Dubai, the glittering city in the United Arab Emirates, offers a range of attractions and activities you should not miss. It is an intriguing mix of shiny skyscrapers, beaches, parks of every kind, shopping, markets, gold and more. A tour guide I met there put it in an interesting way: “In Dubai they have created a man-made playground to suit every person at every age, men, women and children.” You can see what he means. From the Smurfs park to the flower park, the tallest tower, the prettiest, the biggest, the longest: everything is “the most”. I made a short list of things you have to see in Dubai. The full list is longer still, of course.
Downtown: things you have to see in Dubai’s centre
The Burj Khalifa
The tallest tower in the world. You can go up to the observation deck on floors 124-125 and enjoy the view from one of the highest terraces anywhere. There is also an option to go higher, to floor 148, but the price is much steeper and, to my mind, not worth it. Floors 124-125 are plenty, and that is where the overwhelming majority of tourists go.
The Dubai Fountain
The fountain show takes place every evening next to Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa, every half hour. A spectacular light show on the tower itself has been added between performances.
Dubai Mall
A gigantic mall covering 1.1 million square metres! It has more than 1,200 shops, and among other things you will find an ice rink, an amusement park, the Dubai Aquarium, a waterfall and an Emirates flight simulator.
Old and new
The Dubai Frame
A recommended stop. From a height of 150 metres you can look out over the whole city and see the difference between old Dubai and new. The Frame works as a metaphorical bridge between the city’s past and its lavish present.
The Gold Souk and the Spice Souk
Do not miss a walk through the Gold Souk, where you can admire countless items in gold, diamonds and more. Some say gold there is significantly cheaper than in Israel.
One of the more thought-provoking things I saw was the huge gap between the wealthy traders dealing in gold and diamonds and the poorer people who practically beg you to buy something, even a can of drink. They will try to coax you into a small side shop to sell you perfume, fake watches, bags and wallets. Yes, Dubai has that too.
Mall of the Emirates
The second-largest mall in Dubai. All the chains are here, and so is Ski Dubai, a small ski slope in the middle of the desert. Really: a lift, ski gear, a hill, skiing. It is a sweet little resort for amateurs and beginners.
On the entrance level there is an enormous supermarket, and wandering around it is an experience in itself. I happened to be there on the eve of Ramadan, shortly after the peace agreement and at the height of Covid. It is hard to describe the atmosphere, but I will try. It was like the day before Passover in an Israeli supermarket. Pre-holiday pressure, families with children loading overflowing trolleys, a fresh fish counter, fruit and vegetables, queues, stress at the tills. One of the locals explained that this was the evening of the first meal before the fast, and I understood the crush. It was a remarkable thing to see.
Out of the centre
Global Village
A wonderful park you can visit again and again. It is essentially a fair of dozens of countries from around the world, each with its own food, market, music and typical products. The Turkish pavilion, for example, is a real bazaar with Turkish goods and Turkish food, and the same goes for China, India and the others. There is also a great amusement park and a variety of shows. I watched a spectacular car stunt show there for the equivalent of just ten shekels.
Miracle Garden
Dubai’s flower park is a place of endless blooms and colour in the middle of the desert. It has earned a Guinness record, with an area of 72,000 square metres and more than 50 million flowers arranged in striking shapes and as well-known characters.
It makes sense to visit Miracle Garden and Global Village on the same day. They are close to each other, and Global Village usually stays open late into the night. Note that both are closed in the summer months.
The list of things you have to see in Dubai goes on. For more, read Dubai’s must-see attractions, our guide to shopping in Dubai and how to choose a desert safari.
