Riyadh is the capital city of Saudi Arabia and it has been known for its certain image across the international media. Many strict laws, traditional customs, lack of tourism, and even safety issues have created a specific picture of the city in the minds of the foreign public. Still Saudi Arabia has greatly changed in the recent times, particularly with the great opening of its borders to accept more international tourists.
Therefore visiting Riyadh is a great chance to uncover more interesting things about this city. Instead of assuming how it would look like for a foreign tourist, one may simply come here and see the mixture of the old Arabian culture and modern infrastructure.
The trip to Riyadh can start with just one question about the real atmosphere of the city for a foreign tourist.
Surprisingly Friendly Welcome At One Of The Local Tea Places
The first impressions of Riyadh are formed almost right after leaving the hotel. The uncertainty whether taking the camera out in the streets of the city is going to draw too much attention comes up in the mind at once.
Your worries are washed away very quickly.
While having a cup of tea in a small, local tea shop, the first experience is pleasantly surprising. The tea comes without any milk and tastes very sweet, similar to Turkish tea. Some spices mixed with the tea also add something special to the taste, making it quite different from any ordinary black tea.
The visitors must be surprised that they are offered a cup of tea free of charge.
Though it may seem insignificant, it has already mastered a feeling of generosity in the person, and for someone who comes to Saudi Arabia for the first time, it creates significantly different perception from a stereotype of the place known to be not very warm towards strangers.
As it is in many other places in Riyadh, people appear to like spending time together in this tea corner. Only in a few minutes some visitors arrived there to share a cup of tea, contributing to the relaxed atmosphere of the place.
The streets seem to be surprisingly calm, particularly when compared with the idea of a bustling Middle Eastern city. They feature wide roads, clean pavements, landscaped areas, and small parks suitable for rest and recreation.
Another unexpected fact is that there are many stray cats, which can be seen in various areas of Riyadh, including parks and residential neighborhoods.
Walking in the city can be quite troublesome since it is not that pedestrian-friendly. The distances between the attractions can be quite long, which makes it necessary to use various forms of transportation, including taxi cabs, ride-hailing apps, buses, and the subway.
Nevertheless, the presence of benches, trees, and green parks makes it possible to take short breaks during long walks.
One more thing that can surprise the travelers who come from Southeast Asia is that the city’s street food culture is quite limited. There is a vast selection of restaurants in Riyadh, but street vendors do not sell as many snacks and beverages as in the majority of Southeast Asian countries.
The fascinating topic of the Riyadh Metro
The Riyadh Metro system is one of the best transportation methods to explore the new lifestyle of the city with its clean and modern metro stations equipped with friendly metro staff if someone faces any inconvenience in finding the right way.
If people are not familiar with how the metro stations work, they will appreciate the fact that the ticketing system is based not only on the distance of the journey within the metro system. This is an interesting feature.
The benefits of using the proposed system are huge for travelers.
The metro stations are supplied with air conditioning because the temperature in the city can go really high during the summer.
Even if Arabic is the main language of the metro system, there are signs in English as well for international people to avoid the language barrier.
The metro is also divided into separate areas for families, or travelers, and has tunnels and elevated sections giving the opportunity to see different bits of Riyadh while moving somewhere.
The metro is certainly an essential achievement for the city that is being constructed.
Seeing the other side of Riyadh
It is interesting to notice that there exists a completely different bunch of places away from the center full of modern buildings.
There are old neighborhoods, petrol stations, small companies, and usual houses that create a contrast with the modern world surrounding everything else.
Moreover, the prices for liquid fuel here are significantly different from what tourists used to see in their countries. The price for fuel here is relatively low.
In addition, it is interesting to note that a considerable part of the workforce consists of foreigners, including people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other countries in South Asia, which is typical for other Gulf countries.
Thus, Riyadh’s rapidly progressing change is visible from every part of the city where construction sites can be seen everywhere.
The Importance of Learning Local Words When Traveling
Traveling in Riyadh teaches visitors the valuable lesson that learning a couple of words in the local language can have a great influence on the experience of travelling.
One does not have to be fluent to enjoy the benefits of a couple of phrases like greetings, or food vocabulary.
Language is a means of communication and shows one’s respect to the local people.
Learning a couple of words in the local language makes every trip special, much more personal than in case of communicating in English only.
One of the most famous dishes of Saudi Arabia is camel kabsa.
Camel kabsa is the most memorable dish since it is a traditional meal of Saudi Arabia that consists of camel meat that is cooked slowly with rice and spices.
To visitors, camel meat might seem unconventional; however, the texture of the meat is almost similar to that of goat meat. The lean parts are soft, and the fat parts are also unique.
The meat itself tastes almost like the familiar beef dish, and a person who did not know the dish may have mistaken the taste for beef.
The rice brings the extra element of spice and flavor, while a bit of lemon may be added to meat and rice dish for refreshing flavor.
Kabsa is undoubtedly among the most famous traditional meals in Saudi Arabia and is often associated with larger family events and festivities.
If one is looking to enjoy a genuine Saudi meal while in Riyadh, then camel meat is an experience that one will not get from a food chain restaurant.
The Traditional Method of Dining in Saudi Arabia
Another noteworthy element of the dining experience is the prospect of eating with your hands.
For people not accustomed to this practice, eating with bare hands can seem odd at first. Though, using hands for eating has been a custom in many Middle Eastern countries and in Asia as well.
This approach also highlights the communal essence of a traditional meal. Food is often associated with the company of family, hospitality, and personal engagement and not merely consumed quickly.
The cultural aspect of eating can make traditional Saudi restaurant experience significantly different from the regular Western dining experience.
