Top 3-Day Trips from Riyadh
1. Diriyah
A mere 20 minutes outside Riyadh proper, Diriyah is where the first Saudi state was established in 1446 CE. Its old streets harken back to ancient history with heritage landmarks, while also serving as a local favorite escape from the city with trendy cafes and scenic trails.
Historical Must-Sees
You can’ t travel to a place as storied as Riyadh and not dive into its story. The past is so well preserved in Riyadh, it’ s practically still present. A quick peruse of a few historical destinations can provide immense context to the city you see today.
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THE SAUDI NATIONAL MUSEUM The definitive collection of Saudi history, from the prehistoric ages to the modern day, traces the country’ s development through 3,700 artifacts.
ADDOHO NEIGHBORHOOD
This is the last old neighborhood to preserve traditional Najdi architecture. A stroll through its narrow alleys whisks you back over 200 years to see how desert civilization thrived.
AL MASMAK PALACE
Standing as a sentinel to a bygone era; the palace served as a strong fort for Imam Abdullah bin Faisal in the Hijri 14th century. Today, its fortified walls are a symbol of regaining power and rule of the country and house a museum inside.
2. Desert Camping
The desert is downright mesmerizing; spending an evening camping in it makes for a trip that’ s hard to top. Traverse through Riyadh’ s red dunes, eat a meal cooked in an underground pit and partake in a night-long party brimming with Arabic coffee, traditional music and dance— what’ s not to love? Two great campgrounds to consider: Al-Waba Crater or Rawdat Tinhat in the King Abdulaziz National Reserve.
3. Heet Cave
One-part casual cave spelunking, one-part refreshing swimming hole, Heet Cave is an entirely unique adventure. Roughly 18 miles outside the city, this natural spring has been a source of fresh water in the desert for thousands of years. Today, it’ s the natural pool you never knew you were missing out on.
Images from left to right: Takenda entertainment hub; Al Masmak Palace; desert camping
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