Kaş to Kastellorizo: where Turkey's Lycian Way meets the most distant Greek island
This post covers one of the areas with, possibly, more top historical heritage per square kilometre of the Mediterranean and this is on top of a stunningly beautiful landscapes.
This is, of course, not our first foray to the Turkish Aegean coast, you can also check our post about what to see in Bodrum and its surroundings. This one covers another section of the beautiful and rugged coastline of southwestern Turkey, particularly the area around Kaş and Kalkan and the neighbouring Ancient cities of Myra and Patara, what is today known as the “Lycian Way”.
What’s more, for those like me, who are interested in borders and those places that act as fault lines (or meeting points, depending on how you see it) between countries, continents and cultures, this region contains a particularly interesting spot: a very tiny Greek island which is really far away from the mainland, but almost adjacent to the nearby Turkish coast.
Keep on reading to find out how is it like to visit this tiny Greek (and European Union) outpost from the neighbouring Turkish town of Kaş.
Getting to the Lycian Way
Let’s start with a short paragraph about logistics. It’s going to be short: rent a car.
The area of Kaş is located roughly halfway between Antalya and Dalaman airports (Bodrum is also a reasonably close gateway and gets more flights than Dalaman). There is no train connection and I don’t think buses are a practical option to move along the area. I know “walking the Lycian Way” is a thing, but since this is not a hardcore trekking site, I will leave this one out too.
This leaves renting a car as the most convenient option and, actually, the roads are generally ok (between Antalya and Kaş about half of the distance is actually covered by a two-lane motorway). I also found parking in those coastal towns surprisingly easy (particularly when compared with its equivalents in Western Europe), but this may be due to the fact that my trip was in the autumn, and, therefore, a bit off season.
The Ancient city of Myra - the city of Santa Claus!
One the way between Antalya and Kaş perhaps the most fascinating place you can visit is the Ancient Lycian city of Myra.
The Ancient city of Myra (“Myra Antik Kenti” in Turkish) is a truly interesting spot for several reasons:
It was one of the epicenters of the Lycian civilization, which used to be kind of part of the Greek world, but not quite. Lycia had, in fact, its own cultural and political system for quite a few centuries, until the Romans took over the whole region and made it part of their Empire. Lycian cities were organized in a league that had some proto-democratic elements in the way it worked. It was actually mentioned by Montesquieu and said to have inspired the US Founding Fathers, as well.
Myra was the home city of Saint Nicholas (aka Santa Claus). Although he was born in Patara (another Lycian city that we also cover, further down this post, Saint Nicholas was the bishop of Myra for some time in the 4th C. There is a church of Saint Nicholas in the Ancient city, which is visited by numerous pilgrims (Saint Nicholas is said to have been buried there at first, but in the Middle Ages his relics were taken to Bari, in southern Italy).
The archaeological ensemble of Myra is absolutely stunning. Its most famous landmark are the rock-carved tumbs that fill the surrounding cliffs. These have porticos and facades, creating the impression of a proper city carved in the face of the rock. Next to it are the vestiges of what was, in its time, a rather important city, complete with a very well preserved theatre and many of the buildings that we typically associated with the major cities of Antiquity.
So, make sure you include a visit to the Ancient city of Myra in your itinerary!
Kalkan, perfect base for exploring the coast around Kaş: where to stay and eat
Our hotel recommendation in Kalkan:
Payava Hotel
Kalkan, Cumhuriyet Cd. No:80, 07960 Kalkan (Kaş)
This little hotel in Kalkan, a town some 27km west of downtown Kaş, was a real find. We booked it at the very last minute and it totally surpassed expectations.
The facility is on the outskirts of Kalkan, but if you have a car this is not an issue. It is actually quite easy to get there and to park (the hotel has its own private parking space).
The facilities are pretty modern (the bathroom in particular was pretty large) and, while not exactly next to the sea, it does have views of the sea, as well as a swimming pool with terrace.
I would also like to highlight the service, which was excellent. The hotel staff were actually very friendly throughout. At the end, we decided extend our stay for one more day than originally planned!
While we did not have lunch or dinner at the hotel, since we spent most of the day on excursions or exploring downtown Kalkan (see the section about where to eat in Kalkan further below), we did try the hotel’s breakfast and it was absolutely great.
