Riyadh Travel Guide

Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh is an oil boom city of towering skyscrapers, American-style malls, busy roads and international hotels. It only became the capital in 1932, but has undergone exponential growth since the 1970s. The heart of the city is Al Batha, the oldest part, where typical Middle Eastern souks bring bustle to the streets.

Shopping is big business in Riyadh. Around the Water Tower, the city's major landmark, major boutiques cluster on Sal Wazir St, while the three-floor Al Faisaliah Centre (home to Harvey Nichols) is one of several large shopping malls in the Olaya district.

Other attractions include the Riyadh Museum for history and archaeology, the Masmak Fortress, the 19th-century citadel at the heart of Al-Bathaa, and the Murabba Palace, with a collection of traditional dress and crafts. Two notable sights outside the city include Dir'aiyah (30km from the city centre), where reconstructed ruins of the kingdom's first capital are found, and the largest camel market in the Middle East, also 30km from town.