City guide · UAE
Abu Dhabi
Grand mosque marble, Louvre light and island calm
November–March
UAE Dirham (AED)
Arabic (English widely spoken)
Middle East
The guides
The best of Abu Dhabi, by category
The UAE's capital spreads across natural islands, anchored by the 82-dome Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Jean Nouvel's rain-of-light Louvre Abu Dhabi. It moves at a statelier pace than Dubai, with a palm-lined Corniche, Formula 1 at Yas Marina and mangrove kayaking minutes from downtown.
The shortlist
If you only have time for the best
The single highest-rated picks across every category in Abu Dhabi.
Hotels
See all 6- 1
Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental
Corniche West (Ras Al Akhdar)
4.8★25,000+ reviews
- 2
The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort
Saadiyat Island
4.7★10,000+ reviews - 3
Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara
Liwa Desert (Empty Quarter), Abu Dhabi emirate
4.8★7,500+ reviews
Restaurants
See all 6- 1
Hakkasan Abu Dhabi
Emirates Palace, Corniche West
4.6★1,500+ reviews - 2
Zuma Abu Dhabi
The Galleria, Al Maryah Island
4.6★3,000+ reviews - 3
Li Beirut
Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Corniche West
4.7★1,500+ reviews
Bars
See all 6- 1
Observation Deck at 300
Conrad Etihad Towers, Corniche West
4.6★3,000+ reviews - 2
Ray's Bar
Conrad Etihad Towers, Corniche West
4.6★1,500+ reviews - 3
Hakkasan Bar & Lounge
Emirates Palace, Corniche West
4.5★1,000+ reviews
Attractions
See all 6- 1
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Khor Al Maqta
4.8★150,000+ reviews
- 2
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Saadiyat Cultural District
4.7★50,000+ reviews
- 3
Qasr Al Watan
Ras Al Akhdar, Corniche West
4.7★25,000+ reviews
Where to base yourself
Abu Dhabi neighborhoods, decoded
Pick your area first — it shapes everything else about the trip.
Corniche & Al Danah
Waterfront promenade, city heartAn eight-kilometre landscaped seafront of beaches, cycle paths and cafés runs beneath the downtown towers, with Qasr Al Hosn and the World Trade Center souk inland. This is the capital's daily life on display.
Saadiyat Island
Museums meet pristine beachThe cultural district pairs the Louvre Abu Dhabi (with Guggenheim and Zayed National Museum rising beside it) with the emirate's finest white-sand beach and turtle-nesting dunes. Beach clubs and resort restaurants fill the shore.
Yas Island
Theme parks and race weekendsPurpose-built for fun: Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros. World, SeaWorld and the F1 circuit cluster around Yas Marina and Yas Mall. Families can fill three days without leaving the island.
Al Maryah Island
Glass-tower dining districtThe financial free zone doubles as the city's restaurant row, with The Galleria's waterfront promenade lined by Zuma, COYA and dozens more. Evenings bring the smartest after-work scene in town.
Beyond the city
Day trips worth the ride
Dubai
1.5 hr by car or busThe Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and the souks of the Creek are an easy motorway run up the coast — go early and return after the fountain show.
Liwa Oasis & the Empty Quarter
2–2.5 hr by carThe dunes of the Rub' al Khali rise over 100 metres around the Liwa crescent, with Tel Moreeb among the world's tallest drivable dunes.
Al Ain
1.5 hr by carThe UNESCO-listed garden city offers the UAE's best oasis falaj walk, the camel souk, Al Jahili Fort and sunset from Jebel Hafeet's 1,240-metre summit road.
Eat like a local
What to order in Abu Dhabi
Machboos
The Emirati national dish of spiced rice with chicken, lamb or shrimp, perfumed with dried lime.
Try it at: Al Mrzab Restaurant, Al Danah
Harees
Wheat and meat slow-pounded into a savoury porridge, essential at Ramadan and weddings.
Try it at: Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe, Yas Mall
Luqaimat
Golden fried dough balls drizzled with date syrup and sesame, the Emirati answer to doughnuts.
Try it at: House of Artisans café area, Qasr Al Hosn
Regag with karak
Paper-thin crisp bread cooked to order with egg, cheese or fish sauce, washed down with spiced milk tea.
Try it at: Meylas, Al Raha Beach
Good to know
Abu Dhabi essentials, answered
Three days works well: one for the Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Watan and the Corniche, one for Saadiyat's Louvre and beach, and one for Yas Island's parks. Add a night in the Liwa desert if you can.
