Riyadh is a city in the midst of an extraordinary transformation — a capital that is reinventing itself at a pace and on a scale that is genuinely astonishing, and that is fast becoming one of the most exciting and dynamic destinations in the entire Middle East. The skyline of the King Abdullah Financial District rises dramatically from the desert plateau, a collection of bold, ambitious towers that signal Saudi Arabia’s determination to establish itself as a major player on the global stage. At the heart of the old city, the Masmak Fortress stands as a reminder of Riyadh’s much longer history — it was here, in 1902, that the founder of modern Saudi Arabia led the raid that began the unification of the kingdom, and the mud-brick walls and wooden gates of the fortress are still remarkably well preserved. The National Museum of Saudi Arabia, one of the finest in the region, takes visitors on a comprehensive journey through the extraordinary history of the Arabian Peninsula, from prehistoric times through the rise of Islam and the founding of the modern state. And for food lovers, Riyadh’s restaurant scene has become genuinely world class in recent years — from the rooftop restaurants of the Diplomatic Quarter to the incredible street food of Al Zal market and the traditional Saudi restaurants where you eat sitting on the floor surrounded by enormous communal platters of rice, lamb, and fresh bread.
