Top 10 places to visit in Dubai

The world’s tallest freestanding structure, rising to an almost unbelievable height of 829.8m, A visit to ‘AT THE TOP’ observation deck on the 124th floor offers panoramic views that are simply breathtaking and includes a multimedia experience that details some of the difficulties overcome during the mammoth building project. Also, make sure you don’t miss the beautiful gardens that surround the tower at ground level. Dubai sightseeing trip will be incomplete without a visit to the building that has come to symbolize the city more than any other.

Skip the queues by buying your ticket in advance online at www.tickets.atthetop.ae

One of the biggest marketplaces for that most glistening of precious metals, when you set foot inside the Gold Souk. Stall after stall sells shiny new jewellery and other fineries. One for any checklist, even if your haggling skills don’t dazzle and you can wander around and enjoy all the sights of Old Dubai for free.

This isn’t strictly free but at Dh1 a ride it’s as good as! The abra boats at Dubai Creek one of the city’s best value-for-money experiences. You can hop on one of the small wooden boats – which are usually filled with commuters – and sail down the creek taking in the great view of old and new Dubai. The main abra stations are at Dubai’s Old Souq and the Dubai Gold Souq.

Dubai’s excellent museum is housed in the Al-Fahidi Fort, Bur Dubai. Built-in 1787 to defend Dubai Creek. The fort’s walls are built out of traditional coral blocks and held together with lime. The upper floor is supported by wooden poles, and the ceiling is constructed from palm fronds, mud, and plaster.

Museum display halls with exhibits and dioramas covering various aspects of traditional Emirati life (including pearl fishing and Bedouin desert life) and artefacts from the 3,000- to 4,000-year-old graves at Al Qusais archaeological site.

Dubai’s magnificent artificial archipelago is the epitome of beauty created by land reclamation, extending into the Persian Gulf. The archipelago resembles a palm tree with a circle when you take an overhead view of it. It was one of the first major tourism projects in the UAE and currently houses some of Dubai’s top tourist destinations like Atlantis the Palm, Aquaventure Waterpark and the Lost Chambers Aquarium.

Sitting slap-bang between Dubai’s older neighbourhoods clustered around the creek and the city’s modern sprawl, this ginormous 150-meter-high picture frame is one of Dubai’s latest sights in Zabeel Park.

Inside, a series of galleries whisk you through the city’s history and explore Emirati heritage before you travel up to the Sky Deck, where there are fantastic panoramas of both old and new Dubai to be snapped on the viewing platforms.

Afterwards, check out the Future Dubai gallery, which imagines the city’s futuristic vision.

Known as the home of the Dubai shopping festival, is one of the world’s largest shopping malls with an area of over 500,000 square meters! With more than 1200 stores, a large walk-through aquarium, a world-class ice rink, 14,000 parking spaces and more exciting experiences for shoppers, the mall was voted the best shopping experience in the world in 2010.

This is the zaniest garden ever. Not content with constructing the world’s largest buildings and malls, Dubai has created the world’s largest flower garden, spanning 2,000 square meters and home to a reputed 100 million flowers.

Everything that can be covered with flowers has been, from twee English-style cottages to windmills and trucks. There’s even a flower version of the Burj Khalifa. Stroll the walkways and enjoy the riot of colour and the wacky flower displays.

One of the city’s top tourist attractions, the Dubai Aquarium houses 140 species of sea life in the huge suspended tank on the ground floor of the Dubai Mall.

As well as free viewing from the mall, if you enter the Underwater Zoo, you can walk through the aquarium tunnels.

Different activities help you get a closer look at the sea life. Glass bottom boat tours are particularly popular. Cage snorkelling and shark diving activities are also on offer.

Bringing the cultures of the world together.

The world’s most significant tourism, leisure and entertainment project of UAE. Harnessing the world’s diversity and creativity into authentic experiences, Global Village, offers novelty appeal and intriguing glimpses, across all geographies and demographics, building and nurturing genuine human connections.

With the intent of bridging the gap and bringing the world together, Global Village strives to create happiness in every moment by celebrating the diversity and wonder of our world.