Find places in Saudi Arabia

Must-Haves

• At-Turaif District (Diriyah)
  The UNESCO listed mud brick heart of the first Saudi state, best walked at golden hour.
• Masmak Fortress (Al Dirah)
  The fort where the modern kingdom's story began in 1902, with a small museum inside.
• National Museum of Saudi Arabia (Al Murabba)
  The best single introduction to Arabian history, from early rock art to the founding of the kingdom.

Fun for Everyone

• Murabba Palace (King Abdulaziz Historical Center)
  King Abdulaziz's mud brick palace sits in shady gardens next to the National Museum.

Off the Beaten Path

• JAX District (Diriyah)
  Old warehouses turned into studios, galleries and cafés at the centre of Riyadh's art scene.

Great for Date Night

• Bujairi Terrace (Diriyah)
  A promenade of fine restaurants looking straight across the wadi to the lit walls of At-Turaif.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Najd Village (Al Olaya)
  Traditional Najdi dishes like kabsa and jareesh served on floor cushions in a mud style house.

Fun for Everyone

• Al Romansiah (Riyadh)
  A popular Saudi chain for generous platters of rice and slow cooked lamb.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Souq Al Zal (Al Dirah)
  Riyadh's oldest market sells carpets, incense, daggers and antiques, with auctions some evenings.
• Souq Al Thumairi (Al Dirah)
  Lanes of perfume, oud and traditional clothing shops a short walk from Masmak.

Fun for Everyone

• Riyadh Park (Al Aqiq)
  A big, family friendly mall with a cinema, restaurants and a covered park setting.

Must-Haves

• Al Faisaliah Mall (Olaya)
  Shopping beneath the landmark Al Faisaliah Tower and its golden globe.

Must-Haves

• Kingdom Centre Sky Bridge (Olaya)
  A glass walkway high on the Kingdom Centre tower with sweeping views over the city.

Fun for Everyone

• Via Riyadh (Diplomatic Quarter area)
  An elegant outdoor complex of restaurants, a cinema and boutiques for a calm evening.

Off the Beaten Path

• Diplomatic Quarter walking trails (Diplomatic Quarter)
  Leafy trails and parks along the edge of the wadi, ideal for a cool evening walk.

Must-Haves

• Edge of the World (Jebel Fihrayn)
  Sheer cliffs drop to an ancient seabed in one of the most dramatic views in Arabia.

Fun for Everyone

• Red Sands (Al Muzahimiyah)
  Bright red dunes on the edge of the city for quad bikes, sandboarding and sunset picnics.
• King Abdullah Park (Al Malaz)
  A large city park with gardens, a lake and a dancing fountain show in the evening.

Off the Beaten Path

• Wadi Hanifah (Riyadh)
  A restored valley of walking paths, palm groves and water running through the city.

Must-Haves

• Elixir Bunn (Riyadh)
  One of the Saudi roasters that helped spark the kingdom's specialty coffee boom.

Off the Beaten Path

• Brew92 (Riyadh)
  A local specialty coffee chain loved by Riyadh's coffee obsessed crowd.

Must-Haves

• Riyadh Season (Riyadh)
  The winter festival brings concerts, food zones, shows and theme parks across the city.

Fun for Everyone

• Boulevard City (Hittin)
  A neon lit entertainment district of restaurants, shows and attractions during Riyadh Season.

Off the Beaten Path

• Boulevard World (Hittin)
  Themed zones representing countries around a lake, open during the winter season.

Great for Date Night

• The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh (Al Hada)
  A palatial hotel set in vast gardens, a landmark in its own right.

Fun for Everyone

• Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre (Olaya)
  A central tower hotel with direct access to the Kingdom Centre mall.

Must-Haves

• Al Balad (Historic Jeddah)
  The UNESCO listed old town of coral stone houses, carved balconies and lantern lit souqs.
• Nasseef House (Al Balad)
  The most famous of Al Balad's merchant houses, where King Abdulaziz once stayed.
• Al Rahma Mosque (Corniche)
  The Floating Mosque stands on stilts over the Red Sea, beautiful at sunset.

Off the Beaten Path

• Hayy Jameel (Al Muhammadiyah)
  An arts complex with galleries, an independent cinema, studios and cafés.

Fun for Everyone

• Jeddah open air sculptures (Corniche)
  Works by artists including Henry Moore and Joan Miró dot the seafront parks.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Souq Al Alawi (Al Balad)
  A long, narrow market of spices, perfumes, sweets and fabrics leading through the old town.

Must-Haves

• Red Sea Mall (North Obhur)
  One of the city's largest malls, with a wide mix of shops and food.

Fun for Everyone

• Mall of Arabia (Jeddah)
  A huge family mall with an indoor entertainment area for children.

Must-Haves

• Jeddah Corniche (Al Hamra)
  Kilometres of seafront parks, sculptures and promenades that fill with families after sunset.
• Red Sea diving from Obhur (North Obhur)
  Dive centres run trips to coral reefs and wrecks a short boat ride offshore.

Fun for Everyone

• King Fahd Fountain (Al Hamra)
  One of the tallest fountains in the world, lit up over the sea at night.

Off the Beaten Path

• Haramain train ride (Jeddah)
  A sleek high speed train linking Jeddah with Madinah, with a station at the airport.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Al Baik (Jeddah)
  The Jeddah born fried chicken chain that Saudis queue for, cheap and cheerful.
• Jeddah Central Fish Market (Al Balad area)
  Pick your fish at the market and have it grilled or fried at nearby restaurants.
• Mutabbaq stalls of Al Balad (Al Balad)
  Street stalls fold stuffed flatbreads and serve sweet tea late into the evening.

