Back to United Arab Emirates
Dubai and Abu Dhabi in One Week
by Felix Gillen
A week for the two major cities of the Emirates: four nights in Dubai with its Old Town by the Creek, souks and Downtown, then three nights in Abu Dhabi with the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Hosn and the museum district on Saadiyat Island.
2 stops
Why This Route?
The route connects Dubai’s old town and skyscrapers with the capital’s mosques, fortresses, and museums. Both cities are connected by bus, car, or, from 2026, by Etihad Rail in about an hour, and with arrival in Dubai and departure from Abu Dhabi, you won't travel any route twice.
Hidden Gems
- Abra across the Creek for 1 Dirham
- Jumeirah Mosque with guided tour daily except Fridays
- Qasr Al Watan, Presidential Palace with visitor area
- Mangrove National Park in eastern Abu Dhabi
Getting there and back
Open jaw: start and end are in different places
- Arrival
- Flight · Dubai (DXB)From Terminals 1 and 3 at DXB, the Metro Red Line travels into the city, but Terminal 2 has no Red Line station.
- Departure
- Flight · Abu Dhabi (AUH)Zayed International Airport (AUH) is located approximately 30 kilometers east of Abu Dhabi city center. For Dubai–Abu Dhabi, there are buses E100 and E101 or the Etihad Rail from Al Yalayis to Mohamed bin Zayed City.
Itinerary
Stop 1 • 4 Nights
Dubai
Route highlight. routes.tagDescriptions.stadt and Rich in culture and history.
Dubai, the emirate's namesake city, lies on the Persian Gulf, straddling the Dubai Creek. The Creek's banks host old quarters Deira and Bur Dubai, with souks, wind-tower houses, and museums. Along Sheikh Zayed Road are Downtown (with the Burj Khalifa), followed southwest by Dubai Marina and JBR. Metro, Tram, and Abras link the districts.
Al Fahidi and Al Shindagha by the Creek, take an Abra across to the Gold and Spice Souks in Deira, Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Fountain in Downtown.
11 Sights
5 Restaurants
History and Culture
It all started at the CreekIn 1833, members of the Bani Yas tribe under the Al Maktoum family settled at the mouth of the Creek. Pearl diving and a tax-free port for foreign merchants made Dubai a trading hub; around 1900, merchants from Bastak, Iran, built the quarter known today as Al Fahidi. The Al Fahidi Fort was built around 1787 and became the city's first museum in 1971; it has been closed for restoration since 2021.Discover Emirati CultureThe Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding is located in a restored house in Al Fahidi. Under the motto "Open Doors, Open Minds," it offers tours of the Jumeirah Mosque and Emirati meals in the courtyard of a wind-tower house, where hosts answer questions about religion and daily life.Birthplace of the EmiratesOn December 2, 1971, the rulers signed the declaration establishing the United Arab Emirates at Union House in Dubai. The Etihad Museum on the site tells this story.
Stop 2 • 3 Nights
Abu Dhabi
routes.tagDescriptions.hauptstadt. Rich in culture and history and routes.tagDescriptions.moscheen.
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates and lies on an island in the Persian Gulf, connected to the mainland by several bridges. Besides the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and Qasr Al Hosn Fort, the Corniche, the Qasr Al Watan Presidential Palace, and the mangroves to the east define the visit. Off the coast lie Saadiyat Island with its museums and Yas Island with Ferrari World and the Formula 1 track.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Hosn, and Qasr Al Watan. A day for Saadiyat Island with Louvre Abu Dhabi and Zayed National Museum.
7 Sights
3 Restaurants
History and Culture
From the Watering Hole to the CapitalThe city was founded in 1761 after a hunting party from the Bani Yas tribe discovered freshwater on the coast. An 18th-century watchtower forms the core of Qasr Al Hosn, the city's oldest surviving building. In 1793, the ruling Al Nahyan family moved its seat from the Liwa oasis here, and the fort remained the seat of the ruler and government until 1966.Pearls and OilBefore oil, the city subsisted on pearl diving. In 1958, oil was found offshore in the Umm Shaif field. This wealth swiftly turned the small settlement into a major city.Religion and Visitor RulesThe Sheikh Zayed Mosque, built 1996-2007, is the city's religious hub, open to all. Here, and at the Presidential Palace, a modest dress code is required: covered shoulders and knees; for women in the mosque, also the hair. On Fridays, visitor operations at the mosque cease during midday prayers.
2 stops
Route Summary
Duration8 Days
Stops2 Places
TypeCulture
Best Time to GoNovember–March