About

The capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh is located in the middle of the country. While very dry, Riyadh has hot summers and cold winters. There are several historic sites, including the 19th-century Masmak Fortress and the 15th century Turaif district, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The National Museum is excellent, with most of its displays on the country's history, culture and religion in English. Riyadh also has some striking contemporary architecture, including the Kingdom Center and the Riyadh TV Tower. Saudi Arabia's first skyscraper, Burj Al Faisaliyah, is now the third tallest building in Riyadh and has a golden ball atop with a restaurant inside and a viewing deck. The countrywide ban on alcohol and nightclubs means there is little nightlife, but there are several other very good restaurants for every budget. You will have to leave the city center to find shisha or water pipe cafes, but there are a number of good coffee shops in the city.

Getting to and from

Around 35 km north of Riyadh, King Khalid International Airport has several taxi and car services available. When the metro in Riyadh is completed, it will be possible to get a train from Terminal 5.