In series 3 of Netflix’s “I Am Georgina”, the Argentine model shares a look into her life living in Saudi with husband and Al-Nassr footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. Watching the show, viewers get a look into how much Georgina Rodriguez loves the country, and what her life in Saudi is like – where she goes, what she wears and the glamorous events she attends. Travellers are being inspired by her adventures there, which include visits to giga projects, where they’re pushing the boundaries of possibility and new Instagram-worthy destinations.
Here’s Georgina’s favourite spots in Saudi, whether solo, with her family or her friends aka ‘the darlings’…
- Saudi Red Sea
“Saudi Red Sea is paradise”, Georgina tells viewers. Nestled along the west coast of Saudi, the 28,000 square kilometer bucket list destination is home to a vast archipelago of more than 90 islands, stunning beaches, sweeping desert dunes and natural wonders including one of the world’s few thriving reefs, dormant volcanoes, ancient heritage sites and mountain canyons.
It’s an underwater wonderland, home to 175 species of coral reefs, 195 species of fish and endangered species such as the hawksbill sea turtle – a dream location for water sports, diving and snorkelling enthusiasts. Georgina and Christiano enjoy walking along the beach with the children, finding shells and coral.
The family stay at The St. Regis Red Sea Resort, which is accessible only by seaplane or chartered boat. It’s a glamorous haven located on the pristine Ummahat Island, with overwater and beachfront villas, each with a private pool. Here maybe you will spot Georgina at the signature spa and high-tech fitness centre, or doing sunrise and sunset yoga. And, the resort has the legendary St. Regis Butler Service – a hallmark of the brand for more than a century.
- AlUla
Georgina Rodriguez and her agent, Ramon Jordana, can’t quite believe the majestic landscape of AlUla, an ancient oasis city in the northwest of Saudi. Georgina describes it as “the most beautiful place I’ve ever been”, telling viewers “you can’t find silence like this anywhere in the world.” While Ramone calls AlUla “hypnotic”, saying “you can feel the power.”
They stayed at The Banyan Tree, an enchanted sanctuary that offers a unique fitness and wellness-focused getaway with an award-winning spa. It blends Asian rituals with Saudi traditions, natural and native ingredients form the essence of each unique treatment. And the striking naturally treated rock pool in the mountains provides an other-worldly setting for swimming. Viewers also saw Georgina posing by the pool at Habitas AlUla, a sustainable desert resort nestled among the ancient desert landscape.
Of course when in AlUla Georgina visited Hegra, Saudi’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you’ll find Nabataean tombs carved out of honey-coloured rocks. She also went to the Maraya – the largest mirrored building in the world – to pose for Instagram-worthy pictures, and wandered AlUla’s Old Town which she called “really romantic” and “incredibly preserved”. You may be surprised to learn the origins of the Old Town’s winding paths date back almost a millennium.
And in AlUla Georgina loves to eat at Maraya Social, run by one of Britain’s best-loved chefs and owner of Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide, Jason Atherton. She enjoys sharing plates featuring Mediterranean, Arabian and British cuisine surrounded by glorious views of the rock-strewn canyons of the Ashar Valley.
- Riyadh
In the show, Georgina tells viewers that “there aren’t enough hours in the day” in Riyadh, Saudi’s bustling capital, home to 8 million people. It’s a vast and vibrant city where you’ll find an unlikely mix of traditional Najdi architecture (think mud-brick citadels) and sites like the 900-foot-tall Kingdom Centre, where Georgina lived when she first moved to Saudi.
Georgina Rodriguez tells us in Riyadh she starts her day drinking coffee with Ronaldo. Coffee culture is big in Saudi and hospitality is a way of life, so when you visit expect to be invited for a cup (or several!) of coffee.
Georgina Rodriguez visits shopping malls, especially Riyadh Park Mall where she enjoys the indoor theme park rides with the ‘darlings’, and Via Riyadh – the city’s ultimate luxury destination with exclusive brands, worldly restaurants and unique cinema experiences. Georgina tells viewers: “Malls are really well designed here – for being with kids, a romantic date night, or being with friends.”
Home to Saudi Pro League football team Al-Nassr, Georgina visits the Alawwal Park stadium often to see Ronaldo play, where we see her oozing glamour in outfits such as Elisabetta Franchi jeans and Le Silla knee-high boots.
In Riyadh Georgina attends Riyadh Season events including the rides and attractions at Boulevard World and the ‘Battle of the Baddest’ boxing world championships, where she wore a sleek off-shoulder Alaïa dress to see Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou. Riyadh Season is one of the world’s largest winter entertainment events – this year there will be 100 festivals and exhibitions, 11 international championships and 14 entertainment zones, including a Harry Potter zone, and for the first time grounded Saudia planes will be transformed into dining and entertainment experiences.
And, don’t forget to head to CLAP on Ramla Terraza, Georgina and Ronaldo’s favourite place to dine in Riyadh where they enjoy date nights and Japanese fine dining.
