Middle East
Superlatives in the desert — the tallest, the biggest, the boldest.
The United Arab Emirates is the Gulf at its most ambitious — a young, glittering federation that turned desert and pearl-diving villages into futuristic cities in a single generation. Dubai is the showpiece: the world's tallest tower, palm-shaped islands, ski slopes in shopping malls and gold souks beside superyacht marinas, wrapped in year-round sunshine and tax-free glamour. Slick, safe and unabashedly over-the-top — love it or raise an eyebrow, there's nowhere quite like it.
What things cost: Dubai spans extremes — five-star hotels, fine dining and rooftop bars run expensive, but a shawarma, the metro and the old-town souks are cheap. Alcohol is pricey and mostly hotel-bound. Summer sees hotel rates tumble (but it is furnace-hot). When a zone below says 'low', that means low for Dubai, which still isn't budget.
Sometimes the event picks the city for you.
Six weeks of huge sales, nightly fireworks, concerts, markets and light shows across the city — the retail extravaganza Dubai is famous for, timed for the perfect winter weather. Even if you hate shopping, the fireworks, deals and buzz make it a lively time to visit.
Dubai · Citywide
The holy month of Ramadan offers a unique cultural window into Emirati life — days of fasting give way each evening to the festive iftar meal, when families and friends gather to break their fast, and lavish iftar and suhoor tents and buffets appear across the city's hotels. The atmosphere is reflective by day and celebratory by night. A special, culturally rich (if quieter by day) time to visit; join an iftar for a warm, memorable experience. Be respectful of fasting hours. A meaningful cultural highlight. Atmospheric and welcoming.
Abu Dhabi · Across the city
During the holy month the days are quiet and eating and drinking in public is avoided, but the nights come alive — lavish iftar and 'suhoor' feasts in the hotels, glowing Ramadan tents and a warm, communal spirit. A calmer, more reflective time to see the city.
Dubai · Citywide
The emirate's flagship arts-and-culture festival — the Abu Dhabi Festival, a month of world-class classical music, opera, dance, art and performances at grand venues across the city, drawing international artists and orchestras. A refined, cultured addition to the pleasant spring season and a sign of the city's growing status as a cultural capital. Go for the concerts and performances in the mild March weather. A sophisticated highlight for lovers of the arts. Elegant and world-class.
Abu Dhabi · Venues across the city
The Gulf's leading art fair — galleries from across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, plus talks and installations, the centre of a lively week of exhibitions and parties across the city. The moment Dubai's fast-growing art scene takes the spotlight.
Dubai · Madinat Jumeirah
One of the richest horse races in the world, run under floodlights at the vast Meydan racecourse — a glamorous night of racing, fashion, fireworks and a headline concert. Free to enter the public enclosure; dress up and join the spectacle.
Dubai · Meydan Racecourse
