Dubai Itinerary for 7 Days

Dubai Marina Area: Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Bluewaters Residences Island

The Dubai Marina area is an artificial canal city. Mostly western ex-pats live here.

5 BEST THINGS TO DO IN DUBAI MARINA

1)  STROLL ALONG DUBAI MARINA WALK

Dubai Marina Walk is an awesome 7 km (4.3 mi) waterfront walkway along the canal in the Dubai Marina Area.  As you walk along, you have a beautiful view over the canal with luxury yachts and luxury hotels.

Also, it’s an excellent place for trying international cafes, food outlets and restaurants.

A main course costs starts around 60 AED (~ 16 USD) in a restaurant. The street food is also very delicious along the promenade. You can grab a piece of shawarma for 25 AED (~ 7 USD).

Dubai Marina – one of the best places to visit in Dubai in 7 days

2) SEE DUBAI’S HIGHLIGHTS ON A SPEEDBOAT TOUR

That was one of the most amazing things I did in Dubai. I took my speed boat tour at 1 pm. It was a good decision because it was super sunny at that time.

This is really the best way to see some of the major landmarks of Dubai such as the Dubai Marina, Dubai Eye, Atlantis The Palm Hotel, and the Burj Al Arab.

By all means, book the 99-minute boat tour as that’s the only one taking you to the Burj Khalifa as well. I tried an hour-long wooden boat tour as well but it’s not that wauuu as I thought.

So, after trying different boat tours, I can tell you that the speed boat is the most exciting one and the best for nice photos as well.

I also highly recommend that you book with the same company I linked here because I can tell you that they are really awesome. They have nice and funny English-speaking guides. And most importantly they take awesome pictures. You’ll have so much fun with them. :-)

3) GO ON AN UNFORGETTABLE BREAKFAST CRUISE

If you like it more relaxed, then take a luxury yacht tour with breakfast or barbecue. ONE OF THESE BOAT ACTIVITIES IS A MUST!

By taking this tour you will also see the same places as I did from the speed boat: Dubai Marina, Dubai Eye, Atlantis The Palm Hotel, and the Burj Al Arab.

4) ENJOY THE SUN AT JUMEIRAH BEACH RESORT (JBR)

Palm Jumeirah Beach is an extremely popular beach. It’s full of people and restaurants. If you are a beach person, just stay there for a while. Then, I can recommend you to walk around in the shopping and dining area of the beach, and have dinner in one of the restaurants next to the beach to feel the vibe of the place.

Jumeirah Beach – one of the best places to visit in Dubai in 7 days

How to get to the JBR from Dubai Marina

After the boat tour, take a water taxi to the Marine Promenade which is around a 30-minute journey. It costs 8 AED (~2 € / USD). From the water taxi station, you can walk to Palm Jumeirah Beach which is in front of the Jumeirah Beach Residence.

5) WALK TO THE BLUEWATERS RESIDENCES ISLAND

From the JBR you can walk to the Bluewaters Residence Island taking the Bluewaters pedestrian bridge from which you will have a nice view of the beach and the Dubai Eye.

DUBAI DESERT SAFARI

There are a lot of super cool activities in the desert and it’s hard to decide which one to go for. But I’ll help you to decide. There are shorter and longer desert tours shared and private ones.

Dune bashing in the Arabian Desert – Must be in any Dubai Itinerary

Let me tell you about the most popular and best desert safari in Dubai

Premium Red Dunes & Camel Safari with BBQ at Al Khayma Camp

This is a 7-hour desert safari tour, you have all these included:

• Hotel pick-up
• Dune bashing with a 4 WD Land Cruiser
• Mineral water for the bashing
• Soft drinks
• English speaking guide
• Sandboarding
• Short camel ride
• Camel feeding
• Gaymat (traditional sweets), Gahwa (coffee), and dates
• Henna painting
• Falcon experience
• Smoking shisha in the shisha Lounge
• Traditional dance show
• Barbecue meal: open buffet

I say, go for this one to get the real Arabian vibes! :-)

BUR DUBAI (OLD DUBAI) & DEIRA: Dubai Heritage village, Bastakiya Quarter, Dubai Creek, Deira

10 BEST THINGS TO DO IN OLD DUBAI

1) TRY AN INDIAN RESTAURANT

When you get to old Dubai, you can find a myriad of inexpensive places to eat. For example, I had Indian Chicken Biryani for 13 AED (~4 USD) with Karak (milk tea) for 2 AED close to the metro station.