The breakfast buffet at Hotel Payava offered a broad mix of European and Turkish foods (including an amazing assortment of local cheeses) as well as plenty of fresh fruit and produce.
Great place to eat in Kalcan
Ata Mezze Grill
Kalkan, Şehitler Cd. no:21, 07960 Kalcan (Kaş)
This is not the fanciest or the most expensive restaurant in Kalkan, but it is the one I would go back to without hesitation!
It is actually a kebab and mezze place located a bit in the outskirts but within walking distance of downtown.
The vibe of the place was nice, the food super tasty and the prices, very reasonable. We also got excellent service.
Here are some pics of the assortment of Turkish kebabs, bread and sides that we got (note also the paper tablecloth with the map of the Lycian coast, I really like restaurants that do this!)
The kebabs are all prepared in proper charcoal and served in generous portions, so top marks for this. But even better was this traditional Turkish dessert called “Katmer” (see below), which is simply amazing!
Katmer combines Kaymak (Turkish-style clotted cream) with a thick and sweet pistaccio paste encased in a sort of mille-feuille. It is served warm and waiter breaks the outer crusty shell when serving it. Delicious!
A day trip to Kastelorizo from Kaş
As mentioned in the opening section of this post, one of the attractions of the Kaş area, at least for those like me that are interested in borders and geopolitical boundaries, is the possibility of visiting the Greek island that is most distant from its mainland and which is also one of the EU’s tiniest and most peripheral outposts as well: the island of Kastellorizo (Megisti in Greek).
Kastellorizo is a tiny island, roughly 9km at its longest point and 2km at its widest, with some 500 permanent inhabitants. It is distant about 1 mile from the Turkish coast but some 100 miles or so from the closest Greek island, Rhodes. Kastellorizo also has a number of adjacent islets and rocks that are also under Greek sovereignty.
Considering the usually tense relations between Greece and Turkey, it will possibly not come as a surprise to you that this island has been a flashpoint in the long going disputes between the two countries. Recently, for example, Greece and Turkey quarrelled about the limits of their respective Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) in this part of the Mediterranean.
In an attempt to diffuse these tensions and to promote the good understanding between the two countries, a number of people in this region came up with the idea to organize an international sports event linking Kastellorizo and Kas in a friendly manner.
The result was the Kastellorizo-Kaş international swim, which takes place every year in June.
Participants swim across the narrow strait that separates Kastellorizo from Kas. It is technically a competition, but takes place in an atmosphere of friendliness and cooperation, since the main goal is to foster good cross-border relations.
I really don’t know when and how the border formalities are conducted, though, since Kastellorizo, as part of Greece is EU territory and is within the Schengen zone, so people making the crossing in that direction must have the proper paperwork to enter the EU. Likewise, the Turkish Republic enforces passport controls on its borders and this applies to the short hop from Kastellorizo too.
How to get from Kaş to Kastellorizo?
The easiest and shortest way is to take the ferry (operated by Meis Express) from the small port of Kaş, from where several ferries depart every day (the island has also ferry service to Rhodes, although it takes several hours on account of the much longer distance. There is also a small airport in Kastellorizo with to Rhodes, as well).
It is possible to buy tickets at the port terminal in Kaş , although it is best to book them online in advance.
The island, which can be seen from the shore, is just a 20 minute ride away. The ferry ride can, in itself be quite a pleasant experience if the weather is nice. There is an open terrace (as well as an indoors cabin) which is perfect to enjoy the sights of the coastline and the blue waters all around. We did even get to see some flying fish following us and jumping out of the water all around the boat!
Halfway to Kastellorizo, the boat crosses the international divide the Greek flag is raised (the boat is Turkish). On the return trip, the inverse operation is performed, with the flag being lowered down.
The existence of the border is very present throughout. In fact the first thing you notice when you sail into Kastellorizo’s beautiful small sheltered harbour are the huge flags of Greece (painted on one of the island’s hills) and of the European Union (waving at the entrance of the port), which welcome you to the island.