Going to the Great Kingdom Centre Tower
After indulging in traditional Saudi food, the tour would proceed to one of the most recognizable landmarks of Riyadh – Kingdom Centre Tower.
The building is well-known for its unique shape, where there is a huge hole on the top of it. This original construction makes it one of the landmarks in the city’s skyline.
With a height of 302 meters, the tower was launched in 2002.
To reach the Sky Bridge, one must access the building and use an elevator to go up. The higher one goes, the more jaw-dropping the views become.
From up above, Riyadh looks massive.
What makes the view from the top interesting is the accumulation of skyscrapers in specific places. However, if we look at the whole city, we will see that a large part of it has buildings which are much lower and smaller in height.
The contrast between two extremes of architecture is impressive because of Arabian style buildings meeting modern skyscrapers. Many of the low buildings that are at one end do resemble the local style – they are of various brown shades and resemble traditional architecture.
Riyadh From Above After Dark
If one waits until evening, he can see a completely different view of the city.
When viewed during the day, Riyadh does not impress with anything extraordinary; in fact, it seems a relatively simple city with residential areas that go as far as the eye can see. However, when night comes, all the buildings and roads of the city are lit.
Experiencing both views of Riyadh makes the visit to Kingdom Centre the more interesting.
Boulevard Riyadh: A Newer Recreational Spot
The Boulevard Riyadh is pointed out as a place recommended by the locals.
Unlike many traditional neighborhoods, the district gives a feeling of being in a place far-off from the past. Bright advertising slogans, restaurants, shopping possibilities, quenching entertainment, multi-colored lights create an atmosphere that may remind someone of a well-known recreational center.
This place is likened to Times Square. Due to its many bright advertisements and nice atmosphere.
There is a big choice of restaurants and famous international brands, not to mention go-karting and various games.
As it may sound strange, but visiting the place does not have to cost anything; only some attractions require paying.
On weekdays the place is quieter than on weekends, when it gets much more crowded and busy.
The development of such recreational spots indicates how quickly the capital reacts to the change in entertainment needs.
How conservative is Riyadh really?
This may possibly be the most complex question to answer.
Saudi Arabia has its own set of laws and customs, which differ from those of many Western countries. But visiting Riyadh helps see that real life is more complicated than the stereotypes suggest.
One of these examples is clothing.
Traditionally, Saudi people wear different types of clothing, and women tend to wear clothes that cover almost all of their body; however, also, people dress differently.
Instead of drawing conclusions from a short trip, it is better to understand that Saudi Arabia is a country that is experiencing many changes while keeping its traditions alive.
Is it Safe for Tourists in Riyadh?
Safety is of utmost importance in Saudi Arabia.
In the course of this trip, Riyadh has proved to be very safe even after sunset.
There have not been any indications of serious public issues or street crimes; hence, it is safe to walk around any place in the city, although it is always wise to be careful.
What is interesting is that the sense of safety in Riyadh remains to be existent at night.
Nevertheless, it does not mean that everything will be totally safe in every situation. A short stay in the country cannot provide enough evidence for general conclusions.
In any case, travelling experience indicates a great deal for those willing to explore Riyadh.
Is It Allowed to Film in Riyadh?
Upon reaching Saudi Arabia, one may have certain doubts regarding the filming process in public areas.
However, through the exploration of Riyadh, one can see that filming is not an issue in general.
There are no instances of repeated instances of engaging with government officials or civilians inquiring about turning off the camera. It is still possible to have a relatively smooth filming experience even in busy areas of entertainment and public areas.
At the same time, travelers must adhere to the principles of common sense. Sensitive locations and organizations as well as security agencies, private persons and culturally sensitive events must be approached with caution.
It is better to follow the principles of business etiquette than to take the best photos of the places visited.
Hospitality of the Saudi People
One of the main pleasant impressions from the trip is the hospitality of the inhabitants of the country.
Starting from a complimentary cup of tea and advice made by an Uber driver, encounters with people living in Saudi Arabia are usually very welcoming.
Restaurant recommendations constitute a good example of the welcoming attitude of local citizens. Even the driver sounds more excited about the destination and dishes there.
Thus, instead of seeing Saudi Arabia only through buildings and roads and tourist attractions, one gets a much more personal understanding of the country by talking to its residents.
An up-to-date city with a strong historical background
Riyadh is neither an old traditional city nor a city that is totally Westernized.
It is a combination of the two.
There is traditional architecture and then there are towering skyscrapers. On the one hand, the city has local cuisine while on the other hand, it hosts international fast food etc.
Traditional customs are still in place while modern entertainment centers are on the rise.
The metro system signifies that technological advancement is in place whereas traditional restaurants keep the old traditions of cooking. Blvd. Riyadh is a modern entertainment facility whereas local tea shops are a great place for socializing.
This juxtaposition may be one of the most interesting aspects of visiting the capital.
What is Riyadh like for those who visit this city for the first time?
After a day of experiencing various parts of the city, your perception about it will start to change.
Riyadh has developed to become a modern clean efficient developing city which is welcoming to foreign visitors.
Dress appropriately. Comply with the local laws. Be cautious when photographing sensitive places. Learn a handful of Arabic words. Most importantly, approach the country with amazement instead of opinions.
Riyadh is transforming rapidly and becomes an interesting place to visit right now.
A mixture of traditional Saudi culture, advanced architecture, local food, increasing public transportation possibilities, entertainment districts, and sincere human communication creates an extraordinary travel experience.
When people question what Riyadh is really like for tourists, it is impossible to describe it simply as old-fashioned or modern, rigid or mild, traditional or Westernized.
Riyadh is everything at the same time.
Maybe that makes Riyadh special to visit.