Alternatively, you can have lunch in an Indian restaurant called Bikanervala in the heritage village.
I paid 30 AED (~ 8 USD) for a meal and 7 AED (~ 2 USD) for a Karak (milk tea). As it’s a touristy area, the prices are higher.

All of them very very tasty.

2) VISIT THE DUBAI MUSEUM

From the station walk to the Dubai Museum. The entry fee is 3 AED (~0.80 USD)

The Dubai Museum is the primary museum of Dubai. It’s right next to the Al Fahidi Fort which is the oldest building in Dubai.

Dubai Museum in Old Dubai – Dubai 7 day itinerary

3) VISIT THE DUBAI HERITAGE VILLAGE AND THE BASTAKIYA QUARTER

This area is called the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
The name of the Bastakiya district is named after an Iranian town called Bastak and it was built in the 1890s mostly by rich Persian merchants who came to Dubai to trade.

Bastakiya quarter in old Dubai – Dubai 7 day itinerary

Bastakiya quarter in old Dubai – Dubai 7 day itinerary

Bastakiya quarter in old Dubai – Dubai 7 day itinerary

4) LEARN ABOUT EMIRATI FOOD AT THE SHAIKH MUHAMMAD CENTER FOR CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING

When you are in old Dubai, either participate in the breakfast or lunch program of the Sheikh Mohammed Cultural Center. It lasts for 90 minutes. You need to book well in advance as this event is super popular.

In Dubai, you find a lot of international restaurants but not so many places where you can try traditional Emirati dishes. But here you can taste a variety of local Emirati dishes and learn about the customs and traditions of the UAE.

Click on the options below to see the details:

Breakfast at Sheikh Mohammed

Lunch at Sheikh Mohammed Cultural Center

5) LEARN ABOUT COFFEE CULTURE IN THE COFFEE MUSEUM

Before or after the cultural center, try coffee in the Coffee Museum where the entrance is 10 AED (~3 USD). Then, stroll around this historical area and check out all the other museums if you have time. Most of them are free.

Bastakiya quarter in old Dubai – Dubai 7 day itinerary

6) ARABIAN TEA HOUSE CAFÉ

If you are interested in an authentic Emirati experience, go for the Arabian Tea House Restaurant and Cafe which is close to the Coffee Museum. Here, traditional Emirati main courses cost between 60 and 70 AED (~16 – 19 USD).

I paid 60 dirhams (~16 USD) for a Chicken Deyay and 25 dirhams (~7 USD) for a hibiscus tea. I can highly recommend both of them.

It’s not only you getting hungry :-) – Dubai Itinerary

7) SHOP AT THE DUBAI OLD SOUK

It’s a typical Arabian street market but mostly with Indian sellers. It’s a great place to take pictures and buy souvenirs.

I actually went to a shop close to the station which looked like a Euro Shop and bought souvenirs there. I bought the same shiny camel for 10 AED that they offered for about 40 AED.

What I really enjoyed in the old souk was Indian street food and Karak (milky tea). I asked Pakora for 5 AED and Karak. The Karak on the street costs only 1 AED. No need to ask for the price of the Karak, just pay 1 dirham.

As for the Pakora, just ask for it for 5 AED. If you ask the price, you will pay more. This Pakora is actually so filling that it’s enough for lunch.

Things to buy in Dubai – Shopping in old souk is one of the best things to do in Dubai

Spices in old souk in Bur Dubai

8)  TAKE A BOAT RIDE AT THE DUBAI CREEK

Dubai Creek has been serving as a fishing area, a pearling site and a gateway for trades for centuries. Today it’s one of the most visited tourist attractions of Dubai.

Old trading boats at the Dubai Creek – Dubai 7 days itinerary

8)  TAKE A BOAT RIDE AT THE DUBAI CREEK

Dubai Creek has been serving as a fishing area, a pearling site and a gateway for trades for centuries. Today it’s one of the most visited tourist attractions of Dubai.

Take an abra, traditional wooden boat, from Bur Dubai to the other side of the Dubai Creek to Deira.

