_title":"","hw_hub_country_events_intro":"","hw_hub_country_events_source":"","hw_hub_country_events_country":"","hw_hub_country_events_count":"","hw_hub_country_events_cache":"","hw_hub_country_events_cta_label":"","hw_hub_country_events_cta_url":"","hw_hub_country_events":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_title":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_intro":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_cta_label":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_cta_url":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_source":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_location_type":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_location_id":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_currency":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_count":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_cache":"","hw_hub_country_hostels":"","hw_hub_country_faq_title":"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city guide","hw_hub_city_hero_h1":"Things To Do In Riyadh","hw_hub_city_hero_intro":"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.","hw_hub_city_hero_image":"1302958","hw_hub_city_hero_overlay":"light","hw_hub_city_hero_cta":"Where to stay | #areas\r\nWhat it costs | #money","hw_hub_city_live_stats":"1","hw_hub_city_stats":"1902 | Ibn Saud takes Masmak\r\n2010 | At-Turaif joins UNESCO\r\n2025 | The metro opens","hw_hub_city_intro_title":"The desert capital","hw_hub_city_intro_body":"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.\r\n\r\nIts 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.\r\n\r\nTwo or three days is right, with the Edge of the World as a day trip.","hw_hub_city_facts":"Getting in from the airport | Metro or Uber\r\nGetting around | Metro, Uber and Careem\r\nLanguage | Arabic. English common\r\nTipping | Round up\r\nTap water | Bottled is standard\r\nHow long to stay | Two or three days","hw_hub_city_areas_title":"Where to stay","hw_hub_city_areas_intro":"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.","hw_hub_city_areas_map":"1","hw_hub_city_areas_zoom":"12","hw_hub_city_hostels_pins":"1","hw_hub_city_areas_live":"1","hw_hub_city_areas":"Olaya | First-timers | The central district, near the metro and the Kingdom Centre. | 24.6900 | 46.6850 |  | \nDiriyah | History | Beside the restored old capital and its restaurants. | 24.7340 | 46.5750 |  | \nOld centre | Value | Around Masmak and the souqs, cheaper and more traditional. | 24.6310 | 46.7130 |  | ","hw_hub_city_itin_title":"How long have you got?","hw_hub_city_itin_intro":"The routes we would take, in the order we would take them.","hw_hub_city_itin":"","hw_hub_city_do_title":"Things to do in Riyadh","hw_hub_city_do_body":"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.\r\n\r\nDiriyah, 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.\r\n\r\nThe 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.\r\n\r\nThe 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.","hw_hub_city_do_points":"Masmak Fortress | Free; where the kingdom began in 1902\r\nAt-Turaif | UNESCO mud-brick citadel in Diriyah\r\nSky Bridge | 300 m up the Kingdom Centre\r\nEdge of the World | A tour or 4x4 with a guide","hw_hub_city_do_tag":"things-to-do","hw_hub_city_do_more":"All things to do in Riyadh","hw_hub_city_free_title":"Free things to do in Riyadh","hw_hub_city_free_body":"The Masmak Fortress is free, and so are the old souqs around it and Deera Square, the old centre beside them.\r\n\r\nThe 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.\r\n\r\nSome events in Riyadh Season are free, but most of the big zones charge entry.","hw_hub_city_free_points":"Masmak Fortress | Free\r\nOld souqs | Souq Al Zal and Deera Square\r\nWadi Hanifa | A green valley for walks\r\nEvening boulevards | Tahlia Street","hw_hub_city_free_tag":"free-things-to-do","hw_hub_city_free_more":"All free things to do in Riyadh","hw_hub_city_food_title":"Eating and drinking in Riyadh","hw_hub_city_food_body":"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.\r\n\r\nArabic 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.\r\n\r\nRiyadh also has a huge, fast-growing international restaurant and caf\u00e9 scene, especially in Olaya and around Diriyah, and speciality coffee is a local obsession.\r\n\r\nA meal in a local restaurant is \u20ac6 to \u20ac15.","hw_hub_city_food_points":"Kabsa | Spiced rice with chicken or lamb\r\nGahwa | Cardamom coffee with dates\r\nSpeciality coffee | A local obsession\r\nA meal | \u20ac6\u201315","hw_hub_city_food_tag":"food","hw_hub_city_food_more":"All food guides for Riyadh","hw_hub_city_nightlife_title":"Going out in Riyadh","hw_hub_city_nightlife_body":"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.\r\n\r\nEvenings are about caf\u00e9s, 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.\r\n\r\nThe city comes alive after dark, especially in summer, when it is too hot during the day.","hw_hub_city_nightlife_points":"No alcohol | No bars for visitors\r\nCaf\u00e9s | Open late\r\nRiyadh Season | Concerts, October\u2013March\r\nMocktail bars | Increasingly popular","hw_hub_city_nightlife_tag":"nightlife","hw_hub_city_nightlife_more":"All nightlife guides for Riyadh","hw_hub_city_transport_title":"Getting around Riyadh","hw_hub_city_transport_body":"King Khalid International Airport is about 35 kilometres north of the centre, connected by the Riyadh Metro and by Uber, Careem and taxis.