You’ve landed in Dubai. The clock is ticking, and you have 48 hours to discover how incredible this city is. Spoiler alert: you can’t do everything (that’s why you need to plan a return trip), however, you can pack an awful lot into 48 hours.
Don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, we’re here to help – we’ve mapped out your dream Dubai weekend (or couple of weekdays), giving you a flavour of everything the city has to offer.
It’s going to be jam-packed, filled with the best things to do in Dubai.
Let’s go.
Day 1: Morning
Experience UAE culture
First stop – breakfast.
Getting straight into the culture, head for a traditional Emirati breakfast at the Arabian Tea House in Bur Dubai, and enjoy one of their breakfast trays, filled with dates, molasses, Balaleet, watermelon jam and baked beans.
Then it’s time to walk off that breakfast around Old Dubai. Take in the sights on either side of Dubai Creek, and you can even use an abra – a traditional boat – to ferry you over for just Dhs1. Enjoy a stroll through the Gold Souk to hunt out a bargain (haggling is expected!), or the traditional boutiques around Al Seef to get a feel of Dubai in years gone by.
Arabian Tea House, Daily 7am-11pm, Al Fahidi Street, Bur Dubai, arabianteahouse.net (04 353 5071).
Dubai Gold Souk, Deira,
Day 1: Afternoon
Explore Dubai Mall
You’ll be getting your steps in today that’s for sure, as next on the itinerary is an adventure around the world’s biggest shopping mall.
With over 1,500 shops and restaurants, there is everything at Dubai Mall that you could ever need.
It’s not just about shopping though – you’ll also find Dubai Ice Rink, an enormous Reel Cinemas and an e-karting track. Love sea life? Dubai Mall is home to the world’s largest aquarium and underwater zoo, where you can go on a tour under the sea, meet penguins or swim with sharks.
Downtown Dubai, thedubaimall.com.
Day 1: Evening
Enjoy Downtown Dubai
For your evening activities, make sure to catch the sunset at Burj Khalifa. Head up to At The Top and book your viewing slot just before dusk to make the most of the views on floor 125. Want to go even higher? There are other packages available that will whistle you all the way up to level 148.
When you get hungry, head to Time Out Market and grab something from the huge selection of food stalls – keep an eye out for Pitfire Pizza, Pickl and Mattar. Find a table outside on the terrace for a front row seat to The Dubai Fountain show, which runs every 30 minutes from 6pm.
Your last destination of the day is Cé La Vi for a few drinks overlooking Downtown Dubai. You’ll be served some incredible views of glittering Burj Khalifa, which looks even more impressive from this 54th-floor restaurant.
If the weather isn’t too hot, head out to the terrace to make the most of those stellar panoramas.
At The Top, Daily 9am-10pm, Burj Khalifa, Downtown Dubai, burjkhalifa.ae (04 888 8124).
Time Out Market, Mon-Thurs noon-midnight, Fri noon-1am, Sat 10am-1am, Sun 10am-midnight. Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai Timeoutdubai.com (054 375 2421).
Cé La Vi, Level 54, Tower 2, Address Sky View Hotel, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd, celavi.com, reservation-dxb@celavi.com (04 582 6111).
Day 2, Morning
Yoga and breakfast at Aura Skypool
Is there a better way to start the day than cooling off at one of the hottest spots in town? Aura Skypool is the world’s highest infinity pool, with 360-degree vistas and incredible views over Atlantis The Palm.
Spend the morning tucking into breakfast – with dishes like an Asian brunch bowl or miso eggs benedict – and taking a dip. The pool is an ideal spot to pose for pics or, if you’re the active type, you can do a yoga class three mornings a week for the ultimate flex (literally).
Aura Skypool, Mon 10am-7pm, Tues 10am-11pm, Wed 6am-11pm, Thurs 6am-7pm, Fri 6am-11pm, Sat 8am-11pm, Sun 6am-7pm, The Palm Tower, Palm Jumeirah, auraskypool.com (04 566 2121).
Day 2: Afternoon
Unwind at the beach
It’s time to relax with an afternoon at Kyma. This gorgeous beach club and restaurant comes from the team behind some of the hottest spots in town and is located on Palm West Beach.
Soak up the sun, enjoy some refreshments and take in the swish bohemian vibes.
Daily 10am-1am, Palm West Beach, Palm Jumeirah, kymabeach.ae (04 666 5999).
Day 2: Evening
Dine, sip and party
It wouldn’t be a trip to Dubai without witnessing Burj Al Arab in all its gilded glory. If you want a spectacular view of the ‘seven-star’ hotel, book a beachfront table at Mediterranean restaurant Nuska Beach at Jumeirah Beach Hotel. Complete with a seafood-inspired menu and relaxed beachy vibes, this is a perfect choice for your final dinner.
As the evening continues, head to Sushisamba for a show-stopping after-dark drink. With sprawling views over Palm Jumeirah, coupled with an iconic menu of ‘Samba Serves’ mixed drinks, it’s definitely worth sipping one last digestif here.
If you want to keep the party going, end your trip on a high at FIVE Palm Jumeirah hotel. Packed with entertainment, the venue never sleeps. Don’t miss out on sipping something refreshing on the Maiden Shanghai terrace, or a dance at Bling nightclub – where you can drive your supercar onto the dancefloor – for one last 48-hour fling.
Nuska Beach, daily 12.30pm-1am, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Umm Suqeim 3, Sevenrooms.com (800 323 232).
Sushi Samba, Mon-Fri noon-3pm & 6pm-2am, Sat-Sun 1-3.30pm & 6pm-3am, Level 51, The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm sushisamba.com (04 278 4888).
Maiden Shanghai, Sun-Thurs 7pm-1am, Fri-Sat 7pm-2am, FIVE Palm Jumeirah, maiden-shanghai.com (04 455 9989).
Bling, Tues 10pm-4am, Thurs-Fri 10pm-4am, Sat 11pm-4am, Sun 10pm-4am, FIVE Palm Jumeirah, blingdxb.com (058 869 8996).
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