Riyadh is considered the most beautiful city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for many reasons, including the climate, cultural heritage and norms, its booming economy and vibrant scene, the beauty of the religion, and much more. Let's find out what makes Riyadh an ideal place to live as an expat.
Religion in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia is, above all, an Islamic country where Islamic lifestyle and knowledge are applied practically in all spheres. This includes politics, economy, culture, social norms, and so on. Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam, as Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) started preaching in his hometown of Makkah. After that, billions of Muslims from around the world started visiting the country each year for the sake of Hajj or Umrah. While most pilgrims go through Jeddah, most of the residents of Riyadh will regularly visit the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.
Climate in Riyadh
Riyadh is an interesting place to visit, regardless of the season. Being the capital of Saudi Arabia, it is a lively city with lots of visitors and entertainment all year round. Regarding the climate, the city can get very hot with temperatures rising up to more than 50 degrees, especially in summers. It is then difficult for visitors to go out without covering their head, so most of them prefer to spend their time in malls or other cool places. Places get more lively when the sun sets. For this reason, it is often called the (other) “City that never sleeps.” This also explains why the people of Riyadh love the winter months so much as it is time for them to go to the desert or have picnics.
Social life in Riyadh
Riyadh was once very strict on segregation and it permeated all walks of life. With Vision 2030 and the changes brought about by the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, social life has been transformed in Riyadh. Concerts and cinemas were unimaginable just a decade ago, but they are essential to the city's vibrant life now. This also goes for places such as Boulevard City and Boulevard World, also signifying its opening to other cultures.
Still, Riyadh folks are usually seen as more distant and cold than their counterparts in the Western or Eastern provinces. However, they can be extremely generous in their hosting and will be more than happy to introduce you to their culture. You will also discover that many of them have studied abroad or even spent time in various countries.
Nature in Riyadh
Riyadh is a very beautiful city with lots of natural attractions for expats and visitors. Its geographic features include mountains, land expansions, climatic diversity, and much more. Hikes in valleys, desert roses, Rock arts, parks, ancient ruins, and desert rides are some of the things to see and to do in Riyadh with your tribe, especially in summer. With the Green Riyadh initiative, there are also a lot of changes made to add vegetation to the city as well as giant parks. The aim is to make the city more sustainable and combat desertification; it should also help reduce the heat.
Overall, Riyadh is a superb destination providing visitors with a lot of options for spending time alone or quality times with their friends and families.
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