Besides the border control upon arrival, the liminal nature of this place is also accentuated by some other small details that you don’t need to be a border geek to notice. For example, you switch from Turkish to Greek time (-1h), from Turkish Lira to Euro and, if you have a EU sim card, you get to benefit from the roaming-charge-free mobile connectivity.
Exploring Kastellorizo
The island of Kastellorizo is absolutely beautiful and it would be well worth a visit even if you are not interested in all this border stuff. Most of the island’s population cluster around a tiny, almost perfectly quadrangular harbour bay, which is lined with cute traditional houses painted in an array of bright, vivid colours.
So, what to do in Kastelorizo once you set foot on the island?
Unless you have decided to overnight on the island, your time is likely going to be constrained by the ferrys’ schedule. It really depends on the time of the season and of the week.
When we visited the last ferry departed back for Turkish territory at around 5pm. So, this gave us around 6 hours on the island, which, I think, is enough to explore its main town and its surroundings and get a decent meal at one of the many restaurants lining the harbour.
So, what most people do is just go for a relaxed stroll along the harbour and the handful of streets around the historical center. These are really nice and encapsulate a certain idea of the Mediterranean as many people imagine it.
The seaside promenade is a bit touristicized, though (which I guess is inevitable in this setting!) and the different restaurants compete very proactively for the daily haul of tourists arriving in the ferrry.
Yes, it can feel a bit touristy and prices are not particularly cheap, but I would still include a seaside lunch in the Kastellorizo experience, if only because there is not “that much” to do once you have taken your nice postcard-like pictures!
You may also see the sea turtles that roam around the harbour. They are obviously used to human presence, since many of the tourists feed them scraps of food and even some restaurant owners do the same in order to attract them to their section of the harbour for the entertainment of their guests.
The other thing I would recommend doing, if you don’t mind the steep walk, is climbing up to Kastellorizo’s castle.
While the fortress is now in ruins, it commands quite a great viewpoint, dominating the harbour below. It is not a surprise that this place has a long history and it is suspected to have been fortified already in Antiquity.
The heyday of this fortress, however, was during the Middle Ages, when it was occupied by the Knights of Saint John and even, for a few decades in the second half of the 15th C., by a Catalan warlord, Bernat I of Vilamarí. I had read somewhere that it was still possible to see the four stripes of the House of Barcelona carved on one of the stones, but I could not find them (in fact, the castle is in such a state of ruin that it is only possible to access what is left of one of the towers). The island got even a Catalan name during that period “Castellroig”.
In 1512 Kastellorizo was taken by the Ottomas and in successive centuries it changed hands several times between Venetians, Greeks, Turks, Italians, and even British and Germans during WW2. In 1947, together with the other Dodecanese islands, Kastellorizo was confirmed as part of Greece.
From the castle you can also enjoy great views of the Lycian coast and the several little islands and islets that dot this area. But there is more…
If you climb down the castle hill by taking a little trail on its sea-facing side you will come across a couple of rock-carved monumental Lycian tombs, quite similar to the ones found in the Ancient city of Myra. This seems to have been a cultural practice common all over this region.
Btw, you can also continue along the seaside path to get additional views of the entrance of Kastellorizo’s harbour as you walk back to the ferry terminal.
Once back on Turkish soil, you can also spend some time exploring Kaş downtown.
While it is mostly a modern town, Kaş is actually, quite a lively place, with plenty of shops, cafés and commercial activity going around.
Visiting the Ancient city of Patara (the birthplace of Santa Claus!)
And, last but not least, if staying in the Kaş area, the Ancient Lycian city of Patara is another must-see, since it is located just a few miles west of Kalkan.
We have already commented on Myra, the city where Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) served as a bishop, but, in fact, Patara was his birthplace.
Patara was quite a sizeable city at its peak, and even if only a small part of its perimeter has been excavated you can get an idea of its importance.
There are quite a few magnificent Ancient monuments in Patara, such as this impressive and well-preserved theater. What’s more, the ruins of the Ancient city are located right next to a long sandy beach, so it is perfectly possible to combine a visit to the archaeological site with a swim in the Mediterranean (and I would actually recommend doing so!).
One day in Taipei: best things to do and to see
First impressions of Taipei
Taiwan is often in the news due to it being one of the world’s top geopolitical hotspots.
