Riyadh is the capital city of Saudi Arabia and, as such, there is always something going on – even in the summer, when temperatures in the city routinely creep above 40°C and the streets are battered by desert sandstorms.
If you want to enjoy the city and its environs, it is best to go in the spring and winter, although Riyadh is a city built for all seasons – even when it is hot there are plenty of indoor activities, from bowling to skiing (yes, really).
The last four years have seen a huge focus by the Saudi authorities on events, including world-class boxing and UFC, and performances by A-list musicians. These tend to run from September through to June, although some indoor sporting events are scheduled during the quieter summer months.
November to March is the best time for outdoor activities
Riyadh’s best months are November to March when the nights are cool and the days are pleasantly warm. Barring the odd sandstorm (and occasional deluge, of which more later), the winter is the perfect time to visit both Riyadh and sites like AlUla which share its dry desert climate. It is also Saudi Arabia’s peak camping season, with the cool nights perfect for bedding down under the canvas beneath a canopy of stars.
Despite Saudi Arabia’s vast deserts and dry climate, it can rain in winter. Indeed in 2023, Saudi Arabia had its wettest year in four decades, while the flash floods that hit the Arabian Gulf in May 2024 brought travel chaos to many of Saudi Arabia’s cities, Riyadh included. A lightweight raincoat is not a bad idea, although if it does rain just do as the Saudis do: stay inside.
If you pack a jacket for the cool evenings it may come in useful inside Saudi Arabia’s malls, hotels, cinemas, or other public buildings where the air conditioning tends to be on full icy blast.
October to April is the best time for festival fun
Riyadh Season runs from October to April and brings a wide range of entertainment and sporting events to the capital. In 2023 and 2024 there was a heavy emphasis on boxing, culminating in Tyson Fury’s loss to Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk in May.
It also saw performances by Becky G and Kanye West, and the unveiling of a new collection by famed Lebanese fashion titan Elie Saab. The next Riyadh Season will showcase a UFC event, as well as a unique slap-fighting event, Power Slap.
In February 2025, Riyadh will host the Saudi Cup Weekend at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse. During the World’s Richest Race, the Saudi Cup, the winning jockey takes home US$20m. Ramadan also falls during February this year (February 28th to March 30th).
June to August is the best time for visitors on a budget
The summer in Riyadh is no joke – the temperature is often over 40°C (it has been known to top 50°C) and the city is hit by regular sandstorms. It is also one of the quietest months, as anyone with the means to do so flees abroad to cooler climes.
That said, as long as you plan your trip well and aren’t interested in being outdoors (hiking and camping in the desert are out of the question in the summer months), it is significantly cheaper to visit the city in summer, and many hotels will have rock-bottom rates.
And despite the heat outside, summer in Riyadh is one of the best times of the year to learn to ski. Snow City at Al Othaim Mall in Ar Rabwah, is open from noon to midnight daily.
September is the best time to celebrate National Day
If you like fireworks, fast cars and folk dancing, Saudi National Day in Riyadh is a must. The annual event commemorates the founding of Saudi Arabia by Ibn Saud in 1932 and sees myriad street events where many of the attendants dress in the green and white of the Saudi flag. It is a popular time to visit, but an exciting one too.
March 2025 is the best time to experience Eid
The Muslim holy month of Ramadan comes 11 days earlier each year because it uses the Islamic Hijri rather than the Gregorian calendar, but in 2025 Eid-al-Fitr will fall at the end of March.
The three-day festival celebrates the end of a month of fasting between the hours of sunrise and sunset and is a time for families and neighbours to reconnect. Children traditionally receive presents, cash and new clothes. Eid is also celebrated with food and fireworks.
It’s an exciting time to be in any Muslim country, although bear in mind that it is primarily a time for family and while the streets will be buzzing, some hotels and restaurants will be closed.
