What to See in Saudi Arabia: Cities to Explore on Foot

The best things to do in Saudi Arabia include discovering the country’s ancient history, Islamic heritage, desert landscapes and rapidly changing modern cities. From the historic heart of Diriyah and Riyadh to the Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia offers a journey through one of the most important cultural landscapes of the Arabian Peninsula. Neywo has free audio guides for 2 cities in Saudi Arabia, covering 70 narrated places in total across 3 walking tours.

What to see and do in Saudi Arabia

Explore the history of the Saudi kingdom

Saudi Arabia’s modern history begins in central Arabia, at Diriyah. This was where the Al Saud family emerged and where Muhammad bin Saud became emir. The modern kingdom was founded in 1932, when King Abdulaziz united Hejaz, Najd and parts of eastern and southern Arabia after a series of military and political campaigns.

The country became the Third Saudi State, following two earlier Saudi states. Its name comes from Al Saud, or the House of Saud. Today, Saudi Arabia remains an absolute monarchy under that dynasty.

For a closer look at this history, visit Riyadh, whose narrated places include Masmak Fort and the At-Turaif District.

Discover Islam’s holiest cities

Religion is central to life in Saudi Arabia. Mecca and Medina are both located in the kingdom and are Islam’s two holiest cities. The country’s history is closely connected to the emergence and expansion of Islam: Muhammad was born in Mecca around 570, and after his death, his followers carried Muslim rule far beyond the Arabian Peninsula within decades.

Dynasties from what is now Saudi Arabia later founded major caliphates across Asia, Africa and Europe. This religious and political history continues to shape the country’s culture, institutions and daily routines.

Experience the landscapes of the Arabian Peninsula

Saudi Arabia occupies most of the Arabian Peninsula, with the Red Sea to the west and the Arabian Gulf to the east. The Arabian Desert dominates the landscape, but the country also includes semi-desert, shrubland, steppes, mountain ranges, volcanic lava fields and highlands.

In the southeast lies the Rub’ al Khali, or Empty Quarter, the world’s largest continuous sand desert. The kingdom has no permanent rivers. Instead, temporary watercourses known as wadis cross different parts of the country.

Water scarcity is one of Saudi Arabia’s main challenges. Drinking water comes from desalination, non-renewable groundwater and surface water in the mountainous southwest. These conditions have shaped traditional pastoral life, including the raising of camels, sheep and goats.

Look beyond the desert

Although desert landscapes define much of the country, Saudi Arabia has a varied natural environment. Wildlife includes the Arabian wolf, striped hyena, baboon, sand cat and jerboa.

The Red Sea is another important ecosystem. Its waters contain more than 1,200 fish species, around a tenth of which are found nowhere else. Scuba diving, windsurfing and sailing are among the popular activities associated with the coast, while the country’s mountains and highlands offer a different view of the kingdom’s geography.

Visit the cities and historic districts

Saudi Arabia’s cities bring together its political history, religious importance and modern development. Riyadh, the capital, grew from the central Arabian setting of the Al Saud family and now offers some of the country’s most important historic places.

In the city, Masmak Fort reflects Riyadh’s role in the formation of the modern kingdom. At-Turaif District recalls the earlier Saudi state at Diriyah, while Murabba Palace represents another important chapter in the capital’s history. Neywo’s guide to Riyadh includes 69 narrated places, making it one of the best cities to visit in Saudi Arabia for understanding the country through its landmarks.

On the Red Sea coast, Yanbu provides a different perspective on Saudi Arabia. The city is one of the destinations covered by Neywo, with a narrated place dedicated to Yanbu.

Understand the impact of oil

Oil transformed Saudi Arabia in the twentieth century. Vast petroleum reserves were discovered in the Al-Ahsa region on the Persian Gulf coast in 1938, and full-scale development began a few years later.

Before this transformation, the kingdom relied largely on limited agriculture and pilgrimage revenues. Petroleum then helped make Saudi Arabia a high-income economy, a leading oil exporter and a regional power in the Middle East. The country holds the world’s second-largest oil reserves and belongs to both the Group of Twenty major economies and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

This economic history is essential to understanding the contrast between traditional landscapes and the rapid growth of Saudi Arabia’s modern cities.

Experience a society in transition

Saudi culture is shaped by Arab traditions and by Islam’s dominant role in governance, law, culture and daily life. Modest dress follows the Islamic principle of hijab, and Arabic is the official language. Regional varieties include Najdi, Hejazi, Gulf and Southern Hejaz-Tihama dialects.

At the same time, social and cultural life has continued to evolve. Since the mid-2010s, the government has introduced limited and gradual reforms. A general tourism visa has allowed non-Muslims to visit, while leisure travel has grown alongside the continuing importance of religious pilgrimage.

Saudi Arabia also has a young and diverse population: about half of Saudi Arabians are under 25, and a large foreign-born community comes mainly from the Middle East, South Asia and Africa.

Follow sport and everyday culture

Football is Saudi Arabia’s national sport, and the Saudi Pro League has been running since 1957. Basketball is also popular, alongside scuba diving, windsurfing and sailing.

The country’s media history reflects its changing public culture. Television arrived in 1954, and Saudi Arabia later became a major market for pan-Arab satellite and pay television. Cinemas were once numerous but were viewed as contrary to Wahhabi norms. In more recent years, limited reforms have sought to liberalize aspects of social, cultural and religious life.

Explore Saudi Arabia with Neywo

Download Neywo to discover Saudi Arabia independently through its free audio guides. The app covers 2 cities, with 3 walking tours and 70 narrated places in total. Narration is available in 11 languages.

Each story plays as you reach the place, at your own pace. There is no group and no schedule: just open the app, walk through the city and listen to the history of the places around you.