For a glimpse into Saudi’s vivacious heart, a trip to Riyadh is a must. Walk through history while experiencing the city’s modern side through electrifying concerts, Michelin-level dining, night markets, and international sporting events.
During Riyadh Season, the city transforms into a festive wonderland that rivals the greatest winter festivals.
Celebrate the golden season
During the 2025–26 season, visitors came for the grand festivities and stayed for a climate that felt as comforting as the destination itself. Expect bright, walkable days in the low 20s°C, with cooler evenings made for outdoor and late-night exploring.
The crisp, clear weather allows the events to animate the streets, making it the ideal season to enjoy open-air performances, alfresco dining, and starlit desert escapes.
Arrive in style
Reaching Riyadh has never been more effortless. Saudi has streamlined the travel experience to ensure your journey is as smooth as the winter breeze.
- Global access: Citizens of 66 eligible countries can apply for an e-visa online, while travelers holding valid US, UK, or Schengen visas may be eligible for a visa-on-arrival. Other travelers can apply through Saudi visa service centers or embassies, depending on availability in their country.
- Hub connectivity: Increased direct flights from major hubs like London, Dubai, Islamabad, Delhi, Paris, and Frankfurt bring you straight to Riyadh for the season.
From the moment you land, the city’s sophisticated infrastructure and premium hospitality take over, allowing you to focus entirely on the world-class experiences ahead.
Welcome to Riyadh Season
The 2025–26 Riyadh Season began on 10 October 2025 and continued into March 2026. Official dates for the 2026–27 edition have not yet been announced. The following highlights cover the 2025–26 Season:
Adrenaline and action: The high-octane playground
If you love live sports and high-energy crowds, Riyadh becomes an open arena where you can cheer on your favorite athletes.
Boulevard Riyadh City
Shopping, dining, and dancing fountains set the scene ahead of the main events. When the big dates arrive, bring your game face and rally behind your champions.
Night of the Samurai: Witness Naoya Inoue & Alan Picasso battle it out on a global stage for a night of honor and power.
- Date: 27 December 2025.
- Time: The doors open at 11:30 AM, and the first fight is at 12:00 PM.
WWE Smackdown: Watch your favorite WWE Superstars clash in a high-energy night of non-stop drama and fierce rivalries.
- Date: 30 January 2026.
- Time: Gates open at 3:00 PM, with the main event starting at 7:00 PM.
WWE Royal Rumble: Be part of history as Saudi hosts its first-ever Royal Rumble, where thirty superstars battle for a spot in the WrestleMania main event.
- Date: 31 January 2026.
- Time: Gates open at 3:00 PM, with the event starting at 9:00 PM.
Boulevard World
This is where global cultures meet through interactive and high-energy experiences. During the 2025–26 edition, Boulevard World ran until 2 May 2026 and welcomed visitors daily from 4:00 PM to 1:00 AM.
High-energy fun: Feel the pure joy of soaring through a crisp winter sky with SuperFly, or dive into a fusion of electric karting and augmented reality with Battlekart.
Shows and interactive activities: Navigate the ancient pyramids of PUBG MOBILE on your festive getaway, find yourself captivated by a show at the BLVD Dolphinarium, or swim with the sea’s most intelligent creatures with Swimming with Dolphins.
Thrilling adventures: Thrill seekers can test their nerves within the cryptic Escape Room: Secret of the Pharaoh, the eerie Midnight Manor, and the haunting Doll Maker.
Better yet, surprise yourself with a new favorite discovery from the 13 other immersive activities waiting to ignite your imagination. And when the adrenaline settles, explore Boulevard World’s lantern-lit esplanade of markets and global cuisines.
Beast Land
Enter the world’s first physical MrBeast theme park. Compete for the world’s largest prize wall in the Beast Arena or brave gravity-defying rides.
- Date: Ran until 27 December 2025.
- Time: Open from 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM (until 1:00 AM on the weekends).