These can be seen on the streets of Taipei
Now, the long-running strategic Great Game between the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of China (which is the official name of Taiwan) and the US are beyond the scope of this post and, to be honest, there is no shortage of material out there to read about the origins of the conflict, its economic and military implications (from microchips to aircraft carriers) and possible future scenarios.
So, I leave it to you to make your own opinion on this matter!
As it happens in Seoul with its northern neighbour, when you are in Taipei, the existential dispute with mainland China is, of course, always lurking in the background.
In this particular case, my visit to Taipei coincided with a national election. This is an event that always brings the matter of the island’s prospective independence to the fore, with the subsequent reactions from Beijing. Although I must admit I know next to nothing about Taiwanese politics, it was rather interesting to come across a few public meetings on the streets of Taipei.
There was also a fair amount of political propaganda all over the place and, proof of the global implications of the Taiwan-China issue, is the fact that, when I checked the press at the Starlux Airlines lounge at Taipei airport, pretty much all major international newspapers had the Taiwanese elections on their frontpages.
Politics aside, Taipei is a modern, buzzing and rather orderly and clean city. It has quite a large, modern downtown with several hubs of commercial and business activity. Some parts of its central district even reminded me of New York City a little bit!
As we shall see next, it also has a rather efficient public transportation system which lets you move around easily and not too expensively!
Navigating the Taipei Metro
The underground system in Taipei is really a thing of wonder: it is extensive, efficient, reasonably priced and full of all sort of Hello Kitty-themed motifs!
I also liked the way the information is depicted, with each station having maps that show the exact location of the platforms, corridors, exits, etc. with respect to the main landmarks and streets above ground.
It is also spotlessly clean and the platforms are delineated with specific areas to wait for the next train, so that people can queue in an orderly manner, something that they do religiously!
By the way, there is even an automated umbrella-rental service at some metro stations and convenience stores! Very convenient if a tropical storm suddenly pops over the city!
Taiwanese pop culture: Hello Kitty and its friends
Another amazing thing about Taiwan and, certainly, one that will catch the eye of many foreign visitors is the ubiquity of Hello Kitty and other similar cartoon-themed characters, LITERALLY EVERYWHERE.
I am not exaggeration if I say that Taiwan looks a almost like a HelloKitty-cracy. From before landing at Taipei (the airline’s videos already had them!) and at every step as you move through the airport, then the city, you come across all sort of cartoonish creatures on billboards, screens and the like.
This is, by no means, unique of Taiwan, Koreans like this style a lot too, but in Taiwan it is on a completely different level!
What to see in Taipei: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
So, what are the top things to do and to see in Taipei if you are in town just for a day or two?
I would say the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall comes possibly very near the top.
Chiang Kai-shek is, of course, the “founder” of modern Taiwan, or, more accurately “the Republic of China”, since, in this view, when he moved over to the island from mainland China after the Communists took control of the mainland, he was actually maintaining the pre-1949 Chinese state. This monument is, thus, devoted to preserve the memory of Chiang Kai-shek, who died in 1975.
To be honest, regardless of what your views on this conflict are, the place is really majestic, with the memorial standing at one end of a large square surrounded by perfectly manicured gardens.
There is not much to see inside the memorial itself other than a massive statue of a seated Chiang Kai-shek, but there is always a guard of honour, which gets changed regularly several times a day and the change of guard is really a sight to behold!
Best view in Taipei: get to the top of Taipei 101
The other top thing to do in Taipei is, of course, get to the top of what was until recently the World’s tallest building, Taipei 101.
Taipei 101 is 508 meters high and has 101 above-ground floors (hence its name!).
Even if it is no longer a record holder (it was surpassed in 2010 by Dubai’s Burj Khalifa), Taipei 101 is a thing of beauty and, of course, has the best views of Taipei.
What’s more, it can be visited in the evening and after dark (perhaps even better than during the day, since you can admire the colourful lighting), so it is a great activity to close the sightseeing day.
There is an observatory at the top of Taipei 101, which you can buy tickets for.
This is a popular attraction, so expect some queues!
Taipei 101 is also on top of a massive mall at the eastern edge of downtown Taipei, at the core of one of the city’s several business districts. It is also right next to one of the stations (Taipei 101 / World Trade Center) of the red line of the metro.
