traveldk.com

Morning

Start your day with breakfast on the outdoor terrace of Lime Tree Café . Enjoy the gentle morning sun as you sip on some coffee or a juice.

Drive or hire a taxi to Jumeirah Beach Park where you can take a safe swim. Follow it up with a small snack by the picnic table. If you want to simply laze about, you can hire a sunbed under the palmtrees and spend the morning relaxing in the sunshine. Leave at lunchtime and head to Madinat Jumeirah where you have a huge choice of restaurants at which to enjoy a leisurely late lunch, many overlooking the waterways. Afterwards spend an hour or two shopping for souvenirs or browsing the lovely Arabian-reconstructed Madinat Jumeirah Souq here.

Evening

Now head to one of Dubai’s most atmospheric resort venues, the One&Only Royal Mirage’s Arabian Court, to the Rooftop Bar . From this high point, you can sip a cocktail over superb views of Palm Jumeirah Island and watch the sun set over the Gulf. For dinner head to the hotel’s Beach Bar & Grill, a delightful Arabian-themed seafood restaurant located on decking right on the beach where you can enjoy the sound of the waves. It’s worth booking a table here beforehand.

Morning

Start your tour at the Heritage and Diving Village at 10am, where you can learn about Emirati crafts and the history of Dubai’s pearling industry. Break for fresh lemon juice and mint at any of the nearby waterside restaurants.

Now head in the opposite direction to explore the rest of the Shindagha Conservation area; include a visit to the museum within Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum House (see Waterfront Heritage ).

Following the curve of the Creek you will arrive at the wooden-domed Bur Dubai Souq. Enjoy a browse of the textile and curio stalls here. Also, peep down the alleyways for views of restored windtowers and small fabric and tailor shops. At the end of the first covered section of the souq, head left to the Creek for a great view across to Deira Spice Souq . Then wend your way through to Ali Bin Abi Thalib Rd – to your right is the unmistakable Al Fahidi Fort and Dubai Museum (see Dubai Museum ), where you can easily spend an interesting, informative hour.

Afternoon

Head along Al-Fahidi St to the Bastakiya area where you can enjoy a leisurely courtyard lunch outside the restored building of the Basta Art Café. After-wards, spend some time exploring Bastakiya’s alleys and buildings; don’t miss Bastakiah Nights and the Majlis Gallery .

Morning

Start your day at the futuristic Emirates Towers with the excellent full breakfast buffet at Mosaico restaurant. Now for some his and her pampering. He should head for 1847, a classy gents salon, and ask for the 1847 shave – a 35-min old-fashioned treat that includes an oil massage, double shave and mask (Tel 330 1847, open 10am–10pm, AED 90, other treatments include facials and pedicures).

She should make a beeline for N.Bar where she can enjoy the combined manicure & pedicure treatment (Tel 330 1001, open 9am–9pm, AED 110).

Leave the hotel and drive or take a taxi down the Sheikh Zayed Rd to the Al Quoz district after interchange no 3 (just before Mercedes-Benz showroom) where you’ll find The Courtyard, Dubai’s biggest art gallery exhibiting and selling works of art from the region and wider afield. Return to the Sheikh Zayed Rd and continue to the huge Mall of the Emirates . Plenty of choice for lunch here but the Emporio Armani Caffé is the most stylish spot.

Afternoon

Spend the afternoon browsing your favourite shops among more than 400 outlets here at Dubai’s biggest retail centre. To rest your feet, catch a movie at the multi-screen cinema. If you are up for a bit of action, cool off with some skiing at Ski Dubai .

Afternoon

Aim to start this walk around 4:30pm, when the souq shops re-open after prayers and temperatures are cooler. Start with an abra crossing from the Bur Dubai Abra Station. You can disembark at Deira Old Souq Abra Station (see Abra Trips ). Take the underpass beneath Baniyas Road to emerge at the spice souq entrance. Enjoy a browse among the fragrant alleyways here. Leave the spice souq at Al-Abra St, turn right along Al-Ras St which leads into Sikkat Al-Khail St. Ahead you will see the latticed entrance to the Gold Souq with its colonnaded interior. There are more than 300 jewellery shops to explore (most take credit cards).

Wander into the alleyways off the main thoroughfare and enjoy a cup of tea at one of the small cafés.

Exit at the gold souq and continue along Sikkat Al-Khail St to the tiny Perfume Souq. The shop windows here are a treasure trove of bottles filled with heady Arabian scents, incense and oud.

Evening

Enjoy an evening snack by continuing along Sikkat Al-Khail St to Ashwaq Cafeteria , a down-to-earth café with outdoor tables, serving shwarmas. Next, head along the Creek to admire the Dhow Wharfage (see Dubai Creek ). For a relaxed end-of-day, drop in at Radisson SAS Hotel’s Up on the Tenth (see Up On the Tenth ) and chill with a cocktail and sensational sunset Creek views.

Morning

Get a taxi in the early morning to the big flagpole at the tip of the Breakwater for views of the city skyline. Walk to the Abu Dhabi Heritage Village close by soon after opening, and spend time admiring the recreations of old souqs, Bedouin camps and barasti living quarters. Stop by a coffee shop on the white sand beach overlooking the city for a refreshment. You’ll need to pick up the pace for a brisk walk around the Breakwater and along the causeway to the Emirates Palace. Take time to admire the jaw-dropping interior and refuel at the elegant coffee shop. Then continue along the Corniche, stopping to catch stunning views of Lulu Island.

Afternoon

When you get to Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum St (2nd St) you’ll see the signs to Central Market – head down here to look at the giant white iconic statues of Abu Dhabi’s beloved symbols – a coffee pot, cannon, incense burner and perfume sprinkler. From here, cross the busy intersection with Al Nasr and Hamdan Sts to the Cultural Foundation for lunch at Delma Café . After lunch, check out Heritage Corner. Grab a programme to see if there’s a cultural performance in the evening that’s worth returning for. Head back to the hotel for a well-earned siesta and then return to the Corniche to watch the beautiful sunset.