Luxury and refinement: The escape to elegance
VIA Riyadh
Steeped in the elegant Salmani architectural style, this is where legacy meets the absolute peak of contemporary refinement.
The curated retail collection: Indulge in a selection of global fashion houses and boutique concept stores. Discover exclusive couture at Elie Saab Bridal, handcrafted pieces at L’Atelier Nawbar, and avant-garde designs at Mwaz, Isaia, Zimmermann, and Zegna.
Fine dining at VIA Riyadh: When it’s time to dine, indulge in epicurean finesse found nowhere else.
- Gymkhana: Dine at Gymkhana, where the bold legacy of London’s first-ever two-Michelin-starred Indian restaurant comes to life
- Spago: Savor modern Italian masterpieces served with the same two-Michelin-star pedigree as its iconic Beverly Hills flagship.
- Hōchō: Japanese contemporary dining, featuring Kobe beef tacos and an exclusive omakase “Ruby Room.”
- Madeo: Italian “royalty” serving authentic Tuscan traditions. Visit on Wednesdays or Fridays for live music nights.
- Les Deux Magots: Classic Parisian sidewalk charm, ideal for French pastries and a lively Saturday jazz brunch.
Please note that prior reservations are needed for all the above restaurants.
The Groves
Savor the crisp air at this open-air bastion where culinary art meets theater. The 2025–26 chapter ran until 19 July 2026 and featured chocolate crafted into edible art at Charlie Chonka and the Saudi-born Persian elegance of Gulnaz Khanum amid glowing, fairy-lit gardens.
Riyadh Zoo
Riyadh Zoo’s 2025–26 seasonal run continued through 3 January 2026, featuring six habitats from the flamingo-filled Pink Lake to the Enchanted Forest and more than 1,300 animals.
Beyond the festivities
Beyond the main events, explore Saudi’s historic heartlands and its emerging Red Sea coast.
Diriyah
Birthplace of the Saudi nation, Diriyah is a living testament to its resilience and illustrious past.
The crown jewel
At the heart of the district stands At-Turaif, the UNESCO World Heritage site and original seat of power for the First Saudi State.
Step through its restored palaces and majestic mud-brick corridors to uncover the country’s history.
Heritage reimagined
Rediscover the echoes of the past at Hal Al-Qusoor, where Diriyah’s storied legacy is brought to life through interactive exhibits and live cultural performances.
- Date: Ran until 28 February 2026
- Time: Between 4 PM and 12 AM.
A journey into Saudi traditions
For a touch of wonder that speaks to every generation, Al-Huwayett transforms the Adhwaihrah district into a space for discovering Saudi traditions through storytelling and creative exploration.
- Date: Ran until 17 February 2026.
- Time: Between 10 AM to 10 PM.
A natural sanctuary
Elevate your escape at Minzal, a multi-faceted cultural glamping retreat set within the desert landscape. Immerse yourself in art and culture in the evening, and as the night falls, head back to your glamorous stargazing pods with live music serenading you in the background.
- Date: Ran until 14 February 2026.
The Red Sea
After Riyadh, reset by the Red Sea, where a new era of regenerative luxury awaits. This is a sanctuary of untouched coral reefs and over 90 pristine islands, offering privacy and raw coastal beauty.
AROYA Cruises
The magic of Riyadh Season doesn’t end at the shore.
As Saudi’s first-ever luxury cruise line, AROYA Cruises serves as an extension of the Riyadh Season festivities. Step aboard the floating ship to discover 20 entertainment venues and 29 world-class eateries, including IRTH, the first Saudi restaurant at sea.
Whether you’re chasing the sunset or indulging in high-end gastronomy, AROYA redefines maritime elegance with authenticity.
Coastal adventures
The Red Sea is a portal to aquatic grandeur.
Sail from Jeddah Yacht Club to Sindalah Marina on a premier yachting route to NEOM or dive into clear waters to explore the world’s fourth-largest barrier reef, rich with marine life and coral gardens.
