24 hours in Riyadh
Words: Sophy Grimshaw, Emma Juhasz. Photography: Photo Library Now, before the summer heat kicks in again, is the perfect time for visiting this dynamic Middle Eastern metropolis SPEND THE NIGHT AT… InterContinental Riyadh Don’t be put off by the concrete exterior of this supremely comfortable hotel. With its own golf course, pools, tennis courts and [...]
Words: Sophy Grimshaw, Emma Juhasz. Photography: Photo Library
Now, before the summer heat kicks in again, is the perfect time for visiting
this dynamic Middle Eastern metropolis
SPEND THE NIGHT AT…
InterContinental Riyadh
Don’t be put off by the concrete exterior of this
supremely comfortable hotel. With its own golf
course, pools, tennis courts and even a 12-lane
bowling alley, it’s almost a destination in itself.
InterContinental Riyadh, Maazar Street,
+966 1 465 5000 www.ichotelsgroup.com
EAT AT…
Spazio
Spazio has panoramic views of Riyadh, plus it’s a
hotspot for local royalty and foreign ambassadors.
Think sumptuous décor and show-stopping
floral arrangements. You’ll find traditional Middle
Eastern dishes in the main restaurant, but there’s
also an Italian-style café attached for Europeans
seeking an after-dinner espresso and biscotti.
Spazio, 77th Floor, Kingdom Tower, Southern
Entrance, +966 1 211 1888 www.spazio77.com
RESERVE AN HOUR TO SEE…
Museum for History and Archaeology
This celebrated museum is the closest thing in
Riyadh to a time-travel portal. You can take a
tour through the history of the Middle East as
you view artefacts such as Stone Age tools, and
musical instruments and jewellery. Entry costs
about £2. Choose from eight different historical
zones, or stay longer and tour them all.
Riyadh Museum for History and Archaeology,
Al-Bathaa, +966 1 419 1210.
AND IF YOU’VE AN EXTRA HALF HOUR…
Make a pitstop for a cup of joe, Saudi style,
at a branch of Dr. Café. The Riyadh-founded
coffee house chain is expanding globally at
a rate of knots. Starbucks, watch out!
www.dr-cafe.com
TAKE HOME…
Riyadh offers a wide choice of colourful worry
beads which make excellent (and easily portable)
souvenirs. Find them at the Deira Souk and the
market stalls near the al-Masmak Fort.
A LONG WEEKEND OUT OF COLOGNE
SOME DOUSE THEMSELVES in Kölsch, the
celebrated local brew, others opt for something
a little more fragrant, but there’s much more
to Cologne and the surrounding area than just
scent and the “sauce”.
You can tune in, for example, to a classical
genius in Bonn (a 30-minute drive from Cologne)
at Beethoven’s House (www.beethoven-hausbonn.
de). The birthplace of the composer Ludwig
van Beethoven houses some of his possessions,
including the original manuscript of his most
famous work, Moonlight sonata, and his last piano.
Find more creativity at the beautiful Baroque
castle Morsbroich (www.museum-morsbroich.de),
a 20-minute drive from Cologne, which has been
converted into an impressive modern art museum.
Take in the landscape by strolling along the
banks of the River Rhine. Here, some 35kms
of walkways, negotiable on foot or by bike,
will take you as far as the old fishing village
of Rodenkirchen – and you can refuel for
the return journey at one of the cafés on the
permanently anchored Rhine barges.
Enjoy great outdoor adventure in the
Siebengebirge area, too, which has some of
the most beautiful scenery in Germany. This is
perfect rambling territory: scale the infamous
Drachenfels, one of the area’s seven mountains,
for incredible views over the Rhine valley, or
hitch a ride on the railway from Königswinter
– or you can even take a tour by donkey.
For further information visit www.koeln.de
