Saudi Arabia Travel: AlUla, the Red Sea and Riyadh

Saudi Arabia opened to leisure tourism in 2019, and in a few short years it has become one of the world's most talked-about destinations. The country is vast, about a quarter the size of the continental United States, and holds landscapes few travelers expected: sandstone canyons, cool green mountains, volcanic fields and a Red Sea coastline of untouched reefs.

It is also home to Islam's two holiest cities, Makkah and Madinah, and to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, from Hegra in AlUla to At-Turaif in Diriyah, the birthplace of the Saudi state. Under Vision 2030 the Kingdom is building new resorts, museums, sports venues and entire cities; follow it all in Saudi Vision 2030 and the giga-projects.

Visa: US passport holders can apply for the one-year, multiple-entry tourist eVisa online through the official Visit Saudi portal, or get it on arrival. Each stay may last up to 90 days, and the fee includes medical insurance. Non-Muslim visitors may travel freely across the country except into Makkah.

Dress: modest, loose clothing that covers shoulders and knees is the norm for men and women. Visiting women are not required to wear an abaya or headscarf, except at mosques. Alcohol is not served to the public, though Saudi Arabia's alcohol-free mocktail and coffee culture is superb.

Ramadan brings shorter business hours by day and lively evenings; Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around February 8. The weekend is Friday and Saturday. Prices: dinner for two at a top Riyadh restaurant runs from about $200 (SAR 750); a day in AlUla with a private guide from about $400 (SAR 1,500). Saudi airlines, including the new Riyadh Air, are expanding fast; see the best airlines to the Middle East.

Days one to three: begin in Riyadh with the National Museum, the Masmak Fortress and an evening at Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah, overlooking the UNESCO-listed At-Turaif district. Take a day trip to the Edge of the World escarpment for a sunset picnic.

Days four to six: fly to AlUla. Explore Hegra with a guide, take a hot-air balloon flight over the canyons at dawn, and visit the ancient Dadan and Jabal Ikmah inscriptions. Evenings are for star-gazing and dinners in the valley.

Days seven to ten: continue to the Red Sea for island resorts, snorkeling and diving over untouched coral, then finish in Jeddah with a walk through Al-Balad and a seafood dinner on the Corniche before flying home.

Foreign ownership rules are opening up, and Saudi Arabia offers a Premium Residency program, including a route linked to property ownership. New communities by ROSHN and landmark projects like the New Murabba and the Mukaab are reshaping the capital. Read our full guide to Saudi Arabia Luxury Real Estate investment and Premium Residency and the coming Expo 2030 Riyadh and World Cup 2034.