We want you to have the best time of your life in Dubai! What places to visit in the most popular city in the United Arab Emirates? Continue reading to find out more!
How many days do you need to visit Dubai?
We would say, 3 days is enough for a stopover to get an idea of the city. But we highly recommend staying for a week, to explore more of this beautiful country and get to know the culture. If you have more time, even better! There are plenty of things to do.

Day 1
After arriving at your accommodation, you might want to head straight to the most famous spot in Dubai - The Burj Khalifa!
It is located Downtown right next to the Dubai Mall, one of the biggest malls in the whole world. You can spend hours there without getting bored and believe it or not, there is even a waterfall inside the mall!
Things to see
- Dubai Mall Aquarium
- Ice Rink
- Dubai Mall Fountain
- Fountain light show (outside the mall)
- multiple shops and much more...
Go see the Burj Khalifa and the light show at night! It's an incredible experience, believe us!
What's the best spot to see the Burj Khalifa? We recommend eating or just having drinks, at OPSO Dubai. They have very special cocktails, you will definitely be surprised.
Day 2
Beach day!
Let's have a relaxed second day, should we? Dubai has a lot of public beaches to choose from. We recommend the following beaches:
- JBR Beach
- La Mer
- Marina Beach
- Jumeirah Beach
Some hotels offer a shuttle service to the beach. Otherwise, you can take a taxi, it's super cheap anyway!
Our favorite beach is Marina Beach, and we explain why:
There are lots of restaurants and bars close by as well as a lot of water activities to do, for example, driving a jetski! Also, we just love the vibe there.
We recommend going to The Cheesecake Factory, for some delicious food, especially sweets.
At Dubai Marina Beach, you will have an amazing view of the Dubai Ain - the world's tallest ferries wheel.
Things to See:
- JBR Beach
- Marina Walk
- Ain Dubai (Ferris wheel)
- Dubai Marina Mall
Recommended additional activities:
Flying Cup, Skydive, Dinner in the Sky
What to do in the evening?
The day is not over yet!
In the evening, you can do a Dhow Cruise with a dinner buffet and some fun dance shows. Or go to a club - we recommend the Billionaires club. Check out current events online, to make sure where the party is going on tonight.
Day 3
Deira / Old Town Dubai
Of course, no Dubai holiday is complete without visiting the old town of Dubai! You can spend the whole day at Deira, visiting museums and the markets. Have some Tea at the Arabian Tea House or check out the Starbucks there (the architecture is amazing).
Things to see:
- Spice Souk (market)
- Gold Souk
- Textile Market
- Dubai Creek (boat ride)
- Al Shindagha Museum
- Wall of old Dubai
- Arabian Tea House
- Heritage Village
Take a short boat ride (Abra) from one side of the creek to the other for only 1 Dirham, like the locals. You will see Dubai Creek from a completely new perspective.

7 Day UAE Itinerary
Do you have more time to explore? In 7 days, you can not only experience Dubai itself, but you will also have time to explore outside of the city and visit places around. Dive deeper into the rich history of the United Arab Emirates and make memories that will last forever.
Day 1-3
Follow our 3-day itinerary first, to experience everything Dubai has to offer in just 3 days!
Day 4
Day Trip to Abu Dhabi
A trip to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, is one of the best day trips that you can do from Dubai. Abu Dhabi is a stunning city and there are many things to see! You can also spend more than one day in this stunning city.
You can rent a car and go on your own, but parking might be a hassle. To have a stress-free experience, book a tour starting from Dubai. They are very affordable, and a guide will explain to you all about the history and most famous sights there.
Things to see:
- Emirates Palace
- Sheikh Zayed Mosque
- Ferrari World
- Heritage Village
- Markets and Malls
- And much more!
Day 5
Day Trip to Hatta
Or choose one of the multiple other day trips. We let you know our favorite ones later!
If you are interested in history, this day trip is perfect for you. Hatta is located about 1.5 hours from Dubai, close to the Oman border. This part once belonged to Oman and at the Hatta Heritage Village, you can still see what the houses once looked like and how people used to live there.
There is also a lake where you can relax and do activities like kayaking.
It is recommended to book a day trip from Dubai with an agency, but you can also rent a car and go on your own. Guided tours are affordable, but even better to go in a big group to get an amazing deal.
Once back in Dubai, you can head out to experience the nightlife of Dubai again. What about a nice rooftop bar? We recommend
Day 6
Malls, Malls, Malls!
We haven't been to any other city that has so many malls! Spending time in malls in Dubai is a lot of fun, each one is different. So go and check out Mall of the Emirates, our favorite mall in Dubai in the morning.
In the afternoon, we recommend doing a desert safari! What desert safari should you choose?
If you book an organized desert excursion (and we definitely recommend doing so), you can decide if you want to do it in the morning or the evening. We highly recommend the evening desert trip, as you will have a night show with belly dancing and fire dancers.
You will get picked up by your driver in the afternoon for the evening desert experience. Most of the time, the following activities are included:
- Dune Bashing
- Dance Show
- Barbecue Dinner Buffet
- Sandboarding
- Camel Ride
- Henna Tattoo
- and much more…
Make sure to compare different operators and have a look at what's included in the price, to get the best value for money.

Day 7
This day is all about your own interests. Dubai has so much to offer - and we don't want to choose for you - we understand that everyone has his own preferences! Depending on your flight departure, you can decide, based on your interests, what to do.
Do you love museums? Here are the best museums in Dubai with their entry prices
- Museum of The Future (36€)
- Etihad Museum (6€)
- Al Shindagha Museum (including Perfume House and Dubai Creek: Birth of a city) (3,70€)
- Heritage Village (free admission)
- Women's Museum (5€)
- Infinity des Lumiéres (varies)
You are an adrenaline junkie? These activities are perfect for you
- Skydiving at Dubai Marina
- Skiing at the Mall of the Emirates
- Aquaventure Waterpark
- iFly Dubai
You can easily spend another day just at the beach - you deserve it! Or check out another mall for some more shopping. The options are endless.
Read more about our Hidden Gems in Dubai later!
Do you want to relax some more? Here are the top 5 beach clubs and resorts in Dubai
- Nikki Beach Club
- Riva Beach Club
- Zero Gravity
- Barasti Beach
- Blue Marlin
Flyback home or continue traveling in the evening or the next day. We hope you will have a great time in Dubai!
The best Day Trips from Dubai

Abu Dhabi: A trip to Abu Dhabi is probably the most famous day trip from Dubai. Abu Dhabi is a stunning city and there are many things to see! Make sure to visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque (pictured above) as well as Emirates Palace and Ferrari World. You can even spend more than one day there.
Hatta: If you are interested in history, this day trip is perfect for you. Hatta is located about 1,5 hours from Dubai close to the Oman border. This part once belonged to Oman and at the Hatta Heritage Village, you can still see what the houses once looked like and how people used to live there. There is also a lake where you can relax and do activities like kayaking.
Musandam: How about visiting Oman? Musandam is located in the northern peninsula of Oman and is physically separated from the mainland of Oman by the UAE. It is a great place to swim, snorkel or do a boat tour.
Sharjah: Sometimes you don't have to go far for a day trip. The city of Sharjah is only 30 km away from Dubai and worth a visit for sure. Sharjah is a more traditional and family-oriented emirate, so please make sure to dress accordingly. You can visit some museums, see the Al Noor Mosque and go to Al Noor Island, a small but beautiful island with a butterfly garden.