In fact, Taipei 101 lies just on to of a massive mall with plenty of shops and large food court with all sorts of food styles and budget options, so it is also a good place to have lunch or dinner after your visit to the top.
The place is fitted with some really fancy infography and when you are the lift going up there is an electronic display that shows you how fast you are climbing.
The view from the top is really cool as well, since Taipei is a really big, buzzing city that glitters at night.
Recommended place to eat in Taipei
滇蜀饌
No. 9號, Taoyuan St, Zhongzheng District, Taipei
This is a really, really simple Yunnan-Sichuan food place located on a side street very close to Ximen metro station.
This is, however, that type of place where locals queue to get a spot at. And the reason for this is none other than the hot beef noodles soup you can see here depicted. Worth checking it out!
Where to get the best dessert in Taipei
This place is located in one of the most lively areas of Taipei, the Yonkang Street area in the Da’an district. It is a neighbourhood with plenty of commercial activity and pedestrianized steets.
Smoothie House
No. 15號, Yongkang St, Da’an District, Taipei
Its highlight is this massive mango shaved ice dish, which they call “mango snowflake ice”.
By the way, ot seems, someone from CNN has checked (it wasn’t me who issued that previous recommendation, even if I am a CNN contributor, but I endorse this opinion!)
What else can I say?
It is one of those rare cases in which the real thing is even bigger than it looks in the picture. This dessert is really, really huge and it has ice cream plus iced mango cubes topped with cream and syrup.
It is also one of the very few (if not the only) time that I have been unable to finish an ice-cream dessert, not because I didn’t like it, but simply because there was soooo much of it!
Dadaocheng Wharf Plaza & Ningxia Night Market
And we finish our tour of Taipei with a visit to the Ningxia Night Market and the adjacent Dadaocheng Wharf Plaza, which overlooks the Tamsui river.
As the name implies, the market is open in the evenings and it stretches over several streets on the westernmost part of downtown Taipei. This is an area with lots of commercial activity with plenty of shops and food stalls where it is possible to buy the most incredible types of foods, vegetables, spices and the like.
It is not, however, supercrowded, so you can walk through leisurely and there is an order to it.
Adjacent is the Dadaocheng Wharf Plaza, which is, essentially, a riverside promenade. It also has some food stalls and bars and it seems to be a popular place with the youth of Taipei. It has also some rather interesting cool paintings. Here you can also walk on some piers that protrude into the river and have a look at Sanchong, which is the district of Taipei right on the opposite bank.
Where to stay in Taipei
Taipei Roumei Boutique Hotel
No. 9, Lane 64, Section 2, Jianguo North Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei
This was quite a random find, since I booked at the very last minute and most of the international chain hotels were either fully booked or very pricey.
So, I took it because of good reviews and decent price and I think it was a good choice. Not so much because of the facilities, although the room and bathroom were pretty large!, but because of its very central location, just meters away from one of the metro lines that take you straight to and from the airport and also within walking distance of one of the city’s downtown business districts.
Flying to and from Taiwan
This was a rather short but intense visit to Taipei and it was made possible in great part because Starlux Airlines, a young Taiwanese premium airline invited me to check out its new A321neo aircraft.
You can find here my Starlux Airlines Business Class and Economy Class reviews.
Great value places to eat and sleep in Osaka
Dotonbori riverside, Osaka
Since my recent posts about the Expo 2025 in Osaka, and my reviews about the best pavilions to visit, have proven to be wildly popular and garnered quite a lot of interest from readers all over the world, I thought it would be useful to supplement them with some practical tips about where to stay and where to eat while in Osaka.
Now, my stay in Osaka was rather short and for most of its duration I was actually within the grounds of the Expo, so don’t expect a long post here.
However, my guess is that, if you travel to Osaka for the Expo 2025, you may as well spend one or two days in town and wander around a bit downtown.
So here are a couple of proposals that I hope can bring something of value. For the record, I checked a few other places to eat, but I am highlighting only the one I liked the most.