Taking this water taxi is the most authentic and traditional way of traveling in Dubai. I’ve done that a few times just for fun. :-) Each boat is for 20 passengers and it costs only 1 AED. If you are willing to pay more you can do it privately.

Abra boats in Bur Dubai

Trying the old wooden boats called abra at the Dubai Creek is must do in Dubai

9) GET LOST IN GRAND SOUK DEIRA

It’s a traditional Arabian marketplace labyrinth of mostly covered alleyways. It’s also called the Al Souk Al-Kabeer.

This is where you can buy a lot of exotic spices, herbs, coffee, and dried fruits such as dates. Make sure you buy dates here.

Ask for premium dates which are called Medjool dates in Arabic. Medjool dates are dates of the highest quality. I got big juicy Saudi Arabian dates which I can highly recommend. I bought a lot for my family as a gift and they loved it.

Redgold saffron in Deira, Dubai

10) BUY GOLD AT THE DEIRA GOLD SOUK

This is a very famous part of the grand market. It’s full of jewelry stores. It has about 300 shops selling gold. This is where you can buy jewelry at the best possible rate. Feel free to haggle to get some gold as cheap as possible.

One of the many gold shops in Deira – Dubai Itinerary

DAY TRIP FROM DUBAI TO ABU DHABI

HOW TO TRAVEL TO ABU DHABI FROM DUBAI

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, is an amazing city full of beautiful and fun places.

If you want to see the best things to see in Abu Dhabi in one day, you must have your own car or join a tour.

If you want to visit Abu Dhabi from Dubai using the public bus running between the two cities, start the day as early as possible.

Then, in Abu Dhabi, you should get around by taxi. It’s possible to move around by local buses in Abu Dhabi but if you have only one day it’s not worth it. It takes too much time to buy bus tickets and the buses rarely run and they are too slow. Taxi is really cheap in Abu Dhabi anyways.

BEST CITY TOUR FROM DUBAI TO ABU DHABI

The best way to visit Abu Dhabi is by joining a tour.

Let me show you the best tour from Dubai to Abu Dhabi:

Abu Dhabi full-day sightseeing tour from Dubai

I recommend this tour because it covers the most tourist attractions in Abu Dhabi.

It’s an 8 to 9-hour tour including the best things to see in Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Zayed Mosque, The Corniche, in Abu Dhabi, Emirates Palace, Qasr Al Watan and Marina Mall.

5 BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN ABU DHABI

These are the best places that you can see in one day in Abu Dhabi.

1) SHEIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE

Establishing this grandiose mosque was one of the amazing projects of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was the former Ruler of Abu Dhabi for 30 years and the first president of the UAE.

His intention was to build a structure that unites the cultural diversity of the Islamic world and where modern and historical art meet.

The entrance is free.

In the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, you need to cover up.

Women must wear headscarf and abaya inside the mosque. You will get one free of charge at the entrance. I bought a nice black abaya with golden embroidery in one of the souvenir shops in the mosque. It cost 150 AED (~37€ / ~ 41USD)).

Men need to wear long trousers and full sleeve shirt.

In the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE – Dubai Itinerary

2) QASHR AL WATAN, THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE

In the past, the Presidential Palace was only used for official purposes, such as hosting foreign leaders of states and for highly important presidential meetings. Even after being opened to the public, the palace continues to be used for these purposes.

As of today, it’s open to the public as well. Sheikhs Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the current Ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the United Arab Emirates, and Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces decided to show this beautiful palace to the world.

The entrance fee for adults is 65 AED (~17.70 USD) and 30 AED for children.

Inside the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi, UAE – Dubai Itinerary

3) EMIRATES PALACE

It’s a luxury 5-star hotel with stunning Arabian interiors that you must see. When you are there, you will feel like you were dropped in the most beautiful fairy tale ever.

Even if you are not a guest, you can visit the hotel. There is no admission fee.

4) ETIHAD TOWERS

It’s a mind-blowing complex of buildings with five towers. They have a really amazing design. If you are in Abu Dhabi only for one day, you’ll not have time to go there but you can see them from the court of the presidential palace.

5) THE CORNICHE, ABU DHABI

The Corniche is an 8 km long seaside promenade including a 5,5 km beach, the Corniche Public Beach. If you start walking from the most northern part of the corniche, the Mina Dhow Harbor, in about two hours, you will end up at the Presidential Palace and the Emirates Palace Hotel.