\r\n\r\nThe 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.\r\n\r\nFlights 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.","hw_hub_city_transport_points":"Metro | Six lines, contactless\r\nFrom the airport | Metro or Uber\r\nUber and Careem | For the gaps\r\nTo AlUla | About 1.5 hours by air","hw_hub_city_transport_tag":"transport","hw_hub_city_transport_more":"All transport guides for Riyadh","hw_hub_city_money_title":"What Riyadh costs","hw_hub_city_money_body":"Riyadh is expensive, and budget beds are scarce, from about \u20ac30. A careful day is \u20ac50 to \u20ac70.\r\n\r\nThe metro is cheap, and Uber rides across the city are \u20ac5 to \u20ac15. 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 \u20ac50 or more per person.\r\n\r\nThe 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 caf\u00e9s.","hw_hub_city_money_points":"Dorm bed | From about \u20ac30\r\nA day | \u20ac50\u201370\r\nUber ride | \u20ac5\u201315 across the city\r\nEdge of the World | Tours often \u20ac50+","hw_hub_city_money_tag":"budget","hw_hub_city_money_more":"All budget guides for Riyadh","hw_hub_city_safety_title":"Staying safe in Riyadh","hw_hub_city_safety_body":"Riyadh is very safe, with very low crime.\r\n\r\nAlcohol 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.\r\n\r\nSummer heat regularly passes 45\u00b0C; limit time outdoors between late morning and late afternoon, and carry water.\r\n\r\nEmergency number is 911.","hw_hub_city_safety_points":"Very safe | Very low crime\r\nAlcohol | Not available to visitors\r\nDress | Modest; no abaya needed\r\nEmergency | 911","hw_hub_city_safety_tag":"safety","hw_hub_city_safety_more":"All safety guides for Riyadh","hw_hub_city_trips_title":"Day trips from Riyadh","hw_hub_city_trips_intro":"The cliffs at the edge of the plateau, the old capital and the tombs of Hegra.","hw_hub_city_trips":"Edge of the World | About 2 hours | Tour or 4x4 with a guide | Cliffs dropping away to the desert plain. Closes in extreme heat. |  | 1305127\nAlUla | About 1.5 hours | Flight | Hegra's Nabataean tombs and desert canyons. |  | 1305128","hw_hub_city_trips_tag":"day-trips","hw_hub_city_trips_more":"All day trips from Riyadh","hw_hub_city_season_title":"When to go","hw_hub_city_season_intro":"November to March. Summers are extremely hot.","hw_hub_city_season_note":"Average highs.","hw_hub_city_season_rows":"January | 21 | 5 | Riyadh Season\r\nFebruary | 24 | 5 | Founding Day\r\nMarch | 28 | 4 | Good\r\nApril | 34 | 3 | Warming\r\nMay | 40 | 1 | Very hot\r\nJune | 43 | 1 | Extreme heat\r\nJuly | 44 | 1 | Extreme heat\r\nAugust | 44 | 1 | Extreme heat\r\nSeptember | 41 | 2 | National Day\r\nOctober | 35 | 4 | Riyadh Season\r\nNovember | 28 | 5 | Good\r\nDecember | 22 | 5 | Good","hw_hub_city_events_title":"What is on while you are there","hw_hub_city_events_intro":"Riyadh Season brings concerts and events through the cooler months.","hw_hub_city_events_source":"api","hw_hub_city_events_count":"8","hw_hub_city_events_cache":"24","hw_hub_city_events_cta_label":"All events in Riyadh","hw_hub_city_events_cta_url":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/events\/asia\/saudi-arabia\/riyadh\/","hw_hub_city_events":"Riyadh Season | October to March | Riyadh | Concerts and entertainment. |  | \nSaudi National Day | 23 September | Nationwide | Green lights and celebrations. |  | \nFounding Day | 22 February | Diriyah and nationwide | Celebrating the first Saudi state. |  | ","hw_hub_city_budget_title":"What your trip will cost","hw_hub_city_budget_intro":"Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.","hw_hub_city_budget_note":"Prices are in riyals locally; these are euro equivalents.","hw_hub_city_budget_rows":"Shoestring | 30 | 10 | 4 | 5\r\nMiddle of the road | 50 | 20 | 8 | 15\r\nComfortable | 90 | 40 | 15 | 25","hw_hub_city_budget_currency":"\u20ac","hw_hub_city_hostels_title":"Where to stay in Riyadh","hw_hub_city_hostels_intro":"The top-rated places to stay in Riyadh right now, live from Hostelworld.","hw_hub_city_hostels_cta_label":"All hostels in Riyadh","hw_hub_city_hostels_cta_url":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/hostels\/asia\/saudi-arabia\/riyadh\/","hw_hub_city_hostels_source":"api","hw_hub_city_hostels_count":"12","hw_hub_city_hostels_cache":"12","hw_hub_city_picks":"Best for solo travellers |  |  | \nBest for a party |  |  | \nQuietest |  |  | ","hw_hub_city_hostels":"","hw_hub_city_faq_title":"Riyadh travel questions","hw_hub_city_faq_note":"The ones we get asked most.","hw_hub_city_faqs":"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.\r\nIs 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.\r\nHow 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.\r\nHow 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.\r\nHow 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.\r\nWhen is the best time to visit? | November to March, when days are warm rather than extreme and Riyadh Season is on. Summers pass 45\u00b0C.\r\nWhat is Diriyah? | The mud-brick capital of the first Saudi state, founded in the eighteenth century. 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