Riyadh Season is the annual entertainment festival that has changed winter in the capital since its launch in 2019. For several months — typically from October to around March — it brings concerts, sports events, theatre, exhibitions and themed zones to venues across the city. Dates, zones and headline events are different every year.
Its permanent heart is Boulevard City in the Hittin district of north-west Riyadh: a pedestrian entertainment quarter of restaurants, cafés, theatres, arenas, fountains and enormous digital screens. Next to it, and connected by a cable car, is Boulevard World, a seasonal park where zones themed on different countries surround a large artificial lagoon. Elsewhere, Via Riyadh offers luxury shopping, cinemas and restaurants in Najdi-inspired architecture, and The Zone is a year-round dining complex in the north of the city.
Top things to do at Boulevard City & Riyadh Season
Spend an evening in Boulevard City
Wander the main avenue, watch the fountain shows, eat, and see what is on — there are usually stage shows, gaming venues, pop-up experiences and sports arenas in use. Parts of Boulevard City stay open outside the season, with a reduced programme.
Tour the world at Boulevard World
Each zone imitates the streets, food and landmarks of a different country, from Egypt and France to China and Japan, around a lagoon with boat rides. It is theatrical, family-friendly and very busy at weekends. It normally opens only during the season.
Catch a headline event
Riyadh Season has hosted major boxing cards, football matches, concerts and awards shows. Big events sell out and can affect traffic across the north of the city, so check the calendar when planning your dates.
How to get to Boulevard City & Riyadh Season
- By taxi or ride-hailing: the usual way. Expect queues and surge pricing when events finish late at night.
- By metro and bus: the network reaches the north of the city, and shuttle or bus links to Season zones are often laid on — check current routes.
- By car: there are large car parks, which fill early on weekend evenings.
Insider tips
- Tickets for zones and events are sold through the official Riyadh Season channels (the webook platform has been the main one). Buy in advance and keep the QR code on your phone.
- Almost everything is an evening affair, typically opening in the late afternoon and running past midnight.
- Winter nights are cool — bring a layer.
- Outside the season, check carefully what is open before making the trip to the north-west of the city.
Best tours & tickets for Boulevard City & Riyadh Season
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Boulevard City & Riyadh Season:
City tour from €156 Modern Riyadh: KAFD, Architecture, Metro & Street Food
A newer tour that shows the other Riyadh — the financial district’s architecture, the driverless metro and the city’s casual food scene. It had no reviews yet when we checked, so treat it as a promising unknown.
- The towers and skywalks of KAFD
- A ride on the new Riyadh Metro
- Street-food stops
City tour from €143 Riyadh: Full-Day City Exploration Tour with Optional Lunch
A full-day overview by car for travellers with only one day: the historic centre, the museum quarter and the modern skyline. Reviews are more mixed than for the others on this page, so read the recent ones and confirm the itinerary before booking.
- Old and new Riyadh in a single day
- Hotel pickup and a private vehicle
- Optional traditional lunch
