- AreaAshar Valley, about 15 min from AlUla town
- Best forArchitecture, photography, concerts
- Time45 min tour; longer with dinner or a show
- TicketsOutside view free; tours from around SAR 95
Maraya means "mirrors" in Arabic, and the name is the whole idea. In the Ashar Valley, a few kilometres from the centre of AlUla, a cube-shaped concert hall has been clad entirely in mirrored panels. The facade reflects the sandstone cliffs and sky around it so faithfully that from some angles the building almost disappears into the landscape. Opened in 2019 and later expanded, it holds the Guinness World Record as the largest mirrored building in the world.
Inside is a multi-purpose venue that seats around 500 people and hosts concerts, conferences and cultural events, especially during AlUla's winter festival season. On the roof is Maraya Social, a restaurant run by British chef Jason Atherton, and the surrounding valley has some of AlUla's best-known resorts.
How to visit
There are three ways to experience Maraya, depending on how much time and money you want to spend:
- From outside: you can admire and photograph the mirrored walls whenever access to the plaza is open. It takes 15 minutes and costs nothing.
- The Maraya Tour: a guided visit of about 45 minutes that takes you through the building, including the auditorium and stage. Tours are booked on Experience AlUla and start from around SAR 95 per person.
- Dinner or a show: a table at Maraya Social or a concert ticket gets you inside in the evening. Concert prices vary widely by artist and are premium; book well ahead for big names.
Schedules change with the season and the events calendar, and the plaza can close for private functions, so check before you go. Several AlUla day tours on GetYourGuide include a stop here.
Getting there
Maraya sits in the Ashar Valley, roughly 15 minutes by car from AlUla town and about 25 minutes from AlUla International Airport. There is parking near the venue, but no public bus, so you will need a hire car, a taxi or a ride-hailing app, which works in AlUla though cars can take a while to arrive in the evening. For events, organisers sometimes run shuttles from central car parks; your ticket will say if so. Smart-casual, modest clothing is fine for the tour and for dinner; our what to wear guide has more detail.
Photography
The best shots are from a slight distance, where the cliffs in the mirror line up with the real cliffs behind. Reflections of yourself are inevitable close up, which is half the fun. Drones need permission in Saudi Arabia, so do not fly one here without the proper approval.
Combine it with
Maraya is close to the Ashar Valley resorts and on the way to many of AlUla's adventure activities, such as the zip line and via ferrata nearby. It fits well between a morning at Hegra and an evening at Elephant Rock, with dinner in AlUla Old Town as an alternative to the rooftop restaurant. To stay in the Ashar Valley itself, search Booking.com; it is one of the most scenic, if pricier, places to sleep in AlUla. Our hotels page has more ideas across the country.
Tours: Maraya
Compare guided trips, transfers and tickets.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go inside Maraya?
Yes, on the guided Maraya Tour (around 45 minutes, from around SAR 95), by booking dinner at Maraya Social, or with a ticket to a concert or event.
Is Maraya really the largest mirrored building?
Yes. It holds the Guinness World Record as the world's largest mirrored building, clad in thousands of mirrored panels.
When is the best time to see Maraya?
Late afternoon, when the canyon reflections turn golden. Combine it with sunset at Elephant Rock, about 25 minutes' drive away.
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