A city of islands, desert and sea
Where to go, what to eat and how to plan it, from people who live here.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque at dusk
A note before you go
Written by people who know which corniche bench catches the breeze.
Most guides to Abu Dhabi are written by someone on a two-night stopover. Ours is put together by residents who argue about the best karak in Al Mina and still take the long way round Saadiyat.
We visit every place ourselves before it goes on the site. When a listing is sponsored, it says so on the card. And the basics stay free: the one-day and three-day routes, the map and the events calendar.
— The guide desk, Al Zahiyah
- Visited in personNo place goes up from a press release.
- Sponsored is labelledPaid listings carry a clear tag. Always.
- Free where it counts1-day and 3-day routes cost nothing.
Start here
The places we send every first-time visitor.
Museums & art · Saadiyat Island
Louvre Abu Dhabi
A floating dome of 7,850 stars casts a “rain of light” over galleries that tell one story of humanity.
Landmarks · Khor Al Maqta & Grand Mosque
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Eighty-two white marble domes, the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet and reflecting pools that turn gold at sunset.
Beaches & nature · The Corniche & Al Khalidiyah
Corniche Beach
Blue Flag beach in the middle of the city with lifeguards, shaded loungers and calm water.
Places to stay · The Corniche & Al Khalidiyah
Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental
A palace hotel with a private beach, gold-dusted cappuccinos and a 1.3 km stretch of lawn.
Family & theme parks · Yas Island
Ferrari World Yas Island
Indoor theme park under a red roof, home to Formula Rossa, one of the fastest roller coasters on earth.
Landmarks · The Corniche & Al Khalidiyah
Qasr Al Watan
A working presidential palace with a vast domed Great Hall, a library and an evening light show.
This week in Abu Dhabi
Free evenings, festivals and things worth booking.
Family
Sunset yoga on the Corniche
Mon 26 Oct · 17:00–18:00
Corniche Beach
Sport
TrainYas: cycle the F1 track
Tue 27 Oct · 18:00–22:00
Yas Marina Circuit
Culture
Fish market breakfast walk
Wed 28 Oct · 07:00–10:00
Mina Zayed Fish Market
Music
Louvre Late: music under the dome
Fri 30 Oct · 19:00–22:00
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Family
Full-moon mangrove kayak
Mon 2 Nov · 19:00–21:00
Mangrove National Park kayaking
Culture
Al Hosn Festival
Thu 5 Nov · 16:00–23:00
Qasr Al Hosn
Ready-made days
Routes paced for the heat, with meal breaks built in.
1 day · taxi
Abu Dhabi in one day
Fort, palace, Louvre and the Grand Mosque at sunset.
1 day · driving
Yas Island family day
Indoor thrills at midday, the track at dusk.
3 days · taxi
Three days: culture and coast
Museums, mangroves, the desert and a beach day, paced for heat.
Know the islands
Where each part of the city fits.
Hidden gems
Smaller places locals love.
Desert & outdoors · Al Zahiyah & Downtown
Mangrove National Park kayaking
Paddle calm channels through grey mangroves, watching herons and crabs a few minutes from downtown.
Markets & shopping · Al Zahiyah & Downtown
Mina Zayed Fish Market
Pick hammour or king fish at the counter and have it grilled next door within the hour.
Museums & art · Al Zahiyah & Downtown
Qasr Al Hosn
The city’s oldest stone building, a watchtower from the 1760s that grew into the ruling family’s fort.
Beaches & nature · Saadiyat Island
Saadiyat Public Beach
Fine white sand on a protected coastline where hawksbill turtles nest from April to July.
If you would rather not plan
Let us plan it
Transfers, tables, guides and the desert, arranged by our team.
- Arrival
- Airport pickup and a local SIM waiting for you.
- Tables & tickets
- Restaurants, desert dinners, concerts, Formula 1.
- A person, not a bot
- One local host for the whole stay.
Friends of the guide
Partners. We only recommend people we use ourselves.
Private desert camp · Liwa
Liwa Dune Camp
For the night you want to spend under the dunes, not beside a highway.
A small camp at the edge of the Empty Quarter: majlis tents, a fire pit, dinner cooked over coals and a dune walk at first light. Minimum two nights from October to April. Visits by arrangement through our concierge desk.
Chauffeur & limousine · Al Maryah
Corniche Chauffeurs
The car we send when a taxi is not quite right.
Airport pickups from Zayed International, business days and Dubai transfers in a saloon or seven-seat van with a driver who knows both cities. Full-day and multi-day hire too.
From the guide
News, features and practical guides.
Guides · 21 Oct 2026
Getting around: taxis, buses and the Corniche on two wheels
Cream taxis are metered and cheap. Here is how to use them, and when the bus wins.
Culture · 18 Oct 2026
Under the dome: how the Louvre makes rain out of light
Jean Nouvel’s dome filters the sun through eight layers of steel to recreate shade under palm fronds.
Reader supported
Keep the guide free
Independent, visited, never pay-to-play.