Enjoy the breathtaking view of the capital of Saudi Arabia, city lights dazzling in the evening. The city has a fascinating, centuries-old history within its museums and ancient architecture.
The city that sits at an elevation of 600 meters (2000 ft) above sea level and welcomes around 5 million tourists each year is Riyadh. The capital of Saudi Arabia, one of the largest cities in the Arabian Peninsula, also known as The Gardens or Meadows, is the forty-ninth most visited city in the world and the sixth in the Middle East.
Dwelling in the midst of the sky-high buildings, appreciating the human intellect, Riyadh is the home of the fifth tallest skyscraper in the country, the Kingdom Center. It is a 41-story building around 302 meters (992 ft) tall and is the world's third-tallest building. There is a 65-meter sky bridge atop the skyscraper, taking the form of an enclosed corridor with windows on both sides which allows viewers to enjoy the area from a bird's-eye view. There is also the Al-Mamlaka Shopping Mall, offices, the Four Seasons Hotel, and luxury apartments.
Get to know more about the history of civilization, Islam, and Saudi Arabia in the National Museum in Riyadh which is one of the biggest museums and one of the most visited places in the city. It has eight main galleries and a collection that includes sculptures, antiquities as well as audiovisual installments. It is a cultural hub that also has a park and a mosque. Other than the national museum, there is the Al-Masmak Palace Museum which was once a palace and then converted into a museum in 1995 after being used as a prison and repository of ammunition and weapons. The museum contains pictures, maps, sculptures, some ancient weapons, heritage pieces, and an audiovisual exhibition hall.
Jebel Fihrayn, which got popular as the Edge of the World, is one of the most visited tourist destinations. The 90-minute ride from Riyadh for an uninterrupted view of the horizon it offers atop its 300-meter-high cliffs gives an overview of the surrounding plain. One can see the paths rivers once took across the land. It is the perfect place for outdoor activities. You can also come in contact with many fossils, a vestige of when the region was part of an ocean bed.
Located around 40 kilometers in Al-Jubail Mountain from Riyadh is one of Saudi Arabia’s caves. Known as Ein Heet, it is a solutional cave that is famous for its limestone formations and natural water reservoir. There is an underground lake inside the cave which is 30 meters deep and 150 meters long. If you are an experienced cave explorer then you can find waterways in this ravine or cave. According to many experienced cave explorers, this cave is the source of the purest water in the world.
Riyadh is home to some of the most amazing dishes in the world, heavily influenced by the country’s rich heritage and ancient customs. Enjoy the hospitality of Riyadh with food reflecting generosity, warmth, and a sense of sharing. Ruz Al Bukhari is a fragrant rice dish that usually is served with roasted chicken which has a variety of spices such as cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, and star anise topped with raisins and fried onions. Stuff your stomach with Muttabag, a thin layer of bread stacked with minced meat, eggs, leeks, and scallions. Crispy on the outside and generously stuffed on the inside. Found in every restaurant and one of the most popular foods in Saudi Arabia: Shawarma: made up of meat cut into thin slices, layered on top of each other in a huge cone-like shape, slow-roasted on a spit, and topped with pickles, french fries, and tahini sauce.
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