A tourist's view of Saudi Arabia
The controversial nation does not necessarily have to be ruled out for those wanting to explore

Until 2019, visas to enter Saudi Arabia were largely restricted to pilgrims and expatriate workers, but the kingdom is now hoping to attract tourists as part of its effort to diversify its oil-dependent economy. Its dismal human-rights record might well put you off, said Lisa Grainger in The Sunday Times, but there have been some modest improvements. Amnesty International still reports arbitrary detentions, death sentences for rights advocates, and other horrors, but Riyadh's "mausoleum- like" Deera (or "Chop Chop") Square hasn't seen a public beheading since 2022, and women can now drive without a male chaperone.
As a Zimbabwean, I have "witnessed the negative effects of international isolation on a country", so I decided that I would visit. The visa form told me I must respect the country's "Islamic traditions" – which meant "covering up" and abstaining from alcohol – but I was allowed to wear a swimsuit at the pool, leave my head uncovered, and travel alone with a male Saudi guide.
My trip started in Riyadh. It is a city of glitzy shopping malls and traffic jams, but the nearby mud-walled city of Diriyah is beautiful. Heavily restored since its listing as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2010, its old centre, At-Turaif, is a "maze of old buildings and museums" that gets very lively in the evenings – "a bit like Covent Garden", but without the drunks. I was also impressed by the "subversive" art on display at the "polished" Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale. At the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, which is the site of Mohammed's tomb, pilgrims gather in diverse traditional attire, lending the scene a timeless quality.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
And the ancient site of Hegra is unmissable. The second- largest city of the first century Nabataean kingdom (after Jordan's Petra), it includes 131 "magnificent" rock-cut tombs, and there are some luxurious new hotels nearby, which are good bases for desert adventures including hiking, e-biking and air ballooning.
For tour operators, try Wild Frontiers, Regent Travel, B Corp and Abercrombie & Kent.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Book reviews: ‘Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America’ and ‘How to End a Story: Collected Diaries, 1978–1998’
Feature A political ‘witch hunt’ and Helen Garner’s journal entries
By The Week US Published
-
The backlash against ChatGPT's Studio Ghibli filter
The Explainer The studio's charming style has become part of a nebulous social media trend
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Why are student loan borrowers falling behind on payments?
Today's Big Question Delinquencies surge as the Trump administration upends the program
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Book reviews: ‘Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America’ and ‘How to End a Story: Collected Diaries, 1978–1998’
Feature A political ‘witch hunt’ and Helen Garner’s journal entries
By The Week US Published
-
Scottish hospitality shines at these 7 hotels
The Week Recommends Sleep well at these lovely inns across Scotland
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
7 ways to drink spectacularly across the United States this spring
The Week Recommends A bar for every springtime occasion
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Following the Tea Horse Road in China
The Week Recommends This network of roads and trails served as vital trading routes
By The Week UK Published
-
Roast lamb shoulder with ginger and fresh turmeric recipe
The Week Recommends Succulent and tender and falls off the bone with ease
By The Week UK Published
-
Adolescence and the toxic online world: what's the solution?
Talking Point The hit Netflix show is a window into the manosphere, red pills and incels
By The Week Staff Published
-
6 welcoming recipes for cooking and baking during your spring days
The Week Recommends You want it flavorful, and you want it exciting
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Snow White: Disney's 'earnest effort to meet an impossible brief'
Talking Point Live-action remake of Disney classic is not the disaster it could have been – but where's the personality?
By The Week UK Published