Dubai

City guide · 2026 edition

Dubai,
your way.

The Burj Khalifa, the old souks, an abra across the Creek and the beach at the Burj Al Arab. Build your itinerary, see what's walkable and when to take the metro, and add dinner and an evening out.

Plan your perfect trip

How long are you staying?
Who are you travelling with?
First time here?
What do you want to do?
Your budget?
or start from our suggested plan below
01

Itinerary

Your schedule

Day 1

  1. 09:00 Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood – Sand-coloured lanes and wind towers from the 1890s, with galleries, cafés and small museums.
  2. 10:15 Coffee Museum – A small museum in an old house with grinders, brewing pots and the story of Arabic coffee.
  3. 11:00 Textile Souk (Bur Dubai Souk) – A covered lane of fabric, pashmina and tailor shops beside the creek, where bargaining is normal.
  4. 11:45 Abra ride across Dubai Creek – A five-minute ride in a wooden water taxi between Bur Dubai and Deira, the cheapest boat trip in the city.
  5. 12:00 Spice Souk – Narrow lanes of sacks of saffron, frankincense, dried limes and herbs, next to the abra station.
  6. 14:30 Gold Souk – A covered maze of over 300 jewellers in Deira, famous for its window displays of gold.
  7. 16:00 Al Shindagha Museum – Heritage houses on the creek mouth telling how Dubai grew from fishing village to city, with a perfume house.

Day 2

  1. 09:00 Dubai Frame – A 150 m picture frame with a glass-floor sky deck: old Dubai to the north, the skyline to the south.
  2. 11:00 The Dubai Mall – One of the world's biggest malls with 1,200 shops, the Fountain Walk and the Aquarium tunnel in the middle.
  3. 14:30 Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo – A 48 m walk-through tunnel with sharks and rays, plus the Underwater Zoo with penguins and otters.
  4. 16:30 Burj Khalifa (At the Top) – The world's tallest tower: levels 124/125 are the first-visit deck, SKY on level 148 costs extra.

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02

Eat & drink

Restaurants near your stops

Book your meals into your day. Every day has a breakfast slot (avg. 45m, or mark it as at your hotel), a lunch slot (avg. 1h 15m) and a dinner slot (avg. 1h 30m). Use “＋ Add to schedule” on any place below, or pick one straight from a slot in your schedule.

  • Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant (Emirati & Arabic · $$ · Old Dubai)
  • Kailash Parbat (Al Seef) (Indian & Pakistani · $$ · Old Dubai)
  • Sind Punjab Restaurant (Indian & Pakistani · $ · Old Dubai)
  • Aden Restaurant (Emirati & Arabic · $ · Deira)
  • Siraj (Emirati & Arabic · $$$ · Downtown)
  • Shake Shack (International · $$ · Downtown)
  • Five Guys (International · $$ · Downtown)
  • Bateel Cafe (Café · $$ · Downtown)
  • Baker & Spice (Bakery · $$ · Downtown)
  • Thiptara (Asian · $$$ · Downtown)
  • Din Tai Fung (Asian · $$ · Downtown)
  • Magnolia Bakery (Bakery · $ · Downtown)
  • Kaftan Turkish Gourmet (Persian & Turkish · $$ · Jumeirah)
  • Parker's (Café · $$ · Jumeirah)
  • Smoky Beach (International · $$ · Jumeirah)
  • Bareburger (International · $$ · Jumeirah)
  • Masti (Indian & Pakistani · $$ · Jumeirah)
  • Roti Rollers (Indian & Pakistani · $ · Jumeirah)
  • Shimmers (International · $$$ · Umm Suqeim)
  • The Noodle House (Asian · $$ · Umm Suqeim)
03

After dark

Dubai by night

04

Good to know

Practical info & fares

Heat and timing

  • October is still about 35 °C; midday is for malls, museums and the aquarium
  • Do beaches, souks, the Creek and Al Fahidi early morning or after sunset
  • Carry water and sun protection; metro, malls and taxis are air-conditioned

Dress code

  • Dress modestly away from the beach and pool: shoulders and knees covered in malls, souks and old Dubai
  • Mosques (Jumeirah Mosque, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque): covered arms and legs, women also a headscarf (often loaned at the door)
  • Swimwear only on beaches and at pools; public displays of affection are frowned upon

Alcohol

  • The legal drinking age is 21; carry your passport or Emirates ID
  • Alcohol is served only in licensed venues, mostly hotels and some restaurants
  • Do not drink or be drunk in public; drink-driving is a serious offence

Weekend, Friday prayers and Ramadan

  • The weekend is Saturday–Sunday (since 2022); Friday is a short working day
  • Friday prayers around 13:15: some places open only after, about 14:30–16:00
  • Ramadan is about mid-February to mid-March 2027: eating, drinking and smoking in public are not allowed in daylight, opening hours change and many restaurants open after sunset; visitors are not exempt

Prices, VAT and tipping

  • Menu prices usually include 5 % VAT; many restaurants add a service charge (often about 10 %)
  • Tipping is optional; 10 % or rounding up for good service is usual
  • Dinner is late: 20:00–22:00 is normal; malls often stay open to 22:00 or midnight

Metro, women-only cabin and Gold Class

  • The metro has a cabin for women and children; men who sit there can be fined
  • Gold Class (Gold Nol card, double fare) is a separate cabin with wider seats; do not sit there on a Silver card, you can be fined
  • No eating or drinking on the metro; top up your Nol card before the gate

Desert safaris

  • Book with a licensed operator (via your hotel or an official tourism channel); pickup is at your hotel
  • Evening safaris with dinner are the classic; the cooler months (about October to April) are the best season
  • Dune driving and camel rides are not for everyone: tell the operator about pregnancy, back problems or small children

Getting around

  • Taxis are cheap by European standards; use the RTA Dubai, Careem or Uber apps; pay by card
  • Allow time: Sheikh Zayed Road jams in the rush hours listed under fares
  • Salik road tolls are added to taxi fares; the abra across the Creek costs AED 1
05

Local life

Markets

Markets run on set days, so they are info only and not part of your schedule.

All markets, with a full guide →