United Arab Emirates
48 hours in Abu Dhabi
bu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates, is just a bit over an hour drive from Dubai but I visited Dubai during COVID so the borders were closed. Naturally, I had to come back. Summer is probably the worst time to visit the United Arab Emirates because of how humid it gets, but we went ahead and booked tickets for Abu Dhabi for a weekend getaway with a very loose program.
July is considered off-season, so hotels were also cheap, we booked Le Meridien for a three-night stay and it was exactly what we wanted: a nice place to rest, a big pool to fight the humidity and it was pretty close to our destinations. Humidity was over 60% so we needed an Uber or a taxi but the prices were relatively low.
Our first stop was Forever Rose café at the Galleria, the place where everything looks hand drawn and black and white, for brunch. This is where we got lost in a square with tall buildings until we realized the café was actually on a lower level of the mall. The good thing about July in Abu Dhabi is that, while outside is hot, the ACs are working overtime to make everything inside cool and comfortable.
Humidity was over 60% and while outside is hot, the ACs are working overtime to make everything inside cool and comfortable.
After brunch, we headed over to the Louvre in Saadiyat Island. Louvre Abu Dhabi, founded in 2017 and has become a must-visit ever since. An architectural masterpiece on the outside and an art haven on the inside, it may not have a Mona Lisa but its exhibits include iconic masterpieces from the Post-Impressionist period, including works by artists like Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne etc. The ticket is at €16.
Next day we booked a driver / guide for Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the main attraction and one of UAE’s biggest landmarks. A breathtaking building from the second you set foot on its premises until the last look before you leave. The building includes 82 domes and more than 1000 six-sided columns, with white marble and semi-precious stones.
Its construction began in 1996 and lasted for 11 years, eventually becoming the burial place of the man behind its vision, Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan. In the inner halls of the mosque, you will see 11 clocks in the inner halls of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, designed in the shape of a six-petaled flower. In the center, the analog hands indicate the hour and minutes, while the digital panels indicate the prayer times.
Keep in mind that when you visit the Grand Mosque, both men and women must cover their arms and legs and avoid wearing skirts or shorts. A headscarf is handed out on entrance, for females to cover their hair. You start your journey underground in a mall and you follow the path until you reach security before continuing to the mosque (the entrance is free).
After the Mosque we headed to Heritage Village (free entrance), which is practically a time capsule that takes you back ton old-world souk with a mosque and a camp modelled after life before UAE became so modern. The rest of the day had us strolling through a dates market with various flavours to try and buy and the Emirates Palace Mandarin hotel, a magnificent gold-plated hotel that will have you observing every detail.
Despite the high humidity levels, Abu Dhabi was an interesting destination. You won’t be needing more than 2 days unless you want to explore and rest a bit more. We skipped hotel’s breakfast and bought snacks from the grocery store nearby, with a great variety of cheap sweet and savoury pastries (so here’s a tip for a more budget-friendly tip), but believe it or not, it’s not an expensive destination in general.