When you are there, you can have a nice meal in one of the amazing restaurants on the beach or in the Marina Mall.

Palm Jumeirah, Atlantis the Palm, Waterpark, The Pointe

Palm Jumeirah Monorail – Dubai 7 day itinerary

6 BEST THINGS TO DO IN ATLANTIS DUBAI & AROUND IT

1) MARVEL AT PALM JUMEIRAH FROM THE SKY

Palm Jumeirah is the largest artificial island in the world.  It’s an incredibly fascinating archipelago shaped like a palm tree.  It’s home to luxury hotels and resorts such as the famous Atlantis, The Palm, beautiful apartment buildings and beachfront villas.

If you want to get the best view over this island, you need to fly. The most exciting way to get an epic view over the Palm is from a helicopter.

The world’s largest artificial island, Palm Jumeirah, in Dubai, UAE

2) LOOK AROUND ATLANTIS THE PALM

When you get to the Atlantis the Palm, you can walk along the coast and in the public area of the Atlantis Hotel.

In the public area, you can find a bunch of awesome places of entertainment. In one day, you’ll not have time for all these fantastic activities. Thus, you’ll need to pick the ones you like the most.

Atlantis The Palm Hotel also must be on any Dubai itinerary

3) DISCOVER THE LOST CHAMBERS OF ATLANTIS

In the Lost Chambers you will find a water lagoon with 65,000 marine animals including sharks, eels and sea horses.

4) HAVE FUN AT THE AQUAVENTURE WATERPARK

The Atlantis Aquapark is the number 1 Waterpark in the Middle East. It’s full of crazy adrenalin-pumping rides.

5) SWIM WITH DOLPHINS IN THE DOLPHIN BAY

How about making new friends with dolphins? Yes, Dubai is all about unforgettable experiences. You can meet cute dolphins and spend 30 minutes with them in Dubai’s Aquaventure Waterpark at Atlantis.

This way you can get free access to the Aquaventure Waterpark. This one is actually only in shallow water but there is another activity where you can swim with a dolphin in 3-meter deep water.

6) ENJOY THE POINTE BEACH

On the way back, take a taxi or the monorail to The Pointe Beach which was my favorite public beach.

From there you also have an amazing view of Atlantis. Especially, in the evening, it’s an awesome place to have a dinner with a wonderful view over the illuminated Atlantis the Palm and the monorail.

7) MARVEL AT THE PALM FOUNTAIN SHOW

It’s similar to the Dubai Fountain Show but it’s more colorful and there is no crowd there. I personally like this much more.

Palm Fountain’s show timings: On weekdays, the first show starts at 6 pm and the last show starts at 10:30 pm. On weekends, luckily the last show starts at midnight.

Jumeirah Mosque, Kite Beach, Burj Al Arab, Madinat Jumeirah

Start the day with the Jumeirah Mosque. From the mosque, you can take a taxi to Kite Beach. There are buses as well. But save time by taking a taxi. By bus, it would take too much time.

From the Kite Beach, you can walk to Jumeira Public Beach. It would take you around 30 – 40 minutes. To be honest, I don’t find these public beaches impressive at all.

From this Kite Beach, you can go to the Burj Al Arab and take photos with it at the gate. It’s very popular among tourists.

If you really want to go to beautiful beach, I recommend skipping the Kite Beach and the Jumeira Public Beach, and go to the Ocean Beach.

Ocean Beach is a private beach that belongs to the Jumeirah al Naseem Hotel. It’s also known as the Madinat Jumeirah private beach but on Google Maps, you will find it as Ocean Beach. If you are not a guest, the day pass to use the beach costs 450 dinars (~123 USD).

From this beach, you will have the best view of the iconic Burj Al Arab.

From the Burj Al Arab, you can walk to the Madinat Jumeirah where you will find an indoor bazaar and picturesque lake with cozy restaurants.

The entrance of Souk Madinat Jumeirah – 7 day itinerary Dubai

It’s a perfect place for a nice and quiet lunch or dinner. A meal at Madinat Jumeirah costs at least 150 AED (~37 € / ~41 USD). But in most restaurants, you would pay more here.

Madinat Jumeirah – One of the best places to visit in Dubai in 7 days