Riyadh
Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, lies in the centre of the country at the foot of the Tuwaiq mountains. With a population of around 5.2 million, the city is the administrative heart of the region. The name Riyadh means place of gardens, a reference to the fertility of the surrounding land. The National Museum and the King Fahd National Library are well worth visiting. The desert climate brings high temperatures, reaching as much as 45°C in summer. The best time to visit is the cooler months from November to February.
