Dubai is one of the biggest cities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of Dubai Emirate. This is also one of the most popular holiday spots for locals. Moreover, thousands of tourists come here each season to admire beautiful nature and manmade landmarks.
Along with modern cultural sites and architectural sightseeing attractions, visitors can also enjoy the traditional part of Dubai to have the best travel experience and learn more about the history of the region. If you are ready to enjoy a trip to Dubai, learn more about the places worth visiting there.
1. Go Back in Time with the Streets of Al Seef
While there are plenty of stunning places for sightseeing like Burj Khalifa and others, some tourists start exploring Dubai from its roots. They go to the streets of Al Seef where they can find out more about the city and its history. Moreover, those streets help visitors dive into this indescribable atmosphere of old Dubai.
Al Seef is a mix of old and new Dubai, where traditions seem to interweave with modern cultural aspects. One of the best things to admire there is Dubai Creek, which is not only one of the most beautiful places, but also a location from which you can learn a lot about how locals lived in Dubai in the past.
Apart from being one of those historical places in the city of Dubai, Al Seef attracts visitors with a plethora of concerts and festivals that take place there throughout the year. Whenever you come to Dubai, you will have the opportunity to attend one of those free activities that will allow you to learn more about the culture of the region as well as distract yourself from your daily routine.
To get there, tourists can rent a car or use Dubai's public transportation. The closest metro station is located ten minutes from the spot. Al Seef will provide you with the best travel experience ever.
2. Enjoy a Six-Hour Tour to the Old City
There is a special, customized 6-hour tour for visitors to enjoy the old city of Dubai. While Dubai is well-known for its modern attractions, there are still a lot of things to explore there apart from those magnificent buildings that have appeared in the past 30–40 years.
The history of Dubai and the UAE dates back thousands of years, and there are plenty of interesting moments to find out about. By joining the 6-hour tour across the old city of Dubai, visitors will start at Al Shindaga, a historic quarter with a lot of sites to admire.
The next point will be Dubai Creek, which was described in the previous part of this article. Tourists will also enjoy Deira, which was known as a huge mall from which you will be able to visit two markets of old Dubai: the gold souk and the spice souk.
Dubai markets were famous and attractive in the past when traders came there to sell and buy various goods. During the tour, visitors will have the opportunity to wander and buy some goods in local stores.
Strolling through the markets of Dubai can be fun, as you can find a lot of interesting things to purchase. Moreover, you will be able to feel the moment and inhale that special smell of market life that has boiled there for thousands of years.
3. Continue Exploring Old Dubai in Al Fahidi Quarter
Al Fatihi is another historical place in Dubai that is worth visiting. The quarter was started in the 19th century and was initially planned as a place where rich Persian merchants lived. Those merchants were dealing mostly with precious stones and textiles. They have chosen Dubai for tax-free access to the trading facilities of the market. Dubai Creek was a gateway for Persian merchants to reach the market.
Al Fahidi is located in the eastern part of Bur Dubai. The quarter boasts a lot of buildings that came from the epoch when Persian merchants lived there, which is a great opportunity for visitors to do sightseeing and take great photographs.
One of the main features of local Dubai houses are special wind-towers that were used by locals as an air conditioning system. Later, those wind towers became an architectural element that was widely used in the region by architects.
The district of Dubai boasts the Majlis Gallery, a special place that hosts a collection of ceramics and furniture. Another place that is worth visiting in this region of Dubai is Al Serkal, which is a cultural foundation, where you can taste some local meals and buy souvenirs to preserve memories of your travel experience in this region.
4. Tandem Skydive in the Palm Dubai Dropzone
Watching Dubai from above during the skydive is what many visitors are dreaming about. If you want to try this attraction, you should definitely book a tandem skydive with a trained instructor. By jumping from a plane, you will be able to admire one of the most beautiful places in Dubai – the iconic Jumeirah Beach.
This activity should not be missed by both locals and guests coming to Dubai to spend a holiday there. Palm Jumeirah beach is an island in Dubai that attracts a lot of visitors every year. It is made in the shape of a palm, but to see the full image, you should make a tandem jump and admire the island from above.
5. Enjoy the Oriental Sun on One of the Best Beaches of Dubai
Dubai is worth visiting for many reasons, but there is one thing that you should definitely do when you come here. Sunbathing on Jumeirah Beach is one of the greatest attractions that you have ever had, especially if you are here for the first time. Jumeirah Beach is a manmade landmark in form of a palm that stretches all along Dubai.
