What to do in Riyadh - Latest News

Looking for a girls' day out that doesn't revolve around brunch or coffee? Lone Alherfa in Riyadh offers a creative alternative where you can spend time with friends, make something with your own hands, and take home a unique souvenir. The cosy creative space in Qurtubah is exclusively for ladies and boys under the age of 12. Always wanted to try mosaic art? Curious about making your own charm bracelet or custom keychain? Lone Alherfa gives you a chance to experiment with different crafts without needing any previous experience. Prices start from SAR 45. Sometimes, spending an hour making something...

Imagine a place in Riyadh packed with hundreds of your favourite brands. Add restaurants, a cinema, luxury hotels, wellness concepts, and family attractions, and you'll get a good idea of what's coming to Diriyah Square, an upcoming retail, dining, and entertainment destination. Instead of a traditional mall, Diriyah Square will feature pedestrian streets, shaded walkways, and open public spaces. And with more than 300 brands already confirmed, you might be wondering where you'll be shopping first. Let's dive into the details. The list already includes some heavy hitters. Apple is coming with a flagship store, and VOX Cinemas has secured...

Riyadh Metro is now offering 50% off regular ticket prices for several categories of passengers. For reference, a 2-hour pass on Riyadh Metro costs SAR 4 in standard class and SAR 10 in first class. The discounted fare is available for: Students aged 6 to 18 (children under 6 travel for free) University students Senior citizens aged 60 and above People with disabilities + one companion Cancer patients + one companion First-degree relatives of martyrs A discounted ticket is always nice. An unexpected fine, not so much. Check out 10 Riyadh Metro fines you need to know about. Since launching,...

Chocolate lovers, here's something new to add to your list. Bateel has introduced Riyadh Style Chocolate, a new treat inspired by Saudi Arabia's most familiar flavours. The new creation features ingredients often associated with local hospitality, and yes, you can probably already guess a couple of them: dates and coffee. So what else will you find inside the bar? Organic dates Qahwa notes Cardamom Saffron Kunafa View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bateel (@bateelgourmet) Riyadh Style Chocolate is available as a chocolate bar and as a box of assorted chocolates, both presented in Saudi green packaging. You...

A shopping trip, dinner plans, a movie night. Sounds like an exhausting day? Not if you're doing it all at The Avenues Riyadh. This huge new mall is coming to the intersection of King Salman Road and King Fahad Road in north Riyadh, and the first details are already here. If shopping is your thing, set aside a few hours. More than 100 stores will open here, and some of the brands already confirmed: American Eagle, Foot Locker, Victoria's Secret, H&M, Bath & Body Works, Charlotte Tilbury, and Ulta Beauty. Maybe you'll end up spending more time eating than shopping....

How many apps does it take to keep your life organised these days? Somehow we're all juggling so much information that it's easy to lose track of things. Google has a cute answer: a new AI app called Dreambeans. It takes information scattered across Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Photos, YouTube, and Search history and turns it into personalised daily stories. Each one comes with AI-generated artwork inspired by your plans, interests, and everyday life, making it feel like a page from your own storybook. Here's how it works: Dreambeans looks at information from your connected Google apps, finds links between...

If you've spent extra time in Riyadh traffic lately, that might change soon. Saudi Arabia has launched a new traffic relief initiative in six busiest business districts of the city. It introduces flexible working hours at more than 50 government entities, giving employees a wider window to start their working day. Employees will be able to choose their arrival time within the following periods: Civil Service Law: 5:30 AM to 9:30 AM Labour Law: 7 AM to 11 AM Workers in healthcare, education, and other essential public services are not part of the new arrangement. The following Riyadh districts are...

Riyadh summers are known for being hot, but August is about to bring a different kind of heat. Electronic music fans, this one's for you: Ministry of Sound is coming to the capital for the first time this summer. Fans who have spent recent years at Soundstorm and Balad Beast now have another date to look forward to. After all, Saudi Arabia has been a magnet for electronic music events in recent years, and there are no signs of things slowing down. The legendary dance music event will make its Saudi Arabia debut on August 7, 2026. For now, only...

If your feed could use some good news today, here's one: Saudi Arabia has recorded its first onager birth in more than 100 years. The announcement was made by the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve, home to the young newcomer. The onager is one of the world's rarest wild equids. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), fewer than 600 remain in the wild. In 2025, the species was added to the Critically Endangered list as experts warned its population could fall sharply in the coming decades. The male onager was born in June 2025, but...

Three of Meta's biggest apps are getting upgrades. Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp now have Plus subscription plans with extra features and customisation options. Let's take a look at what each plan offers and how much it costs. Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus: Features and Price Instagram remains one of Meta's most popular apps, and the company is putting most of the new features there. So, what do you get if you decide to upgrade your account? Story rewatch statistics Stories that stay up longer than 24 hours Posting to profiles and highlights without appearing in followers' feeds Super Heart animated...