Abu Dhabi is a wonderful holiday destination with its year-round sunshine, beautiful parks and luxury shopping malls. The city has lots of stunning beaches which are a great place to relax and unwind. It’s also a relatively easy place to be a tourist as English is widely spoken and transport is clean and efficient. As you would expect, there are some extremely opulent and luxurious hotels on offer, but there are also some more affordable options available.
Sightseeing tour
A brilliant way to start your holiday in Abu Dhabi is with a tour of the city’s top sights and attractions. The best tours are run on double-decker buses, which are air-conditioned, and include an audio commentary giving you all the important information on the sights. The tours are run in a hop-on, hop-off style, which means if you see something you’re interested in you can get off and explore further.
Emirates Palace Hotel
The incredible Emirates Palace Hotel cost £1.9 billion to construct and opened in 2006. The hotel is a popular tourist destination even for people who aren't lucky enough to stay there. The hotel has spectacular marble and gold interiors with over 1,000 crystal chandeliers. It’s a great place to experience some local culture, as the hotel plays host to lots of classical concerts, as well as opera and film screenings.
Ferrari World
Abu Dhabi’s a great place to visit if you’re a bit of a petrolhead. The city is not only home to the Yas Marina twilight Formula One race, it also has Ferrari World. The centre is home to the world’s fastest rollercoaster which accelerates from 0 to 240km/h in just 4.9 seconds. The ride really is the best way to get the Formula One experience. Ferrari World also has a great selection of tamer rides for children, and there’s a brilliant selection of Italian-themed food on offer.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
A great way to experience some of the local Arab culture is to visit the Grand Mosque. The building was completed in 2008 and is home to stunning mosaics as well as crystal chandeliers. Entry to the Mosque is free and one of its minarets contains a library that holds some very rare Arabic manuscripts.
