Wizzair added Riyadh as a destination from Sofia. Obviously I had to go. 2023, May, just right before summer. Already terribly hot in Saudi Arabia though but I decided to fly out and take my chance to visit this unique place. In fact Saudi Arabia has not been open to tourists for a very long time.

 

Since the introduction of the e-visa for many countries, it has become quite easy to visit the country. I well remember my father having to visit the country for work, when I was still a kid. At that point, he had to send his passport to the embassy by post and received it back days later. It was not even a guarantee to get the visa (neither is it now, but the process is pretty much automated). Make sure to get it from the official portal and it is straightforward, no need for any agency whatsoever. The visa can be for multiple entries and now, after I visited Saudi Arabia, I decided I'll go back during Christmas time. I do not really celebrate the festivities and prefer to spend some time in the sun.

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Now since the process of visiting has been made so easy, tourists are slowly flocking into the country. Often held aback by the relative unknown country, its strict laws and complete ban on alcohol, there's many who just ignore the country altogether. But those that do go, find a hospitable country with incredibly friendly people who will go out of their way to welcome you to their country. They'll find the modernised capital city of Riyadh, that has undergone a true makeover and is now a true metropolis with shopping malls where live concerts take place. The malls are a significant part of life in the Middle East as they are air conditioned, and for about half of the year it is just very hot outside.

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