00:00Eu sou Lili Douse, e esse é Grand Voyager.
00:05De minha base em Qatar, eu viajo o mundo para descobrir incrível lugares
00:10filled com cultura, luxúria e aventura.
00:13Along o caminho, eu me encontrei as pessoas,
00:16entendi as coisas, e experimento o momento
00:18que faz cada destino unforgettable.
00:21Hoje eu vou para o lugar onde a história, a história e a luxúria come together.
00:33Just a short flight from Qatar.
00:36Dariya é uma de Associação dos mais importantes históricos destinos,
00:40o lugar onde a história de origem começou.
00:44At its heart está At-Taraif,
00:46a heritage site que once served as a capital da primeira saúde.
00:52Known as the City of Earth for its distinctive mudbrick architecture,
00:56it's built from the very soil it sits upon.
00:59I'm here to discover its timeless beauty,
01:02from ancient roots to modern hospitality,
01:05and explore what makes this place truly remarkable.
01:10To start my journey, I've arranged to meet Sara Alfrayan,
01:14a cultural guide with a deep passion for local heritage.
01:17Sara, thank you so much for showing me around today.
01:21This is incredible.
01:23Please explain a little bit about this place.
01:25First of all, I'm delighted to have you here today, Lili, in the Dariya.
01:29We are now in the At-Taraif district.
01:31As you can see, it actually has the real culture of Najdi,
01:36architectural and authenticity of our traditions.
01:39Also, At-Taraif, it's gained the world UNESCO recognition for this site.
01:46At-Taraif spans 160,000 square meters
01:49and is one of the largest heritage restoration projects in the region.
01:53Wandering through its walkways and courtyards with Sara,
01:58I can almost picture what life was once like here.
02:01This district was home to mosques, schools and family houses,
02:05a thriving community long before Riyadh became the nation's capital.
02:11At its center stands Salwa Palace, the largest structure in At-Taraif.
02:16This is one of the important places that you should see.
02:20This wasn't only a residential home for the ruler.
02:24It was actually the administrative and the political center
02:28from the first Saudi state.
02:30That is incredible.
02:32What an amazing building.
02:35At-Taraif gives a real glimpse into Saudi Arabia's past.
02:39Fully restored, yet still full of life and tradition.
02:42Close by, that same heritage continues in a different way, through food.
02:50Sara has invited me to a local restaurant
02:52to try some authentic Saudi flavors.
02:56Here, traditional dishes are given a modern touch.
02:59It's a perfect way to end my experience with Sara.
03:04Let me do that for you, Lily.
03:06I want to take care of you today
03:08and to welcome you to our signature dishes.
03:13Thank you so much.
03:15You truly have welcomed me.
03:16And sharing food with you is incredible.
03:18Why is food such an important part of the Arabic culture?
03:21Actually, you know, the food is representing the culture
03:24and the customs of the people.
03:26And the hospitality is actually very important to us in Saudi Arabia.
03:31It actually comes from the soul.
03:33Saudi warmth is about more than just generosity.
03:36It's deeply rooted in the culture.
03:40The food and Sara's kindness reflect the spirit that defines life here.
03:45After an incredible meal, I'm heading off to see another side of Dorea.
03:52Not far from here lies Wadi Safar,
03:54a wide open valley set to become
03:56one of the most exciting new destinations in the region.
03:59The clubhouses and academy buildings are inspired by traditional architecture,
04:06blending local heritage with contemporary design.
04:09My coach today is Callum, an experienced golf instructor.
04:13And we're starting with some practice at the club's brand new driving range.
04:17Hello, Callum.
04:19It's such a pleasure to meet you.
04:20Good morning, Lily.
04:21Lovely to have you.
04:22I'm so excited to be here.
04:23What is in store for me today?
04:25So in store we have a warm-up area on the driving range first
04:28before we head over to the putting green,
04:30get a little practice there,
04:31and then we're going to head out on the academy course for some golf.
04:34This sport is all about precision and patience.
04:38And with Callum's help, I'm hoping to get the hang of it.
04:41How we would hold the club first, okay?
04:43So the left hand would go at the top of the golf club
04:45with our left thumb running down towards the club head.
04:48Next would be aim.
04:50So this part of the golf club here is the club face, okay?
04:52So that's an important part, especially when we're aiming for a certain target.
04:56So what we're looking for is to line the centre of the club face up
04:59to the intended target line on the driving range.
05:02There's a lot to think about.
05:03How to hold the club, how to line it up, and how to stay loose and relaxed.
05:09As I become more confident, Callum shows me how to bring it all together.
05:13When we put that back down and we take that stronger grip,
05:16is what it's called.
05:17Yeah.
05:17When you make your motion off the swing,
05:19the club face is then squarer at the point of impact.
05:22Okay.
05:24Grip's looking good.
05:25Now just focus your eyes on that golf ball.
05:27Keep that head nice and still and strike down towards the ground.
05:30Good.
05:32Well done.
05:33With each swing, it's starting to feel more natural.
05:37Callum shows me how to putt on the practice putting green.
05:40And with the ball finally going into the hole,
05:43it's time to head out onto the course to put it all together.
05:46A few good shots later, and I'm really starting to enjoy it.
05:53Ah, fantastic.
05:54Yes.
05:55Great golf shot.
05:56Thank you so much, Callum.
05:57No problem at all, Lily.
