Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital and largest city, sits in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula on the Najd plateau, and it has changed faster than almost any city on earth since the Kingdom opened to tourism with its e-visa in 2019. The historic anchor is Diriyah, on the city's north-western edge: the restored mud-brick district of At-Turaif, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the original home of the Saudi state and the Al Saud dynasty, now a beautifully lit heritage and dining destination of palaces, museums and date-palm wadis. In the centre, the clay-walled Masmak Fortress recalls the early 20th-century capture of the city that founded the modern Kingdom, and the excellent National Museum tells the broader story of Arabia from prehistory to the present. The modern city announces itself in its towers — the Kingdom Centre, with its distinctive bottle-opener silhouette and a glass Sky Bridge viewpoint, and the Al Faisaliah Tower with its golden ball — and in a wave of new attractions driven by the Vision 2030 reforms: the entertainment zones and concerts of Riyadh Season, Boulevard World, restaurants, art and a nightlife that did not exist a decade ago. Traditional life still thrives in the souks — Souq Al Zal for antiques and carpets, the gold and the Deira markets — and in the camel market on the city's outskirts. But Riyadh's most spectacular sight lies outside it: the Edge of the World (Jebel Fihrayn), where the Tuwaiq escarpment drops away in a sheer cliff over an endless desert plain, a classic day trip by 4x4. Riyadh is a conservative city and the religious heart of the Kingdom, so visitors should dress modestly and respect local customs and prayer times; alcohol is prohibited. The cool season from November to March is by far the most comfortable, with warm days and cold desert nights, while summers are extremely hot. King Khalid International Airport (RUH) connects the capital widely.