Neighbourhood · Riyadh
Diriyah is what Riyadh was before it became a modern megacity — the mud-brick UNESCO-listed old capital of the Saudi state, 15 kilometres northwest of the current centre, undergoing a significant restoration project. Al-Turaif district, the former royal compound, is extraordinary: vast mudbrick palaces in traditional Najdi style above a wadi (dry river bed), entirely unlike anything else in the city. New restaurants and a cultural programme are opening around the edges. Get there before the full tourist infrastructure arrives. For a Riyadh experience rooted in history rather than height and glass, Diriyah is the destination that makes the entire trip make more sense.
0 hotels within walking distance of Diriyah, in the heart of Riyadh.