Country guide
The United Arab Emirates has been one country since 2 December 1971, when seven emirates — Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and Ras Al...
Photograph · Tonenight · CC BY-SA 4.0
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
The United Arab Emirates has been one country since 2 December 1971, when seven emirates — Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah — federated. It covers 83,600 km² and held 11,027,129 people in 2024, of whom about 11 per cent are Emirati citizens; the rest came to work, and that shapes the food, the languages and the shape of a week more than any monument does. Abu Dhabi is the capital and Dubai the largest city, close enough to treat as one base. The northern emirates beyond them are quieter and far less built.
Checked 2026-08-25
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · Tim Reckmann from Hamm, Deutschland · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photograph · Валерий Дед · CC BY 3.0
Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
57 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
برج خليفة
Burj Khalifa is the 828-metre tower that Emaar opened in Downtown Dubai on 4 January 2010, and what a visitor actually buys a ticket to is a small part of it.
دبي مول
Dubai Mall stands on Financial Centre Road in Downtown Dubai, at the foot of Burj Khalifa, and its operator Emaar describes it as the most visited retail and lifestyle destination in the world, welcoming over 100 million visitors a year.
نافورة دبي
The Dubai Fountain is a choreographed water and light show staged on the Burj Lake, the artificial lake that lies between the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and Souk Al Bahar in Downtown Dubai.
متحف المستقبل
The Museum of the Future is a steel torus standing on a planted green mound beside Jumeirah Emirates Towers on Sheikh Zayed Road, with an oval void cut through its centre.
برواز دبي
Dubai Frame is a picture frame built at architectural scale in Zabeel Park, and it is run by Dubai Municipality rather than by a commercial operator.
Deira Gold Souk
Deira Gold Souk is an open-air jewellery market in Al Ras, at the northern end of Deira, a few hundred metres back from the Dubai Creek waterfront.
حي الفهيدي التاريخي
Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood stands on the Bur Dubai bank of Dubai Creek, a few streets of low coral-stone houses left standing while the rest of the city went vertical.
سوق التوابل
Dubai Spice Souk is a traditional market in Deira, Dubai's historic commercial district. The souk forms part of the older trading quarter near Dubai Creek, where merchants have conducted business for generations.
Deira Clocktower is a prominent roundabout monument located in the Deira district of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
دبي باركس
Dubai Parks and Resorts is a large integrated leisure destination in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It encompasses multiple theme parks and entertainment zones within one complex.
حديقة مشرف الوطنية
Mushrif Park is a major public park in Dubai, known locally as حديقة مشرف الوطنية. The park occupies a substantial green space in the eastern part of the city, offering a natural environment distinct from Dubai's urban core.
موقع ساروق الحديد الأثري
Saruq Al Hadid Archaeological Site is an important archaeological location in Dubai emirate. Finds from the site connect it with ancient metallurgy, craft production and trade.
متحف الاتحاد
Etihad Museum, known locally as متحف الاتحاد, is a cultural institution in Dubai dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of the United Arab Emirates.
سوق دبي للمنسوجات
Dubai Textile Souk, known locally as سوق دبي للمنسوجات, is a traditional market located in the Bur Dubai district near the Dubai Creek.
Saeed Al Maktoum House is a historic Dubai residence associated with the Al Maktoum ruling family. The house offers a direct connection with the emirate’s pre-oil past and with the traditional architecture of the Gulf.
موقع جميرا الأثري
Jumeirah Archaeological Site is a place of archaeological and historical interest in Dubai’s Jumeirah area. It represents evidence of past human activity and settlement within a district now known for modern urban development.
مسجد دبي الكبير
Grand Mosque is an active Islamic place of worship and an architectural landmark in Dubai. It is different from a museum or a purpose-built visitor attraction because prayer and religious life remain its central purpose.
موقع الصفوح الأثري
Al Sufouh Archaeological Site is a heritage location in western Dubai, in the Al Sufouh area near the coastline between Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah.
Sheikh Obaid bin Thani House is a heritage building in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It represents traditional Emirati architecture and serves as a cultural landmark preserving the emirate's historical built environment.
متحف دبي للصور المتحركة
The Dubai Moving Image Museum is a cultural institution in Dubai dedicated to the history and evolution of moving images. It traces the development of visual storytelling from early precursors of cinema through to modern filmmaking technologies.
Coffee Museum
Dubai Coffee Museum is a compact cultural museum in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, housed in a traditional wind-tower building.
كنيسة القديسة مريم الكاثوليكية
St. Mary's Catholic Church is an active Catholic place of worship in Dubai. It serves the Catholic community through Mass, prayer and religious ceremonies.
المسجد الشيعي الإيراني، بر دبي
The Iranian Mosque, also known as the Shia Iranian Mosque, stands in Bur Dubai's historic district. This place of worship serves Dubai's Iranian Shia Muslim community and reflects Persian architectural influences.
حصن الفهيدي
Al Fahidi Fort, known locally as حصن الفهيدي, stands as Dubai's oldest existing building. Constructed in 1787, this coral-stone and mortar fortification served defensive purposes before later uses as a palace, garrison, and prison.
Majlis Ghorfat Umm Al Sheif is a historic majlis in Dubai’s Jumeirah area. A majlis is a traditional meeting or gathering space, and this building represents the social and architectural heritage of an earlier Dubai.
Six to eight days is enough for roughly four days in Dubai and two or three in Abu Dhabi. Sharjah can be a separate museum day, while Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah requires dedicated road time rather than being treated as a quick urban extension.
UAE entry permission depends on nationality and may be arranged in advance or granted under a nationality-specific rule. Confirm the current position through the federal ICP service or the responsible UAE embassy, especially for a stopover itinerary.
Dubai combines metro, tram, buses, and marine transport; Abu Dhabi relies more heavily on buses and taxis. Travel between emirates remains road-based, so allow for an intercity bus, taxi, or rental car rather than expecting a passenger train.
November through March gives the most practical outdoor hours for this Dubai-Abu Dhabi route. In hotter months, schedule waterfront and heritage districts early or late and reserve the middle of the day for indoor museums.
The United Arab Emirates uses the dirham (AED). Cards are widely useful in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but retain an AED backup for smaller fares or deposits and check which currency a card terminal proposes.
Police in the UAE can be reached on 999 and ambulance services on 998. Type G sockets supply 230 V; tap-water guidance is not recorded here, so ask the accommodation for the building-specific position.
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