Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is one of the main manufacturers of petroleum in the world, producing more than 1.5 million barrels every day.

The face of Abu Dhabi is rapidly changing and starting to adopt the appearance of cities such as Hong Kong. Few cities in the world can claim to have anything you need, 24 hours a day.

What to see in Abu Dhabi

There are various places worth discovering when you visit Abu Dhabi:

• Sheikh Zayed Mosque: More commonly known as the Grand Mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world, and also one of the most beautiful. It is open to the public from 9 am to 10 pm every day of the week, except Friday when it opens at 4:30 pm. There are guided tours at 10 am, 11 am, and 4:30 pm (Saturdays at 2 pm and 8 pm). There is a strict dress code of long trousers and long-sleeve shirts.
• Hotel Emirates Palace: In theory, you should have a booking at one of the restaurants to enter this hotel. However, if you arrive before 12 am or after 4 pm you shouldn't have any problems arranging a visit. Upon entering the building, you'll realize why the construction costs of the hotel made it one of the most expensive in the world to be built.
• Qasr Al Watan: The "Palace of the Nation", home to the UAE Supreme Council, opened to the public in March 2019 and has become one of the most popular attractions in the city. It is open every day of the week.
• Louvre Abu Dhabi: This magnificent building is a museum in itself. The elegant architectural design incorporates everything from water, natural light, and high ceilings. It is worth visiting even if you are not interested in the exhibitions.
• Heritage Village: An open-air museum where you can see how the inhabitants of the Emirates lived before they discovered petrol. Only a short distance away we will find the Marina Mall commercial center, one of the most popular in the city. if you enter, you simply cannot miss its fountain.
• Maritime walk: known as the "Corniche", the maritime walk through Abu Dhabi is a beautiful place to take a walk. It's one of the top attractions which Dubai is lacking.
• Ferrari World: The world's only Ferrari theme park.

Reaching Abu Dhabi from Dubai

You have various options:

• Take a trip: This is the easiest, most trouble-free way to see all the city's sights without having to plan an itinerary or arrange transport. Reserve our fantastic trip to Abu Dhabi from Dubai here.
• Rent a car: if you would prefer to drive rather than take a tour, renting a car is a cheap option. Watch out for the speed cameras!
• Hire a taxi all day: The price of a taxi for all day is approximately 800 AED (US$ 217.80), considerably more expensive than taking a tour or renting a car. Taxi drivers in Dubai are known to drive recklessly.
• Travel on a public bus: the buses usually leave Gubiba Station in Bur Dubai every 40 minutes and cost around 25 AED (US$ 6.80) per journey. This is a cheap option, although when you arrive in Abu Dhabi, you'll still have to take a taxi to different locations, which means the cost will rise sharply. Public buses are also not the most comfortable form of transport.

Worth the effort

Until the construction of the Grand Mosque in 2007, little was said about Abu Dhabi. However, since that moment, Abu Dhabi has become an essential stop on any itinerary. With more than 1000 columns and 80 cupolas, this mosque rivals the Mecca in terms of size and is as equally as alluring as those in Istanbul.

Abu Dhabi is a pretty and well-planned city.