KAFD: how Riyadh's financial district became a place to visit, not just work

The King Abdullah Financial District, universally known as KAFD, is a dense cluster of towers in the north of Riyadh that was conceived as the capital's purpose-built business centre. In recent years it has grown into something more mixed, with dining, walkways and public spaces that draw people in outside working hours.

Architecturally, KAFD is one of the most distinctive parts of the city. Dozens of towers of varying heights are linked by an elevated pedestrian network, the Skywalk, which lets people move between buildings above street level and away from the traffic. The district's metro station, designed by the practice of the late architect Zaha Hadid, has become a photographed landmark for its flowing, sculpted form.

For visitors, the appeal is the combination of scale and detail. Walking the district gives a sense of the ambition behind modern Riyadh, while the ground-level plazas and upper walkways offer cafes, restaurants and shaded places to sit. It is a good area for architecture enthusiasts and for anyone wanting to see the contemporary face of the city alongside its historic quarters.

The district is easiest to reach by metro, which deposits visitors directly into its heart, or by ride-hailing app. Because it remains an active business and construction zone, some areas and venues open in stages, and it is worth checking which restaurants and attractions are currently operating before a dedicated trip.

Seen together with the older Olaya towers to the south, KAFD completes the picture of Riyadh's vertical growth, and an evening walk through its walkways is one of the simplest ways to feel the pace of the capital's transformation.