Abu Dhabi often takes a back seat to Dubai. However, you can feel like you’re in a similarly luxurious city here, and Abu Dhabi’s attractions also dazzle visitors. Get to know one of the richest cities in the world!
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates and the emirate of the same name, the largest city in the country, and the second most populous after Dubai.
It is located in the central, northern part of the country, on the coast of the Persian Gulf, in the northern foreground of the desert et-Taff region. It was built on an island, connected to the mainland by a causeway and several artificial bridges.
Many say that Abu Dhabi has better preserved its original atmosphere. It’s not for nothing that it’s called the cultural capital of the Emirates.
I spent 4 days in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which you can read a detailed travelgue here!
Table of Contents
Abu Dhabi attractions
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
The 8th largest mosque in the world. It is named after Emir-President Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
It’s an impressive building both inside and out. The mosque is adorned with 54 white marble domes. The minarets at the four corners are 115 meters high. It can accommodate a total of 40,000 worshippers, with the main prayer hall holding 9,000 people.
Two world records are associated with the mosque. The world’s largest carpet can be seen here, covering an area of 5,700 m2 and weighing a total of 47 tons. In addition, it boasts the world’s largest chandelier, which is 10 meters in diameter.
All information can be found here!
Emirates Palace
The palace is a hotel and conference complex that tourists can also visit. The color of the building is meant to reflect the various shades of sand found in the Arabian Desert.
The walls are gilded, decorated almost everywhere with gold and silver mosaics. There are 394 rooms in the hotel, including 114 suites. Most of the suites are furnished with gold and marble.
Louvre Abu Dhabi
With an area of 8600 square meters, it is the largest art museum on the Arabian Peninsula. The permanent collection consists of about 600 artifacts and artworks.
The museum showcases artworks from all over the world, with a particular focus on bridging the gap between Eastern and Western art.
The complex consists of 55 white buildings inspired by old Arab towns. From the outside, it is covered by a dome resembling overlapping palm leaves. Inside, the Nouvel dome is a spectacular architectural solution through which the sun filters in differently each time.
For the first year after its opening in 2017, 13 French museums loaned works to the museum. These include Leonardo da Vinci’s La Belle Ferronniere from the Louvre, Vincent Van Gogh’s self-portrait from the Musée d’Orsay, and a statue depicting Ramses II from the Louvre.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi also showcases ancient artifacts and antiques from the Middle East. For example, a monumental two-headed bust from Jordan that is more than 8,000 years old and a prehistoric stone tool from Saudi Arabia made 350,000 years ago.
All information can be found here!
Observation Deck at 300 viewpoint
Abu Dhabi’s observation deck is located in one of the Jumeirah Etihad Towers skyscrapers, on the 74th floor, 300 meters high.
The enclosed floor with 360-degree panorama offers a fantastic view of the city.
Qasr Al Hosn
The oldest stone building in the city, built in 1761 for the purpose of controlling trade.
It fits well into the modernity of downtown. Nowadays it operates as a museum, showcasing the country’s history through objects and images.
All information can be found here!
Corniche
You can take a pleasant walk along the several kilometer-long promenade running along the seafront.
There are many cafes and restaurants along the wide, sandy beach.
Heritage Village
The „open-air museum” on Al Marina Island showcases the lifestyle before wealth.
Various buildings, stone huts, Bedouin tents and palm leaf houses, as well as numerous tools, allow us to go back in time a bit.
Admission is free!
Aldar HQ Building
Every big city has its own special building. For Abu Dhabi, this is the Aldar Headquarters Building.
The building is circular, and can rightly be called a futuristic structure. It’s as if a coin was transformed into architecture.
Falcon Hospital
The animal hospital near the airport is the world’s largest falcon hospital.
Tourists can visit the institution themselves, where they can also participate in various demonstrations. In addition, they provide shelter for cats and dogs.
Yas Island – the island of entertainment
The island next to the airport is a real entertainment center.
Its most famous attraction and program is Ferrari World. The theme park built on the Ferrari theme is the world’s largest indoor amusement park. It houses the world’s fastest roller coaster (about 240 km/h), the Formula Rossa. More information can be found on the website!
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi is the amusement park of the Warner Bros cartoon company, which is also indoor and air-conditioned. It has six themed areas featuring famous cartoon characters such as the Flintstones, Batman, or Tom and Jerry. More information can be found on the website!
Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi is a water park that caters to all needs. It has more than 40 slides. The attractions are divided into four categories, depending on age and adrenaline levels. It houses the Middle East’s longest suspended roller coaster, which is more than 550 meters long! More information can be found on the website!
The island is home to the Yas Marina Circuit, where Formula 1 races are held.
Religion
Since we are in an Arab country where Islam is the religion, we need to pay attention to a few things!
Although it’s a city with a more modern outlook (for an Arab country), we should observe the main rules! Men should preferably not walk around in loose tank tops, and women should not wear provocative outfits. Although there are no sanctions for this, it may elicit disapproving looks.
The period of Ramadan is particularly noteworthy (for us, it’s at a different time each year). This is the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar, when Muslim believers do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. During this time, do not eat or drink in public!