The Dubai City Beach includes a lot of public areas with a lot of loungers, bars, and cafes, as well as several facilities for water sports, kayaking, boating, etc. The beach is a great place to spend a holiday alone, with a loved one, or even with a big family. There are plenty of attractions for adults and kids there. White sand and calm turquoise water of these Dubai beaches are what visitors will hold in their memories for a long time.
6. Dubai Desert Tour
There is no need to go far from Dubai to reach one of the most deserted places in the world. The desert is a part of the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve that many visitors should visit when they are here.
The tour starts in Dubai from where you will be transported into the very heart of the desert, with a lot of activities along the way. From 4WD safaris to falconry, there are plenty of things to watch and enjoy. Moreover, during the tour to the desert, you will have the opportunity to taste local meals in one of the most picturesque places in the UAE.
One of the best things about this trip to the desert is that it takes only six hours. However, those six hours will be saturated with a lot of activities that will never fade from your memory. The safari and falconry under the heat of the sun transform into a barbecue at sunset and a belly dancing show.
7. Burj Khalifa
Back in Dubai, there are still plenty of things to do in the city. One of the most interesting attractions is to get to the last level of the Burj Khalifa in order to enjoy the city from above. It should be mentioned that nowadays the Burj Khalifa is the highest building on the planet, which adds value to this place in Dubai.
The observation deck allows you to have a magnificent view over Dubai, which is a great experience when you are in the city. Moreover, here you will find a special multimedia presentation on the city and the construction, which was finalized in 2010. From the height of the building, you will admire Dubai and the ocean from one side and the desert from the other.
The building accepts visitors both during the daytime and at night. If you decide to come here after the sunset, you will be able to see Dubai’s famous light system, which is worth admiring. In order to avoid queues, it is recommended to buy tickets there in advance, especially if you plan to visit Burj Khalifa on weekend.
When visiting this part of Dubai, there are plenty of other great things to watch. When you go back to the ground, you can walk in a local park, with walkways surrounded by modern art sculptures. Visitors also come to see the Dubai Fountain, which is one of the tallest in the world.
8. Camel Racing Festival
One of the most interesting traditional festivals that takes place in Dubai is Camel Racing. Originating in previous centuries, this event attracts both tourists and local inhabitants. The festival is one of the best free activities in the Dubai region.
Those who want to attend this event should plan on visiting Dubai during the Al Marmoom Heritage Village Festival. This festival attracts thousands of tourists every year who come to the Dubai desert to enjoy those "ships of the desert" trying to outdo each other. Apart from attending the Camel racing itself, one can visit the reserve or find other fun things in the surrounding area.
9. Learn More about the Underwater World of Dubai
Dubai Mall is one of those places where tourists can buy a lot of things, from souvenirs to some exclusive items. However, Dubai Mall is also famous for its huge aquarium, which is home to 140+ species.
Dubai Aquarium can be observed from Dubai Mall, but it would be better to enter the Underwater Zoo area, where visitors will walk through glass tunnels. Apart from simply admiring marine life, tourists will have the opportunity to dive with tiger sharks, accompanied by professional divers.
10. Dubai Mall
Dubai is considered one of the best places for shopping. To ascertain this fact, you can simply visit Dubai Mall, which is one of the biggest commercial hubs in the world. You can buy almost everything there, from small souvenirs to electronics.
Apart from 1,000+ stores welcoming buyers with premium-quality goods, Dubai guests have access to 200 restaurants where they can taste meals from almost all continents and find out more about the cuisine cultures of various nations.
Dubai Mall is not only about shopping and enjoying tasteful meals. There are plenty of other indoor activities that you will definitely want to try. Indoor ski resort, an aquarium with more than 140 species, ice rink, those are only a few of the many things you can watch or try there. Burj Khalifa is also part of Dubai Mall with its outstanding opportunity to observe Dubai from above.
What’s Next?
Those experiences that are listed in the article are not the only ones to enjoy in Dubai. You can also take a half-day museum tour, which is a great opportunity to visit the most popular cultural places in Dubai and have even more great experiences once you are here.
Dubai is full of magic, which you will discover step-by-step during your first visit. However, there are plenty of attractions there, and it may not be enough time for you to enjoy all of them even if you decide to spend a couple of weeks there.
