Top 5 Tourist Places in Riyadh You Should Visit Next

Welcome to one of the wealthiest countries in the world. A perfect blend of medieval and millennial is found in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. Once a walled trading route, you can envision the bold future this city holds in its architecture, souqs, cuisines, and culture as a whole. One of the most fascinating histories can be traced back to these top tourist places in Riyadh. So pack your bags, get your camera ready and start your tour at these fantastic places in the city.

 

Globe Experience – Faisaliah Center

 

Globe Experience - Tourist Places in Riyadh

If you’ve been in central Riyadh for even a few hours, you may have spotted the enormous towers standing tall among the skyline. One of those has a giant globe at its top and that’s what we’re talking about here.

The Globe Experience is a spectacular viewing platform inside an enormous glass ball that’s 24m in diameter, made of 655 glass panels, and suspended just below the top of Al Faisaliah Tower. There’s a restaurant inside the globe that you can book a reservation for and through the doors, you get an entire 360-view of the city. The tower is located off Olaya street. 

 

 

Sky Bridge – Kingdom Center

 

Skybridge Kingdom Center - Tourist Places in Riyadh

Another famous tower dotting Riyadh’s skyline is the Kingdom Center. Not for the faint-hearted or those suffering from vertigo, here, high-speed lifts fly you at 180km/h to the 99th-floor Sky Bridge. 

As the tower is shaped like a can opener, the Sky Bridge is suspended 300 meters above the city, offering spectacular views across the Riyadh skyline and beyond, and is a must-do experience for tourists passing through the capital.

If you’d only like to revisit history, here are the top 5 historical places in Riyadh

 

 

Edge of the World

 

Edge of the World - Riyadh

The most famous desert trek from Riyadh is definitely the Edge of the World. Aptly named, this spectacular spot offers uninterrupted views across the barren valley floor and to the horizon, from the edge. These dramatic views earned the site its nickname, and have helped turn it into one of Riyadh’s most popular tourist destinations. 

It’s roughly a 90-minute drive from the capital city, located 90km far. It forms part of the vast Tuwaiq cliffs, which stretch over more than 600km through central Saudi. It typically takes between 15 and 30 minutes to reach the cliff edge, however, there are plenty of opportunities along the way to stop and enjoy the view.  

 

 

Heet Cave

 

Heet Cave

Ever wondered what’s it like to swim, scuba or snorkel in crystal-clear waters, right in the middle of the desert? Because you can do just that at Ain Heet Cave on the outskirts of Riyadh. Bask in unfiltered waters in one of Saudi Arabia’s most easily accessible wild caves.

Once you near the fragile entrance, you’d notice why this natural wonder is also called Ain Heet. ‘Ain’ means eye in Arabic, and the 20-meter wide entrance has almost the same shape. 

While the cave starts narrowing down to approx. 5 meters, carefully watch how you step on the unstable rocks, as the boulders aren’t fixed to the ground. While heading towards Al-Kharj, there’s an exit to Al Heet, about 40 km from Riyadh’s city center. 

 

 

National Museum

 

National Museum of Riyadh

Which visit to a city is ever complete without a trip to its museum? Where decades and centuries-old history can be traced by locals and tourists alike. Such is the charm of the National Museum of Riyadh, part of King Abdul Aziz Historical Centre, and one of the most visited places in the city.

Encased within modernist architecture, its two floors contain eight well-designed and informative galleries covering Arabian prehistory, history, culture, and art. They include audio-visual installments, virtual visits to historical sites, and other excellent interactive displays.

Planning to visit other cities? Here’s what you should pick next


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Top 5 Most-Visited Historical Places in Riyadh

The capital city of Saudi Arabia has grown from a mud-bricked trading hub in the middle of nowhere with barely any visitors to being one of the busiest and wealthiest cities in the world. Despite the well-reserved and traditional social upbringing that many of its inhabitants have had, they are among the most welcoming, generous, and kind people you’ll ever come across. As Saudi Arabia continues to focus on growing its tourism sector through the means of attracting international visitors, as well as its local people, one can expect to see a lot of historically rich places being open to the public. So if you’re looking for the most-visited historical places in Riyadh, you’ve come to the right place! 


Al Masmak Fort:

Al Masmak Fort

Built-in 1865 and located in the central part of Riyadh. It’s home to a museum that’s rated as one of the most visited tourist destinations in the city. The word “Masmak ” stands for high and forfeited, and it has served multiple functions throughout its existence. From being a warehouse for weapons and ammo to turning into a prison and later overseen and maintained by King Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz who was responsible for establishing Al Masmak Historical Museum in 1995 AD. The SCTH launched an app for a virtual tour through 3D images of Al Masmak Fort to chronologically display the history of modern Saudi Arabia. The museum houses a wide variety of historical artifacts and is an excellent place for those who want to learn about the country’s heritage. The entrance is free.

 


Deerah Souq:

Deerah Souq

Not so far from Al Masmak Fort lies quite a noteworthy shopping center, immensely popular for the gold shops that some people call it the Deerah Gold Souq. It has a plethora of small shops selling carpets, traditional clothes, and many eye-catching antiques and handcrafts. And what makes it so special is the existence of a wide variety of options selling the same commodity but with slight differences that only an expert such as yourself would be able to notice, so it’s an excellent opportunity for bargaining (most of the shop owners speak English) and comparing merchandise in order to end up with the best deal possible.

 


Murabba Palace:

Murabba Palace

Built-in 1938 as a governmental facility for hosting official meetings and conferences, it was here where the convention of opening the country for oil inspection was signed. And it was also King Abdul Aziz’s personal residence, a spacious and comfortable place to accommodate the King’s family. The Murabba Palace houses many historical artifacts and photos about the country’s creation, as well as personal belongings and gifts that the King had received.

 


The National Museum:

National museum

Part of King Abdul Aziz Historical Center, it was established in 1999 as a historical and cultural center while being the Kingdom’s biggest museum. The museum consists of 8 exhibitions walking the visitors through different periods of time in chronologically correct order: Man and the Universe, Arabian Kingdoms, The Pre-Islamic Era, Prophet Mohammad’s Mission, Islam and the Arabian Peninsula, First and the Second Saudi States, The Unification, and The Hajj and the Two Holy Mosques. It’s a charming scenery for those who seek to learn more about the history and heritage of the Arab Peninsula.

Book now!

 

Historical Diriyah:

Historical Diriyah

 How can we finish an article on the most-visited historical places in Riyadh without talking about the home of the Saudi Royal family and the first Saudi capital, the city of Diriyah. It’s among the 5 Saudi historical sites identified by the UNESCO List of World Heritage. One of the largest Arabian Peninsula cities before it was later destroyed in 1818 by the Ottoman armies, the city is now one of the most sought-after places worldwide, a  bright and shining cultural, historical, and tourist attraction spot.

Planning to spend this winter in Saudi Arabia? Check this article out!

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