Layali Diriyah brings art, culture, global flavors to its 4th edition

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Layali Diriyah offers live music, light displays, and a number of restaurants. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
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Layali Diriyah offers live music, light displays, and a number of restaurants. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
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Layali Diriyah offers live music, light displays, and a number of restaurants. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
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Layali Diriyah offers live music, light displays, and a number of restaurants. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
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Layali Diriyah offers live music, light displays, and a number of restaurants. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
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Updated 18 February 2025
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Layali Diriyah brings art, culture, global flavors to its 4th edition

  • Host of winter entertainment options celebrate ancient Saudi city’s history, identity 
  • Food, luxury retail, hands-on heritage activities among visitor attractions

RIYADH: Layali Diriyah, the immersive winter entertainment experience, is offering a range of cultural and culinary experiences that celebrate the identity and history of the ancient city of Diriyah.

Now in its fourth edition, the event offers live music, light displays, and a number of restaurants.

Asma Al-Shehri, one of the visitors, told Arab News: “The place is absolutely stunning, and it’s even more well-prepared than I expected. What impressed me the most was the incredible hospitality — the organizers are everywhere, ready to assist and welcome you.”

Layali Diriyah opened on Feb. 12, 2025 as part of Diriyah Season 24/25.

Food lovers can indulge in a selection of flavors at six cafes and nine restaurants, featuring both local and international cuisines. The event also includes 13 luxury retail stores, giving visitors access to renowned brands, unique handcrafted items, and winter-inspired food and beverage stalls.

A highlight of this year’s event is the “Chef’s Table Experience,” where visitors can enjoy exclusive dishes prepared for the occasion. This fine-dining experience, with its elegant winter atmosphere, adds a luxurious touch to the vibrant energy of Layali Diriyah.

Standout features of this year’s event include interactive art installations such as the palm frond bridge. Other attractions include traditional swings and live folk performances.

Visitors can also engage in hands-on heritage activities that celebrate Diriyah’s historical significance, allowing them to experience the traditions and customs that define the region.

Entry to Layali Diriyah is SR185 ($49) per person. Alternatively, visitors can book a table at one of the participating restaurants and pay the entrance fee through The Chefz app. The event also provides a shuttle service from designated parking areas.


Layali Diriyah warms historic heart of Kingdom

Updated 09 December 2025
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Layali Diriyah warms historic heart of Kingdom

  • Event anchors Diriyah Season as vibrant celebration of Saudi culture
  • Dining is a major draw, with a range of Saudi and international cuisines

RIYADH: Layali Diriyah has returned as a centerpiece of this year’s Diriyah Season, drawing visitors to an Al-Murayih transformed into an open-air celebration of Saudi culture, cuisine and craftsmanship.

The event runs daily from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. through to March 2026. Palm-lined pathways lit by twinkling lights set the tone for an atmosphere that blends traditional Najdi heritage with contemporary Saudi creativity. 

For many guests, the setting itself is part of the attraction. Visitor Shatha Abdulaziz told Arab News: “My experience was wonderful and very enjoyable. What truly impressed me was the peaceful atmosphere, the traditional theme, the organization and details.

“While I’ve visited in previous seasons, I believe there’s been a significant improvement this year.”

Dining is a major draw, with a range of Saudi and international cuisines, including Italian and Mediterranean, served up by exclusive restaurants at this year’s event.

“It was an excellent experience,” said visitor Mohammed Fahad, who added that the careful attention to detail was impressive, along with “the historic authenticity in every corner of Diriyah Nights.”

He added: “It truly blends the present and the past with a refined and artistic touch.”

Shops and boutique stalls offer limited-edition items for those looking for a retail adventure. 

Rawan Alsubaie, a regular visitor to Diriyah but attending Layali Diriyah for the first time, said the exclusivity of the products stood out.

She said: “I looked around at some of the shops and booths and found them unique, with products not available outside of Diriyah Nights.

“There are perfumes that I haven’t found in shops elsewhere. I even asked the shop owners if they had other branches, but they said they don’t have, which I find remarkable.

“I came expecting to find something amazing and, indeed, the place is wonderful, especially during the winter season. It’s perfect.”

This year’s Diriyah Season continues to showcase the depth of Najdi heritage while embracing the creativity shaping modern Saudi Arabia. 

Through performances, exhibitions and immersive experiences, visitors are offered a window into the traditions that define Diriyah, along with the energy driving its cultural revival.