Great value accommodation in Osaka within easy reach of the Expo
Best Western Plus Hotel Fino Osaka Kitahama
1 Chome-7-17 Imabashi, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 541-0042
Ok, this is not the most glamourous of hotels. It is not even a traditional Japanese ryokan.
But this branch of the global Best Western chain offers a modern, functional option to stay in central Osaka for a price of around $100 per night.
The rooms are small, as is the norm in Japan, but clean and neat, as is also the norm in Japan! But perhaps the best attribute of this hotel is its extremely central location and its great public transportation links.
There is a metro station literally just around the corner that takes you either to the area close to Namba central station direct in around 15min or to the Osaka 2025 Expo in about 25min (with either with just one change of line or, if you walk 10min to the closest Green Line station, direct to Yumeshima Station, which serves the Expo).
A couple of notes: breakfast is not great and you don’t miss much if you skip it and go grab something at one of the eating places or convenience stores nearby.
There is another “Best Western Fino” hotel in Central Osaka, so make sure you get the right one!
Great place to eat Japanese food in Central Osaka
Osaka-la-nuit
Haneda Ichiba, Super Fast Fresh Fish Sushi, Umeda
This restaurant is located at the 9th floor of the Hanshin Umeda Department Store, which is right next to Osaka’s Umeda station, one of the largest in the city.
The restaurant is located in a sort of food court area, with several restaurants (although each has its own dedicated, enclosed space) and has great views of the surrounding business district.
We got there quite late in the evening, actually, and without a previous booking (something that often proved to be quite an issue in Japan), but they welcomed us very nicely. Also unusual in Japan, the manager was fluent in English (he lived in the US for quite a few years) and very kind throughout. He even advised us on the different types of sake and offered us a bootle on the house!
This is a sushi place which manages to combine coziness with an elegant, yet unpretentious setup, and offers also a rather good selection of entrants at rather reasonable prices. We decided to go on tasting mode and get a broad selection of what was in the menu, which you can see here.
And then, there is the sushi, of course, of which we got a couple of nice platters, all freshly prepared and served in generous portions.
A walk through Kuromon market and the Dotonbori area
Another place in Osaka where you can sample quite a few different culinary options is Kuromon Market, which is located near Namba station and the Dotombori riverside (another of the city’s highlights).
I don’t have a specific recommendation for this area, just walk around and check the different seafood stalls, many of which will prepare you som dish on the spot. You are likely to find something that looks tasty if you are into this sort of casual eating.
Also, I would like to add that we visited the area quite early in the morning, just as the shops were opening and the streets were rather quiet and deserted. So, we managed to get a rather postcard-like view of the area, with not too many people in the frame.
By all means, add a visit to this area to your Osaka schedule!
Kuromon Market
48 hours in Riyadh: what to do and what to see
Al Faisaliah Tower, Riyadh
Table of contents:
Top views in Riyadh
Riyadh Season
Royal Saudi Air Force Museum
Where to stay in Riyadh
Where to eat in Riyadh: two suggestions
Day trips around Riyadh: the Edge of the World
Saudi Arabia has emerged as one of the world’s up and coming tourist destinations and this is not random. There is a very deliberate intent, under the “Vision 2030” strategy to make of tourism one of the forces capable of driving economic diversification away from oil.
The Saudi government is, in fact, investing heavily to make of the kingdom one of the top countries by number of visitors in the world: new airlines, airports, resorts and cities are in the menu.
It is possible that some Saudi cities may look quite different in a few years time, see for example, the massive restoration work that is going into restoring Jeddah’s historical district, but what interesting things can a visitor see and do in Riyadh already today? Let’s have a look…
Top thing to do in Riyadh
The bridge at the top of Riyadh’s Kingdom Center
If there’s an iconic building in Riyadh, this is the Kingdom Center, a 302m skyscraper with a very prominent “eye” at the top.
The very top level of the building, which acts as a bridge between the two sides of the opening, can actually be visited. And this is actually something I would recommend doing first if you find yourself with some spare time in Riyadh.
From the top of the Kingdom Center you have the best views of the city, giving you an idea of the extension covered by the urban sprawl. It is even possible to discern exactly where the city ends and the desert starts, without transition.
From here you can also get an excellent view of Riyadh’s central strip, which the Saudi authorities expect to develop, over time, as a sort of Dubai or Manhattan-like skyscraper district.
