C. Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez visit the ancient city in the middle of the Al-Ula oasis in Saudi Arabia.
On December 14, the Al-Nassr star posted pictures of his and his girlfriend’s vacation. CR7 wrote: ‘Amazed by the extraordinary people and natural heritage of Al-Ula in Saudi Arabia. Al-Ula is where modern and ancient stories meet’.
Al-Ula is an ancient oasis city located in the Medina Governorate. The area is also known for its dramatic landscape of giant rocks, canyons and valleys. Surrounded by arid land, lush palm-fringed oases are found near the city center.
C. Ronaldo visits Hegra (Mada’in Salih), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Nabateans built the site around a settlement and oasis in the first century AD. Sandstone outcrops were carved to form cemeteries. A total of four cemeteries survive, including 131 monumental rock-cut tombs spread over 13.4 km, inscribed with ancient inscriptions.
Georgina Rodriguez wore traditional Muslim Abaya throughout the trip, which was considered elegant when visiting ancient sites.
The two had dinner prepared privately by a Michelin-starred chef inside a cave.
The Portuguese star and his girlfriend then visited Maraya, which holds the Guinness World Record for the largest mirrored building with 9,740 glass panels, about 12 km from Hegra.
Maraya means ‘mirror’ or ‘reflection’ in Arabic. It is a 500-seat concert hall and a community centre. Artists such as Alicia Keys, Andrea Bocelli and Enrique Iglesias have performed here.
Surrounding the structure are giant mirrors, reflecting the blue sky and the surrounding landscape. The theater seems to ‘disappear’ in the desert as the landscape blends into one.
The Portuguese striker and his girlfriend chose to stay at Banyan Tree, the closest resort to Maraya, just two kilometers away, which is likened to a castle in the desert. The comfortable villas are located among the sand dunes and sandstone beaches of the Ashar Valley.
CR7 took a dip in the pool in front of his house. The couple are said to have opted for the one-bedroom Dune villa with a pool. The room is tastefully decorated with handcrafted antiques inspired by Al-Ula’s heritage.