Lush sojourns
Desert Rock
To feel like you’ve stepped into a cinematic universe, add a night at Desert Rock to your itinerary. Sleep in villas carved directly into the ancient granite mountains, where floor-to-ceiling glass offers an expansive view of the landscape.
A regal retreat, Desert Rock lets you wake to sunlight washing over citrine canyons, all from the quiet, plush comfort of your bed.
Shebara
Let this off-grid island escape ease your senses, blending solar-powered design with a deep connection to the sea.
Discover Shebara, where mirror-finish stainless-steel “orb” villas gleam like a string of pearls above turquoise waters. Step straight from your private deck into vibrant coral gardens, then return to a place that reflects the ocean’s shimmer in every curve.
St. Regis Red Sea Resort
Reachable only by seaplane, this private hideaway on Ummahat Island is the peak of organic sophistication. Picture yourself arriving at a shell-shaped villa, where a dedicated butler anticipates your every need.
Spend your days in the overwater spa or savoring a beverage as the sun dips below the horizon.
Six Senses Southern Dunes
Escape the shore for the rolling golden desert, where Nabataean-inspired villas honor the ancient spirit of the Incense Road. Feel the pulse of the dunes as you indulge in holistic wellness rituals and farm-to-table dining beneath a canopy of endless stars.
AlUla
From the suite life, let your days be colored by towering sandstone and 200,000 years of human history. In AlUla, Nabataean past meets the vanguard of modern design and art.
The soul of the Old Town
Old Town Market Street
Promenade through Market Street, fragranced with incense and local spices. This heritage corridor still thrives as a living marketplace. Browse artisanal crafts, elegant antiques, and boutique finds here.
To interact with the culture of AlUla, make some time for the following events:
Wall Art Walk
For an intimate perspective, embark on the Wall Art Walk. This curated stroll transforms the ancient mud-brick walls into a canvas for stunning murals and site-specific artworks that weave the stories of the local community into visual masterpieces.
- Date: Ran until 13 February 2026.
Winter at Tantora
Celebrate AlUla’s flagship winter festival, named after the historic Tantora sundial, with weeks of musical performances, immersive installations, and sensory discoveries across Old Town and beyond.
For a signature attraction, the AlManshiyah Carnival unfolds as a bright tapestry of tradition and fun.
- Date: Ran until 10 January 2026.
AlUla Arts Festival & Desert X
Witness the oasis transform into a creative playground where multidisciplinary exhibitions and visionary installations redefine the landscape.
Under the theme “Space Without Measure,” the fourth edition of Desert X AlUla turns the sandstone canyons into a vast, open-air gallery. Featuring ten bold, site-specific masterpieces inspired by the poetry of Kahlil Gibran, it challenges your perception of distance and scale.
- Date: 16 January to 14 February 2026 (Desert X continues until 28 February).
A world-class dialogue between art and ecology awaits at Arduna (“Our Land”), a flagship exhibition previewing the future.
It showcases humanity’s bond with the environment through eighty diverse works, and includes historic masterpieces by Picasso and Kandinsky, set against the lush, living backdrop of the AlUla Oasis.
- Date: 1 February to 15 April 2026.
Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo
At the world’s first organized desert polo tournament, “The Game of Kings” brings together masterful horsemanship, high fashion, and polished hospitality against a backdrop of amber sands and soaring sandstone canyons.
- Date: 16 & 17 January 2026.
AlFursan Endurance AlUla
Feel the thumping of hooves over the desert as elite riders and their Arabian horses take on a world-class challenge across AlUla’s ancient terrain.
The race spans 120 km on Day 1 and 160 km on Day 2, paired with fan zones, entertainment activations, and cultural moments celebrating Saudi’s equestrian legacy.
- Date: 7 & 8 February 2026.
Are you ready to let Riyadh Season envelop you in a winter getaway like never before? Step into a season where every moment is magnificent, and the journey only grows more remarkable from there.