As of 2025, only a few of the planned high rises are currently standing. One of them is the Al Faisaliah Tower, which is another iconic skyscraper, with a roughly triangular shape and a giant 24-meter diameter ball at its top (you can see it in the picture opening this entry).
One thing that surprised me is that there was almost no one around when I visited, neither in the viewpoint, nor in the luxury mall at the base of the building. I counted about a dozen employees on my way to the top, but only a couple of other visitors in the whole time I spent there.
Nevertheless, the views were magnificent!
Riyadh Season & Boulevard City
One of the symbols of the process of liberalization that Saudi Arabia is undergoing is the Riyadh Season.
This is a festival that runs from October to March, with many cultural and entertainment activities scheduled throughout the city. This is quite a radical development is you think that cinema, music and other forms of entertainment were severely curtailed until only a few years ago!
The Riyadh Season has several venues but one of the epicenters is Boulevard City and the adjacent World (BLVD World), a massive entertainment complex on the western side of Riyadh. Think Disneyworld meets Time Square, but in the desert!
At the time of my visit I was only able to pay an evening visit to Boulevard City, so I will focus on this bit. The area is being developed so fast that it is likely that by the time you read this post, new amusement areas have already sprung up in the vicinity (there is certainly no shortage of land for this!).
You can tell Boulevard World is really new and no effort has been spared in order to create a sort of immersive experience with plenty of sensorial stimuli, be it light, music or water effects.
In some ways, it is not too different from the typical set up of a World Expo (and, yes, after Osaka, the next World Expo will actually be held in Riyadh!)
By the way, to give you an idea of the scale of the place, Boulevard World also hosts a massive man-made lagoon, which is quite a thing considering the Riyadh’s desert environment! (always wondered where do they get the water from to run such a huge city in this very high and dry location).
There are also plenty of places to eat throughout Riyadh’s Boulevard City, although the two suggestions I present further below are actually in other parts of the city.
The Saqer Al-Jazirah Saudi Royal Air Force Museum
I did cover this museum in this post for the Allplane aviation site, however, I thought any post about things to do and to see in Riyadh should include a mention to this excellent museum.
If you are even minimally interested in aviation, you will like it! Even if, truth, be said, it is far from easy to reach. The only way to get there is by taxi/Uber and the entrances are not clearly signalled, so actually my Uber left me at the far end of the perimeter, not at the main entrance.
Likewise, getting back to my hotel was a small odissey, since I Uber drivers kept cancelling rides at the last moment and took me something like one hour or waiting time, plus a not very pleasant walk on the side of the mortorway to a nearby McDonald’s to be able to get a ride back! So make sure you have enough battery and a charger with you and some way to access the internet on your phone if you don’t wish to get stranded!
On the positive side, I must say that the museum staff were super friendly and helpful and helped me with my internet connection and offered me tea and sweets during my wait.
The museum collections are pretty impressive and are split between an indoor and an outdoor part. Pretty much every model of aircraft operated by the Royal Saudi Air Force is in display here and there are also some civilian aircraft that were once operated by flag carrier Saudia, including a rather remarkable Lockheed L-1011 Tristar.
Where to stay in Riyadh
Since I have been at two different hotels in Riyadh, on different occasions, I will outline both here, starting by the one I liked the most.
Radisson Blu Diplomatic Quarters
This is a very nice hotel, located in the diplomatic area of Riyadh, to the west of the city. In fact, the whole area has some sort of special security status, as there are checkpoints to get in an out.
The whole facility is super new and it shows in its design. It is not super central, but you need a car to move anywhere in Riyadh, so I guess this is a rather secondary consideration here.
Also worth of note is the breakfast, which was really tasty and had an interesting mix of international and Arabic specialities.
I was also surprised to find out the room had a small kitchen!
A couple more pics of the room, which was impeccably clean and contemporary in style.
Al Waha Hotel Riyad
This is a more centrally located hotel, belonging to a local chain.
The room was quite spacious, but, to be honest, there were some service glitches and, overall, despite being technicall a four-star, it was not nearly at the same level as the other hotel I previously commented on.
