48 Hours in Riyadh

I've been to Riyadh so many times now yet I still feel that I haven't seen that much of it. I either seem to be flying into or out of the capital or passing through on a road trip and all the things on my list just never get done. Either way, I seem to plan lots of itineraries for Riyadh, even if we are too exhausted to complete them by the time we arrive. This month I spent another weekend in Riyadh. It was the second time I've gone purely for the purpose of seeing more of Riyadh and the first time I have gone without my husband or kids and well, I can tell you, you can get A LOT done in a short time without the kids!

I really want to tell you about my weekend but if you are just here for the Itinerary ideas then go on and scroll to the end. I won't be offended, honest! This weekend was the best weekend I've had in Riyadh. It is also THE itinerary I would choose if I was taking a friend or family member for the first time. It was such a good itinerary for a weekend with a friend that didn't take too much time, didn't break the bank, and was the right amount of adventure and relaxation and I want to tell you all about it.

Getting There

We left Dammam on a Friday morning on a 6.30 am flight with Flyadeal and we returned on a 5.30 pm flight from Riyadh with Flynas. Both are low-cost airlines and all you need when doing such a short journey. Using different airlines for each way can help you get the times that most suit you to make the most of your weekend. Another option to get to Riyadh if you are not driving is the train from Dammam and also if there are a few of you then getting a taxi door-to-door could work out more cost and time effective.

Getting Around

We arrived at Riyadh airport early on a Friday morning when it was so quiet that there was no shortage of taxis waiting outside the airport. You can easily order Uber from anywhere in Riyadh and it is the quickest and cheapest option.

Hotels

There are so many hotels in Riyadh and I recommend staying somewhere near to the main attraction you wish to see on your visit. We stayed at the Centro Olaya Hotel by Rotana and I would recommend this hotel for friends who want to enjoy the Olaya area shopping and restaurants. It is mid-price and was in a great location near the Al Faisaliah tower (where we had planned to use the viewing deck). I love hotels with a view and I chose this one as it had a rooftop lounge with a great view of the Al Faisaliah tower. Another one of my favorite hotels in Riyadh is the Gloria Inn Hotel. It is very good value for money, great for big families looking for a cheap weekend away in a basic, clean, and friendly hotel, and a very good location for exploring the old areas of Riyadh with Masmak Fort and the flea market. I also stayed in the four seasons hotel in the Kingdom tower a long while back when my kids were tiny and this was such an awesome experience, as you would expect at the price, but not only that, it allowed us to visit one of the main landmarks in Riyadh (the Kingdom tower, mall, and Skybridge) with ease (something you can't usually say when traveling with toddlers).

Restaurants

The food scene in Riyadh is amazing! I was just spoiled for choice! Be aware that if you are arriving, like we did, early on a Friday then malls and most restaurants will be closed so do your research beforehand to find a place for breakfast or brunch. Saying that many hotels and high-end restaurants do a Friday brunch. By accident, just when we were getting hot walking around the streets near our hotel, we stumbled on Paros lounge near Tahliah street. It was a beautiful greek inspired restaurant with pretty outdoor seating, great food, and a shisha menu too. Many restaurants are open until very late at night at the weekend and there are some amazing city views to be had with dinner at high-end restaurants Spazio in the Kingdom Tower and The Globe at Al Faisaliah tower for a real treat.

Itinerary

Friday

Morning:

We departed Dammam airport on a 6.30 am flight and arrived in Riyadh an hour later. our hotel allowed us to check in early. Failing that we would have asked to leave our luggage there while we explored. We took a walk around Al Faisaliah tower and Tahlia street areas(the mall was closed but the walk was nice), and we went to Paros restaurant for breakfast.

Afternoon:

We were picked up by friends to go to The Edge of The World. This was the main reason for our trip. You can book tours to the edge of the world through many tour operators including Ghazi Tours or Riyadh Hiking (they usually leave in the afternoon and come back at night). The edge of the world was amazing, you must go at least once!

Night:

We had dinner and cocktails on the rooftop lounge of our hotel with a view of Al Faisaliah tower.

Saturday:

Morning:

We had a lay-in and a lazy breakfast at our hotel then we explored Al Faisaliah Mall. We wanted to use the viewing deck but found out that it opens after 4 pm so we took an Uber to Kingdom Tower. We had a walk around the outside to take some snaps of the Kingdom Tower and then went for coffee and did some mall browsing. At 1.30pm Skybridge opened so we bought our tickets for 69 SAR each and took an elevator 300 meters up to get views of Riyadh from the 100th floor. It was really a great view and I imagine even more amazing at sunset or night. Then we collected our things from our hotel and headed to the airport for our flight home.

Bonus Itineraries

If you are planning a weekend in Riyadh then I've added five ideas for Itineraries below. Choose one as a basis for your trip or mix and match a couple. These are ideas based on my research as someone who doesn't live in Riyadh so always do your own research and check that places are still open and the updated information before you go.

1. Shopping and Glitz

For shoppers, foodies, and lovers of great city views

Stay: Faisailiah Tower or Four seasons Kingdom Tower

Eat: The Globe

Day 1: Riyadh Boulevard

Day 2: Shopping, Kingdom Tower, and Sky Bridge

2. History and Heritage

For heritage lovers and children who love to explore and learn

Stay: Gloria Inn Hotel

Eat: Najd Village Restaurant

Day 1: Ushaiger Heritage Village

Day 2: Masmak Fort and National Museum

3. Nature lovers

Best for adventure and nature lovers

Stay: Braira Olaya Hotel

Eat: Al Bujairi Heritage Park

Day 1: Edge of the world

Day 2: Wadi Hanifa Park

4. Family fun:

Best for Kids

Stay: Radisson blue Qurtuba or Dylan al Thumana Resort

Eat: Benihanas

Day 1: Riyadh Boulevard or Riyadh Wonderland

Day 2: Happiness Museum

5. Easy Riyadh

Best for families with babies or toddlers

Stay: Four Seasons in Kingdom Tower

Eat: Najd Village Restaurant (choose floor seating for kids to roll around!)

Day 1: Riyadh Zoo

Day 2: Mall and Skybridge in Kingdom Tower

Let me know your best Riyadh experiences and where I should go next time I'm in Riyadh.

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