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Shoppers in the incense souk in downtown Riyadh.
Layover guideRiyadh · RUH

What to buy in Riyadh

Souq Al Zal (afternoons/evenings only) is the old-city market; Souq Taibah is the gold market.

Francisco Anzola / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
All of Riyadh

Souq Al Zal is Riyadh's oldest market, per the tourism board.

Souq Al Zal keeps afternoon-market hours: daily 3:30pm to 10:30pm per Visit Saudi, so it is an after-lunch or evening stop, not a morning one.

For gold specifically, Visit Saudi points to Souq Taibah, which it bills as Riyadh's gold market.

Beyond the souqs, Riyadh's retail is mall-centric; the tourism board's own list includes Centria, Solitaire, Via Riyadh, Granada and Riyadh Park.

  1. Visit Saudi (Saudi Tourism Authority) — Souq Al Zal · checked 2026-08-18
  2. Visit Saudi (Saudi Tourism Authority) — Shopping in Riyadh · checked 2026-08-18

The rest of Riyadh

The whole guide
Getting out of the airportRiyadh Metro Line 4 runs into King Khalid International Airport with a separate station for each terminal cluster, but the only travel window RCRC has published is 6:00 am to midnight.Ride-hailingRide-hailing is a licensed activity the Transport General Authority actively polices, so stay on a mainstream app and take complaints to the TGA rather than the driver.Local laws that catch crew outIslamic law is strictly enforced, the offences that catch crew are ordinary at home, your phone counts as evidence, and the US advisory currently sits at level 3.Staying connectedGrab an stc visitor SIM; reserve online but activation is in person at a branch.WeatherDesert heat: summer daytime maxima 35-45C, mild winters, and a legally mandated midday outdoor-work ban Jun 15-Sep 15.Eating near the crew hotelsBujairi Terrace in Diriyah is the premium dining district; operator-published hours and paid parking below.