05:58After an incredible day out on the course,
06:02I'm heading to get a better view of it all.
06:06It's been such a rewarding experience,
06:08and I want to take in this beautiful landscape
06:10from the perfect vantage point.
06:12I've had such an incredible day here today.
06:18Wadi Safa truly is the epitome of heritage meets luxury.
06:24Not far from here lies Wadi Hanifa,
06:27a long green valley that winds through the heart of the old city.
06:33Once an oasis in the desert,
06:35it's now a peaceful place to walk, cycle, and enjoy nature.
06:39Cycling in this area is really relaxing.
06:44The cool breeze and stunning views
06:45make it a perfect way to explore and exercise.
06:52Just a short ride away stands Babsamhan Hotel,
06:56a luxurious retreat with real historical roots.
07:01Miss Lily, welcome to Babsamhan.
07:03The hotel's general manager, Fabrice Ducrai,
07:06is here to tell me more about the story behind the hotel.
07:10The hotel itself actually is a historical site.
07:14It started off in the Ministry of Culture,
07:17wanting to renovate a few houses,
07:19Najdi houses.
07:20And then one thing led to the other
07:22that's turned into the hotel that it is today.
07:27What began as a simple restoration project
07:29has evolved into one of Doria's most remarkable hotels.
07:32Babsamhan blends original features
07:36with heritage-inspired designs.
07:40What I love about this place
07:42is how it captures the essence of Doria.
07:44Heritage, culture, and beauty all in one.
07:49Each suite here reflects Doria's history,
07:52crafted with natural materials and decorative touches.
07:55This royal suite perfectly balances tradition and luxury,
08:00a colorful space that feels truly part of Doria's story.
08:07Just outside Riyadh, in the desert area of Al-Muzamia,
08:12I'm meeting Salma Tari,
08:14a skilled rider and Arabian horse enthusiast.
08:17Known online as La Cavliere Al-Igon,
08:22she has inspired over a million followers
08:24across Saudi Arabia and beyond
08:26with her epic cinematic videos.
08:31Today, she has something special lined up for me.
08:35Hello, Salma.
08:36Thank you so much for having me today.
08:38Thank you.
08:38It's really nice to have you here.
08:40This is absolutely incredible.
08:42What are we doing today?
08:43Thank you.
08:43So, I'm happy to have you in our stable
08:46called Chalifat and Natch.
08:47And first of all, I will give you a little tour
08:49and then I will let you have your first experience
08:52with an Arabian horse.
08:53And the last part, I will be riding in the desert.
08:56Okay, let's get straight to it.
08:58Let's go.
09:00Arabian horses are known for their unique appearance,
09:03strength, and gentle nature.
09:05Let me introduce you to our mares.
09:08Yes.
09:08So, most of our mares are located on this side.
09:11So, we separate the mares and the stallions
09:13and we also train them to be calm and relaxed
09:17so when the students come and train with our horses,
09:21they are comfortable
09:22because Arabian horses are quite nervous.
09:24That's why we only let our students to ride females.
09:28Arabian horses are famous for beauty shows
09:31or for endurance.
09:32When it comes to endurance horses,
09:34we train them to canter for a very long distance.
09:37And only Arabian horses can ride up to 160 kilometers.
09:42Salma takes me further around the stables
09:44where beautiful Arabian horses are everywhere.
09:47As you can see on my left, we have some mares
09:50and we can put them together.
09:53And they're all fine.
09:54They're all fine.
09:55It says a lot, doesn't it?
09:56The females are the relaxed ones.
09:58Exactly.
09:59We get on very well.
10:00And then you have the stallions against each other.
10:03And you cannot do that with stallions.
10:04If you put them together, it's just impossible.
10:07They will be fighting.
10:09Salma brings me closer to these beautiful creatures
10:11so I can get to know them better.
10:14We feed them dates, a favorite treat.
10:17And it's easy to see how much they're loved and cared for here.
10:20Next, we head to the training area
10:22where a horse and riding gear are waiting for me.
10:25Before we begin, Salma shares a few tips
10:27on how to approach a horse safely.
10:30So first of all, I need to give you a little bit of guidance.
10:33So when it comes to horses,
10:35always come from the front side, not the back side.
10:38Especially if you do not know the horse, it might kick.
10:41And always try to make some noise
10:43so the horse is alert and knows that you are around him.
10:47With Salma's help, I climb into the saddle.
10:50It's a little higher than I expected,
10:52but once I'm up, there's an incredible sense of calm and connection.
10:56Let me show you how we hold the rein.
10:58So when you put your hands like this inside, like that,
11:01and the same thing on the other side, okay?
11:05You can really sense the horse's strength,
11:08her gentleness and intelligence.
11:10But I must admit, it's hard to tell who's guiding who.
11:14All right, and I want you to keep the horse head straight.
11:18Come towards me, yes.
11:20And when you're in front of me, you stop the horse.
11:25We leave the stables behind and head out into the open desert.
11:29Riding through the sand dunes with Salma
11:31feels like something out of a dream.
11:33The landscape, the lights,
11:35and the beautiful horse beneath me feel truly special.
11:39As the sun is setting here in Saudi Arabia,
11:43I'm reflecting on what an incredible experience this has been.
11:47I mean, horse riding in the desert,
11:48it doesn't get much better than this.
11:50But now, on to the next adventure.
11:52I mean, horse riding in the desert,
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