Riyadh
The Masmak Fortress and the old quarter of Diriyah below a skyline of towers, mild desert winters, and a runway of four kilometres north of the city.
- Arrival
- King Khalid International · RUH
- To the city
- About 35 km to the centre by road
- Private jets
- General aviation complex at RUH
- Best time
- November to March
The city
Diriyah, Masmak and the towers.
At Diriyah, on the outskirts, the quarter of At-Turaif has been on the UNESCO list since 2010, and the valley of Wadi Hanifa, 120 km long, runs through the city. In January 1902 Ibn Saud took the Masmak Fortress from its Rashidi garrison, and Riyadh grew from there into a capital of seven million that will host Expo 2030.
November to March is the season, with highs between 20 and 28 °C and almost no rain. The first MICHELIN Guide to Saudi Arabia, covering Riyadh, arrived in December 2025.
Arriving
King Khalid, north of the city.
King Khalid International lies about 35 km north of Riyadh, with two parallel runways of more than four kilometres and five passenger terminals. It handled 40.8 million passengers in 2025.
- Doha 1 h 00
- Abu Dhabi 1 h 25
- Geneva 5 h 55
- Ibiza 6 h 10 long-range jet
- Hong Kong 9 h 05 long-range jet
When to go
November to March.
A desert climate: mild winters, fierce summers, almost no rain. November to March is the season; from May to September the highs pass 39 °C, and the little rain there is falls mostly in March and April.
- 20° J 15
- 23° F 7
- 28° M 31
- 33° A 30
- 39° M 10
- 42° J 0
- 43° J 0
- 43° A 0
- 40° S 0
- 35° O 1
- 28° N 5
- 22° D 13
What to see and do
Days in and around Riyadh.
-
Landmark
At-Turaif
The historic district of Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010.
-
Landmark
Masmak Fortress
The fort of around 1865 whose capture in 1902 began the modern kingdom.
-
Landmark
Kingdom Centre
A tower of 302 metres, with a 65-metre sky bridge at the top.
-
Culture
National Museum of Saudi Arabia
Eight halls trace the peninsula from its geology and pre-Islamic kingdoms to the Saudi states, in the King Abdulaziz Historical Centre since 1999.
-
Nature
Wadi Hanifah
West of the Diplomatic Quarter, Wadi Hanifah Park has a groomed trail loop of about 8 km along the valley floor and its waterway.
Official site -
Desert
Red Sand Dunes
About an hour or more by road from the city, these red dunes are the setting for 4x4 drives and sandboarding.
-
Racing & sport
King Abdulaziz Racecourse
Thoroughbreds and purebred Arabians race here from October, with cards every Thursday to Saturday leading to the Saudi Cup in February.
-
Golf
Dirab Golf & Country Club
Saudi Arabia's first grassed 18-hole championship course lies in the Tawfiq valley south west of the city and reopened after redevelopment in 2021.
Official site -
Food & wine
Bujairi Terrace
Inaugurated in December 2022 beside Wadi Hanifa, this dining quarter of Diriyah has restaurant terraces looking across to the old mud brick district.
Official site
On the calendar
Dates to plan around.
Dates as published by the organisers. Runways, hotels and slots fill early around these weeks: the sooner we know, the more choice you have.
-
16–19 Nov 2026
Real estate
Cityscape Global
Real estate exhibition and conference held in Malham, north of Riyadh, with developers and investors from Saudi Arabia and abroad.
Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Centre, Malham, Riyadh, about 62 km away
In 3 weeks
-
5–6 Feb 2027
Horse racing
Saudi Cup
A two day meeting in Riyadh headed by the Saudi Cup, a dirt race over 1,800 metres run on the Saturday.
King Abdulaziz Racecourse
In 3 months
-
12–15 Apr 2027
Technology & AI
LEAP
Annual technology conference held at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center in Malham, north of Riyadh.
Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center, Malham, Riyadh, about 70 km away
In 5 months
Where to stay
Towers and the Diplomatic Quarter.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
- Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre High inside the Kingdom Centre tower, rated Five-Star by Forbes Travel Guide.
- The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh Fifty-two acres of gardens on the edge of the Diplomatic Quarter, with 492 rooms and an indoor pool.
- InterContinental Riyadh Nearly a hundred acres of gardens hold a nine-hole golf course, tennis courts and a bowling club.
- Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya Near Tahlia Street, 257 rooms over 28 floors, with the club lounge up on the 26th.
- Sofitel Riyadh Hotel & Convention Centre On Al Urubah Road about five minutes from Kingdom Centre, a hotel of 388 rooms built around a large convention centre.
- Le Méridien Riyadh Curved suites and floor-to-ceiling windows at the corner of King Abdullah Road and Olaya Street.
- Sheraton Riyadh Hotel & Towers Twelve villas among its 193 rooms, where King Fahad Road meets King Abdullah Road.
- Marriott Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter Among the embassies of the Diplomatic Quarter, rated Four-Star by Forbes Travel Guide.
- Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah The hotel of the Al Faisaliah complex, renewed under the Mandarin Oriental name.
- The St. Regis Riyadh Part of the Via Riyadh development, with a large spa that Forbes also rates Four-Star.
- Fairmont Riyadh A modern hotel in the business district, rated Four-Star by Forbes.
Where to dine
The best tables in the capital.
The first MICHELIN Guide Saudi Arabia (2026) gives no stars; these are upscale tables from its selection and from MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026.
- Julien by Daniel Boulud MICHELIN Guide French contemporary $$$$ Four Seasons Hotel, Kingdom Centre, Olaya
- The Globe MICHELIN Guide Modern $$$$ Al Faisaliah Tower, Olaya
- Hong MICHELIN Guide Chinese $$$$ Riyadh
- Marble MENA’s 50 Best 2026, No. 12 Steak Riyadh
- Myazu MENA’s 50 Best 2026, No. 45 Japanese Riyadh
Flying to Riyadh?
Choose how you arrive.
A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.