The registration took very long, I understand there is some paperwork to be filled, but it was not done very efficiently to say the least.
Then there were issues with some of the lights in the room, namely the one in the cupboards, which wouldn’t switch off due to some faulty sensor, so I had an ongoing fight throughout the night, since it activated at random several times, waking me up.
Last and not least, my room was not done upon coming back from my day appointments and this, I was told, was due to not having indicated my preferences for room cleaning, since apparently it is a requirement so that female staff can know when they can enter a room. This is apparently by regulation, but I would have appreciated some warning before hand.
Having said that, when I complained about the above points, the staff were apologetic and they made sure the issues were fixed on the second day of the stay.
Where to eat in Riyadh
When it comes to getting the proper Saudi eating experience in Riyadh, the choice is clear.
Najd Village
This is a bit like an oasis in the middle of central Riyadh. There are no traditional tables, but rather an array of eating areas arranged around a central courtyard with a small garden.
Najd Village restaurant aims to replicate the atmosphere of the desert caravanserais, where desert travelers used to rest and eat. You actually seat on the ground, or rather on carpets, and usually you would share the
Now, beware the portions, because they are really, really huge!
We were three in our group and we each ordered one item from the menu and we could hardly finish it! But it was really good! I’ve been twice to this restaurant and the standards have been pretty consistent.
As per the food, there is a good selection of Arabic cuisine specialities, lots of nicely cooked meat and rice with a diversity of breads to go with, which really adds to the experience!
Restaurant Awani - أواني Tahlia
This more of a Lebanese place offering specialities from the broader Middle East. It is rather central, modern and functional, and the dishes were actually pretty tasty, so I thought it worth including it here, even if it is not really a local Saudi cuisine restaurant. You can get an idea of what it is like with the pictures below.
Day trip from Riyadh: a tour of the Edge of the World
If looking for something to do just outside Riyadh, but without having to venture very far out, the Edge of the World tour is your thing. It can even be done in half a day, since the main sights are less than an hour by car from western Riyadh.
Very important, though: you need to get a guide with a proper 4x4 car. This is not an activity a non-local can really do on its own. There is, however, no shortage of companies offering day tours of the Edge of the World from Riyadh.
In fact two “Edges of the World” are marketed as day excursions from Riyadh by these tour operators.
We chose the one called “Second Edge of the World” by a company called Riyadh Tours, but my understanding is that, whether “first” or “second” Edge of the World, it is pretty much the same experience, with the difference being the access route. One of the routes is only open on certain days, while the other is always open.
Only the “Second Edge of the World” was available when our group was there, but don’t be fooled by the name, it was well worth it!
In fact, I think the actual experience is pretty similar and it involves venturing out into the desert towards a ridge of hills west of Riyadh, contemplate the otherworldly landscape, have lunch on the spot and head back to the city.
Definitely one of the top things to do in Riyadh if you have a spare half-day!
This was quite an interesting experience for me, since I always imagined the Saudi desert as a sort of flat space with sand dunes, but the reality is a lot more diverse. There are, actually, quite a few plateaus and hills in the desert and not all of it is sandy, a big part of it is actually a hard crusty surface!
So, in these tours (I think they more or less follow the same programme), the guide comes pick you up to the hotel in his vehicle and he takes you through a number of panoramic viewpoints in the desert.
The Edge of the World derives its name from the fact that there is a vertical cliffs that falls directly over the vast plain of the Saudi desert. It is pretty spectacular and provides great opportunities for Instagram-like pictures.
Most of the tours include also a lunch on the spot. The guide carries everything that is needed for this in the back of the car. At the time of the visit the temperature was pretty warm, in the high twenties-low thirties celsius, but still pretty bearable. So our guide just spread out some carpets and cooked some simple, but tasty meal on the spot. It was a great convivial moment with the group, an amazing experience.
As an added bonus, on our way to the Edge of the World we passed by some bedouin settlements that had camels and we stopped for a quick look at these amazing animals. As you can see in the picture below, they were quite friendly!
By the way, is planning a trip to Saudi Arabia, you may also like my post about Jeddah, its UNESCO World Heritage historical town and the Red Sea Corniche!
And if you considering traveling with Saudia, the national airline of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, check out my Saudia flight review!