Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Saudi capital city of Riyadh opened one of its most luxurious tourist and entertainment destinations ‘Via Riyadh’ on May 11.

The neighborhood is distinguished by the Salmani architectural style that blended modernity and luxury, simulating the Kingdom’s original heritage and identity. Opening of the most luxurious entertainment destination in the Saudi capital city will be a landmark initiative in the Kingdom’s incredible journey in the entertainment sector for the year 2023.

The architecture of Via Riyadh is built in the Salmani style based on King Salman’s six core values: authenticity, human-centricity, livability, continuity, innovation and sustainability; and it is built with a mix of traditional and modern architecture. There is an emphasis on green spaces, as Saudi Arabia moves towards a more sustainable future as part of Vision 2030, outlined by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.

The special zone is home to a St Regis hotel, alongside retail stores, fine-dining restaurants, cinemas and a theatre for live performances. The destination is near the Diplomatic Quarter and was constructed in 20 months. The opening week is featuring live shows and theatrical performances.

The new venue will also include a theatre for live performances, which will be inaugurated by renowned Saudi singer Abdul Majeed Abdullah on May 18. He will be the first artist to perform a concert in the Via Riyadh area on the occasion of the opening. It is expected that this destination will be one of the ideal destinations for residents and visitors of Riyadh looking for entertainment in a luxurious and exceptional atmosphere.

Via Riyadh is characterized by high-end designs in all its characteristics and features, while the magnificent architecture, which was built in the luxurious Salmani style and in remarkable harmony with the identity of Riyadh that stands out, in terms of spaces for comfort and recreation, and aesthetic landmarks that appear in artistic forms and a pleasant vision.

Khalid Albaker, CEO of Quality of Life (QoL) Program Center, stressed the importance of qualitative projects that enhance the standard of life in Saudi Arabia. “Via Riyadh is one of the distinguished projects in the Kingdom’s capital, as it highlights Riyadh’s identity and provides an entertainment, cultural and tourism experience. It enjoys the follow-up of Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority Turki Al-Sheikh, and the support of the Saudi leadership,” he said. Quality of Life program is one of the vision 2030 programs aimed to improve individuals and families' quality of life by creating the necessary enablement to improve livability and develop lifestyle options.

Albaker said that Via Riyadh, with its designs featuring the Salmani style, as well as its international restaurants and cafes, luxurious cinemas, and the hospitality and shopping services, offers a new level of luxury that enhances the attractiveness of the capital and the diversity of its options.

“With such iconic projects, Riyadh becomes a destination for visitors, which contributes to enhancing various quality of life sectors, on top of which are the tourism and entertainment sectors. This project is only the beginning of larger projects and initiatives to achieve the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030,” he added.

The project includes high-end cinema halls that are fueled by the uniqueness of the place, as the Tuwaiq Hall is characterized by ground seating and a heritage design inspired by the original Najdi building. Via Riyadh also includes many high-end international restaurants and cafes, including two-Michelin-starred restaurants such as Jim Khanna and Spago by the famous chef Wolfgang Puck, the luxurious ManuH Cigar Lounge, and the Via Mercato food store, and restaurants with preference in their dishes and sessions.

The Via Riyadh area provides an ideal and integrated shopping experience from luxury brands in the worlds of fashion and jewelry, with the presence of personal shoppers and elegance experts. It also includes art stores such as Phoenix Ancient Art, Richard Orlinski, Artfeena, and the ‘Seven’ gallery for distinguished vintage cars, and the Indulge in Luxury fashion services center.