RiyadhCapital
Saudi Arabia · Country profile
Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia, the enormous, dynamic city of the desert plateau at the centre of the peninsula, a place of the glass towers, the grand mosques and the vast shopping malls that has transformed in a generation into one of the world’s fastest-growing capitals. The old city and its mud-brick fortress of the Masmak, the great mosque of the Imam Turki, and the national museum hold the history, while the new era brings the entertainment districts, the huge cultural projects and the increasingly open visitor life. The surrounding desert, the red dunes and the old towns of the region, spreads the wider story, and the hospitality of the country is famously warm. Conservative, wealthy and dramatically changing, Riyadh is the capital of a kingdom in full, fast motion.
About Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia. The city's documented population is around 7,760,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Saudi Riyal (SAR) and Arabic is spoken; the dialling code is +966. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: King Khalid International Airport.
The Fortress, the Museum and the New Skyline
Riyadh is a vast, modern, car-dependent capital that is transforming at an extraordinary pace, and its visitor life has opened up dramatically in recent years. The historic heart around the old fortress and the national museum holds the story of the kingdom, while the modern city spreads the malls, the festivals, the fine dining and the new cultural districts. It is a summer city of the indoor life and a winter city of the parks and the outdoor festivals, and the whole experience is shaped by the desert climate and the very different cultural rhythm of the country. It is an intense, confident, rapidly modernising city, and for the traveller it offers a genuine and increasingly welcoming introduction to the kingdom.
The Cooler Months, the Dress and the Rhythm of the Prayer Times
The cooler months from November to March are the whole season of the outdoor life, and the summer is fiercely hot, with everything moving indoors. The dress code for the visitors has relaxed, but the modesty, the covered shoulders and the longer hems, is still the respectful standard in the public spaces. The female travellers no longer need the abaya, and the country has opened to the visitor visas in the recent years. The currency is the riyal, the cards and the app payments dominate and the car is the daily reality of the spread-out city. The prayer times close the businesses five times a day and the whole rhythm of the city follows them. The hospitality of the country is genuine and the coffee and the dates open every meeting.
The Red Sands, the Coffee and the Festivals of the Winter
The old heart of the city, the Masmak fortress, the adjacent souk and the national museum, is the essential historical walk, and the neighbouring district of Diriyah, the mud-brick birthplace of the kingdom and a world heritage site, is the great cultural day out. The kingdom’s hospitality, the coffee ritual and the dates, is the core of the social life, and the malls and the new districts hold the shopping and the entertainment. The red sands of the edge of the city and the camel markets of the region give the desert experience, and the festivals of the winter, from the light shows to the food weeks, fill the season. The city is spread, so the plan needs the car, and its scale, its wealth and its momentum are the impression it leaves.
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- Country
- Saudi Arabia
- Population
- 7,760,000
- Coordinates
- 24.9576, 46.6988
- Capital
- Riyadh
- Region
- Asia
- Currency
- Saudi Riyal (SAR)
- Languages
- Arabic
- Calling code
- +966
- Country code
- SA
Entry requirements for Saudi Arabia
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Saudi Arabia for tourism.
Getting to Riyadh
Airports we list for Riyadh:
Other airports in the area:
Cities in Saudi Arabia
Other cities we cover in Saudi Arabia:
Frequently asked questions
Is Riyadh the capital of Saudi Arabia?
Yes — Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia.
What currency do I need in Riyadh?
The local currency is the Saudi Riyal (SAR). Languages spoken in Saudi Arabia include Arabic.
What is the dialling code for Saudi Arabia?
The international dialling code for Saudi Arabia is +966.
Which airport should I fly into for Riyadh?
King Khalid International Airport (RUH) is the airport we list for Riyadh.
How far is Riyadh from the nearest airport?
Riyadh is about 852 km from King Abdulaziz International Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit Saudi Arabia?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Australia (e-visa), Canada (e-visa), France (e-visa), Germany (e-visa) and India (e-visa). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Riyadh? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.