ABU DHABI DO
Rosemary Behan suggests 6 great things to see in the city
Abu Dhabi continues to play host to visitors from all over the world, attracted by a unique Gulf culture and environment that has remained through the dramatic shift from fishing village to glittering highrises. An exciting city that must be explored, here are six of the best attractions to visit following the opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi. 1 QASR AL HOSN Dating from the 18th century, Abu Dhabi’s oldest building is directly linked to the city’s extraordinary development, having started life as a coral and sea stone watchtower built by the Bani Yas tribes. Visit the handsome old fort and expertly curated multimedia exhibition next door, from 9am-8pm daily (free; qasralhosn.ae).
2 SHEIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE Gloriously majestic, the building is a unique combination of Mamluk, Ottoman and Fatimid styles. Marvel at the attractive mosaics, huge German-made crystal chandeliers, intricate glasswork and the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet, crafted by 1 200 artisans. If you can, tear yourself away and ascend one of the mosque’s minarets to a library that houses rare calligraphy and Arabic manuscripts. Free entry; 9am-10pm, Sat-Thurs, 4.30pm-10pm on Fridays. Visitors must cover the shoulders and legs and women must cover their hair; robes are provided free of charge (szgmc.ae).
3 MANARAT AL SAADIYAT Manarat Al Saadiyat, meaning “the place of enlightenment” (saadiyat.ae) is an expansive visitor centre on Saadiyat Island that hosts a variety of exhibitions showcasing a growing range of local and international art. If you need a break, head to Fanr Restaurant (fanrrestaurant.ae), a café-restaurant with a lovely garden.
4 WAREHOUSE421 This modern cultural space at Mina Port was transformed from an industrial warehouse to a platform that showcases seasonal art exhibitions, local cultural history and film screenings (warehouse421.ae/en). Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-8pm, closed Monday.
5 YAS ISLAND Abu Dhabi’s Island plays host to the world’s largest indoor theme park, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, and Yas Waterworld, a Florida-style theme park with 43 rides, slides and attractions
(yaswaterworld.com). It has enough to keep adrenaline-oriented adults as satisfied as their children. (Ferrari World: Adults DH233 (R842); open daily, 11am-8pm; Yas Waterworld: above 1.1m/3ft 6in tall, DH212 (R766); for those below, DH178.50 (R646); open daily, 10am-6pm).
6 A DAY IN THE DESERT No visitor should miss the sense of space and calm provided by the desert. Liwa marks the start of the Empty Quarter, a vast expanse of desert, but there are other areas closer to the city. Arabian Nights Village (arabiannightsvillage.com) offers a “desert day safari” that includes transport, “dune bashing“, sand sledding, a visit to a camel farm, dinner and entertainment from DH300 (R1 085) per person.