Riyadh travel guide
Riyadh Tourism | Riyadh Guide
You're Going to Love Riyadh
With 4.21 million inhabitants, Riyadh is the most populous city in Saudi Arabia. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Riyadh has to offer.
Where to Eat in Riyadh
If you’re looking for affordable options, Le D'or (Prince Turki Ibn Abdulaziz Al Awwal Rd) and The Globe Restaurant - Al Faisaliah Hotel (Al Faisaliah Hotel) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Cipriani-Riyadh (Prince Turki Ibn Abdulaziz Al Awwal Road North, Hitten Area, Exit 2) and 10:10 at Marriott Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter (6781 Abdullah Alsahmi St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Riyadh.
When to visit Riyadh
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Riyadh in July, when the average temperature is 36 °C, and the highest can go up to 42 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 8 °C, with an average temperature of 14 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in March, when precipitation is around 30 mm. In contrast, June is usually the driest month of the year in Riyadh, with an average rainfall of 0 mm.
How to Get to Riyadh
Plane
When flying to Riyadh, you’ll arrive at Riyadh King Khaled Intl (RUH), which is located 30 km from the city centre. The shortest flight to Riyadh from the United Kingdom departs from London and takes around 10h 25m.
Bus
Riyadh’s bus station is located 11 km from the city centre.
Airports near Riyadh
Airlines serving Riyadh
Where to stay in Riyadh
From 5-star hotels such as the Holiday Inn Riyadh - Al Qasr to great affordable options like the Golden Ship Hotel, Riyadh offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around £65 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £218 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Riyadh, with prices from £22 to £393 per night. Al Aqiq is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Riyadh are about 11% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.
Where to stay in popular areas of Riyadh
Most booked hotels in Riyadh
Hiring a car in Riyadh
Hiring a car in Riyadh costs £31 per day, on average, or £93 if you want to hire it for 3 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Sixt and Avis are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Riyadh is the Sixt branch at Airport Road, which is 28 km from the city centre.
It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 11% cheaper than airport locations in Riyadh.
The most frequently booked car type in Riyadh is Full-size (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Hyundai i10 or similar) is, on average, 50% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.