Exploring the Deep History and Culture of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's Capital City
16.12.2023 - 14:36
/ matadornetwork.com
Located in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, Riyadh, the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia, stands as a testament to the region’s rich tapestry of culture, history, and modernity.
The name “Riyadh” comes from the Arabic word meaning “the gardens,” which is a nod to its position centuries ago as the location of the most fertile land in Arabia. Today, it’s a garden of another sort. One might say an eclectic garden of city life and ancient heritage. From its historic areas and iconic landmarks to its bustling markets and culinary scene, Riyadh, along with Saudi Arabia as a whole, is welcoming in tourists from around the world.
In its want to embrace foreigners as much as foreign influence, the Kingdom is liberalizing and modernizing at a pace that has seen just about every American chain set up shop in the capital: Starbucks, Chuck E Cheese, KFC, IKEA, and on and on. It’s symbolic of the country’s want for change, and trajectory forward.
The country opened to tourists in 2019. Since then, it’s invested heavily to bring people in — Saudi Arabia was named the Chair of the United Nations World Tourism Organization in 2023 and hosted global leaders for the World Tourism Day conference. Part of that push has come through ramping up infrastructure and development. For example, in the ancient region of AlUla, in the northwest, swanky hotels have popped up in addition to new festivals, art shows, a world-class concert venue, hot air ballooning, and adventure tours. Meanwhile, Saudi Vision 2030 – a state plan that among many things involves more tourism development – has inspired a raft of new museums that have been built lately, or will be built over the next few years.
While in Riyadh, I stayed at the Hotel Apollo Dimora, an international chain with a spa, pool, and gym (for an extra fee). For a small fee, you can choose one of two breakfast plans: the American breakfast or Arabic breakfast. I had the latter, compromised of hummus, pita, salad, hard boiled egg, and juice. A hearty, healthy way to start the day.
I chose this hotel for the central location, its reasonable cost, and that it was in an area that features a cornucopia of local souks. In virtually every direction for 10 minutes of walking distance, you’ll find fruit stands, tchotchke shops, restaurants, several malls, shopping plazas, streets lined with food vendors, and discount outlets. You could spend an entire day just browsing and still not get your fill.
Photo: Crystal Eye Studio/Shutterstock
My first stop was the free National Museum of Saudi Arabia. A full dinosaur skeleton enters people as they walk in. With 3,700-plus artifacts and a footprint of 28,000 square meters, it’s easy to wander about for hours to learn more about the displays,