Must-Haves

• Obhur Creek (North Obhur)
  Beach clubs, water sports and boat trips along the creek north of the city.

Off the Beaten Path

• Jeddah Waterfront (Al Shati)
  A modern promenade with beaches, piers and parks along the central Corniche.

Must-Haves

• Red Sea International Film Festival (Al Balad)
  The kingdom's big film festival screens world and Arab cinema each December.

Must-Haves

• The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah (Corniche)
  A grand seafront hotel with gardens and views over the Red Sea.

Fun for Everyone

• Park Hyatt Jeddah (Al Hamra)
  A marina and seafront resort hotel with pools close to the fountain.

Must-Haves

• Hegra (Hegra)
  Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO site: Nabataean tombs carved into lonely sandstone outcrops.
• Qasr al Farid (Hegra)
  The famous lone tomb that looks like an unfinished castle in the sand.
• AlUla Old Town (AlUla)
  A ridge of hundreds of mud brick houses, now with restored lanes, shops and cafés.

Off the Beaten Path

• Jabal Ikmah (AlUla)
  A quiet canyon of ancient inscriptions often called an open air library.

Fun for Everyone

• Dadan (AlUla)
  The capital of ancient kingdoms, with lion tombs cut into the cliff.

Must-Haves

• Elephant Rock (Jabal AlFil)
  A natural arch shaped like an elephant, with a sunset lounge at its base.

Fun for Everyone

• AlUla Oasis (AlUla)
  Shaded trails through palm groves and farms, lovely on foot or by bike.

Off the Beaten Path

• Harrat Viewpoint (Harrat Uwayrid)
  A volcanic plateau with sweeping views over the valleys of AlUla.
• Sharaan Nature Reserve (Sharaan)
  A protected reserve of canyons and valleys where wildlife is being reintroduced.

Great for Date Night

• Gharameel (AlUla)
  A field of strange rock spires, magical for stargazing on clear nights.

Low Cost and Authentic

• AlUla Old Town cafés (AlUla Old Town)
  Simple cafés along the restored lanes for dates, coffee and local snacks.

Low Cost and Authentic

• AlUla Old Town shops (AlUla Old Town)
  Local crafts, dates and souvenirs in restored mud brick shops.

Must-Haves

• AlUla Moments season (AlUla)
  A winter programme of music, art and wellness events among the canyons.

Must-Haves

• Banyan Tree AlUla (Ashar Valley)
  Tented villas set into the rocks of a dramatic canyon.

Great for Date Night

• Habitas AlUla (Ashar Valley)
  An eco style resort of villas among sandstone cliffs.

Off the Beaten Path

• Shaden Resort (AlUla)
  Villas and rooms beneath towering rocks, a good mid to upper range option.

Must-Haves

• Al Soudah (Al Soudah)
  A juniper covered plateau near the kingdom's highest peak, cool and misty in summer.

Fun for Everyone

• Abha Dam Lake (Abha)
  A lakeside park popular for evening walks and picnics.

Off the Beaten Path

• Green Mountain (Abha)
  A hilltop park lit up at night, with views over the city.
• Tanomah (Asir)
  A mountain town of granite peaks and green valleys north of Abha.

Must-Haves

• Rijal Almaa (Rijal Almaa)
  A village of stone tower houses stacked in a valley, with a museum inside.

Fun for Everyone

• Al Muftaha Village (Abha)
  An arts village of studios and galleries in the heart of Abha.

Off the Beaten Path

• Thee Ain Village (Al Baha)
  A marble village on a hill above banana groves, a striking detour north.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Abha Tuesday Market (Abha)
  A traditional market of honey, spices, crafts and produce held each Tuesday.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Asiri food houses (Abha)
  Traditional spots serving areeka with honey and mountain style grilled meats.

Great for Date Night

• Al Soudah mountain cafés (Al Soudah)
  Coffee with views over cloud filled valleys from cliff edge cafés.

Must-Haves

• Abha Palace Hotel (Abha)
  A long established hotel overlooking the lake and city.

Must-Haves

• Al Khobar Corniche (Al Khobar)
  A long seafront of walkways and parks, busy with families in the evening.

Off the Beaten Path

• King Fahd Causeway (Al Khobar)
  The long causeway to Bahrain, with a midway island and viewing tower.

Must-Haves

• Ithra (Dhahran)
  The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, with museums, a library and a cinema.
• Al Ahsa Oasis (Al Ahsa)
  A UNESCO listed oasis of millions of date palms, canals and springs.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ibrahim Palace (Hofuf)
  An Ottoman era fort with a domed mosque in the centre of Hofuf.

Fun for Everyone

• Jawatha Mosque (Al Ahsa)
  One of the oldest mosque sites in eastern Arabia, said to date from the early years of Islam.

Fun for Everyone

• Half Moon Bay (Al Khobar)
  A sheltered lagoon of beaches and resorts south of the city.
• Dammam Corniche (Dammam)
  Parks, playgrounds and walking paths along the bay.

Off the Beaten Path

• Jabal Al Qarah (Al Ahsa)
  Cool, wind carved caves in a hill rising from the oasis.

Must-Haves

• Al Rashid Mall (Al Khobar)
  A central mall with shops, cafés and family entertainment.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Qaisariah Souq (Hofuf)
  A historic market in Al Ahsa for dates, bisht cloaks and crafts.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Prince Turki Street restaurants (Al Khobar)
  A lively strip of casual cafés and restaurants near the seafront.

Great for Date Night

• Al Khobar seafront restaurants (Al Khobar)
  Grilled fish and Gulf dishes by the water on a warm evening.

Fun for Everyone

• Prince Turki Street cafés (Al Khobar)
  Specialty coffee and dessert spots that fill late into the night.