Zayed International brings you to the capital of the UAE, a quieter, more deliberate counterpart to Dubai — and home to one of the world's great mosques.
About the city
Abu Dhabi is the political and cultural capital of the Emirates, and it has spent its wealth differently from its neighbour. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the landmark — white marble, open to visitors, and genuinely extraordinary at dusk. Louvre Abu Dhabi sits on the water under a perforated dome that scatters light like palm shade.
The Corniche runs for several kilometres of beach and promenade, and the desert at Liwa, with some of the largest dunes on earth, is a few hours inland. The pace is calmer than Dubai's, and the distances are shorter.
Good to know
- —Modest dress is required at the Grand Mosque; abayas are provided at the entrance.
- —Abu Dhabi and Dubai are about ninety minutes apart by road.
- —November to March is the comfortable season.