Dubai in 1 day: the must-see sights

The city of Dubai, capital of the Emirate, has much to discover. Whether you prefer a historical walk, a day of shopping or a stroll along the seaport, this is the destination for you. In this post I'll take you on a tour of the most special places in Dubai that you can enjoy in one day. You'll love them: you can discover the city's past, enjoy a view from the heights or visit a water zoo.

When you think of Dubai, what comes to mind? Surely not a humble traditional city. However, that's what it was until not so long ago, before high-rise buildings began to be built and the city became a symbol of luxury and modernity.

I suggest you make the most of your day in Dubai by starting with a stroll through the oldest part of the city. It was on the banks of the river that the first inhabitants settled, trading in pearls and fish. If you are really interested in learning about the history of Dubai, I recommend booking a tour of old and modern Dubai.

Today you can still feel this old city style with a walk along the water. I especially recommend the Deira Creek or Heritage Village areas to enjoy on foot.

If walking along the banks of Dubai Creek makes you want to cross the water, you can do so in a traditional boat. Abra, traditional Dubai boats, cost about €28 per hour, regardless of the number of people on board.

You can also take a ferry to enjoy the views to the north and south. On either side is one of the city's historic districts. To the south you can see Bur Dubai, the more modern area, and to the north the more traditional Deira. There are two interesting ferry routes you can enjoy if you take a cruise on the Dubai Marina. Both last about an hour and cost around €12 (about AED 50):

• A tour of the oldest and most traditional part of Dubai. It departs from Al Gubaiba Pier on the Bur Dubai waterfront. There are two departures a day, at 17:00 and 19:00.
• From Dubai Marina, the second ferry route takes you to the Jumeirah Palm. It departs daily at 9am and 11am.

Another fabulous option is to book a yacht tour of the Dubai Marina to see the main sights of Dubai, take in the breathtaking skyline and enjoy a fantastic lunch or dinner, depending on the time of day you choose. Not to be missed!

You're very close: Al Fahidi is also located in Bur Dubai, the traditional part of the city. It is a historic neighbourhood full of striking buildings.

Although today we understand Dubai as a centre of modernity, the old quarter with its Arab architecture is a marvel. In fact, it has been designated a World Heritage Site and is a charming tourist attraction.

But it's not just buildings that a stroll through the district has to offer. In addition to the windy towers, you can wander through beautiful narrow streets, visit museums and art galleries or sample the local cuisine. With its unique flavour, the Al Fahidi area will stick in your memory and is not to be missed!

You can't leave Dubai without visiting one of the typical old Arab markets, a souk, and practising your haggling skills. Or at least try to, because mastering this skill takes time.

There are three main souks in Dubai:

• Textiles.
• The spice souk.
• The gold souk.

Nowadays, the souks have been converted by tourism and you'll find that more souvenirs than textiles are sold, but booking a tour of Dubai's souks is an irresistible plan if you like shopping. In addition, many of the traditional tailor shops have been converted into boutiques, although you can still get a good deal on a tailor-made suit.

The Al Fahidi neighbourhood is the perfect place to sample the local cuisine. There are plenty of places to choose from. When it's time to refuel on your tour of the city, I suggest you book a street food tour of Dubai... or visit one of these two places I recommend.

A Bedouin meal at the Centre for Cultural Understanding

Take a break from your sightseeing to visit the Centre for Cultural Understanding's restaurant, in a restored wind tower, where they prepare authentic Emirati cuisine while offering a programme of talks on local culture.

Under their motto 'Open Doors, Open Minds' they offer a free experience: from cultural meals, where they answer questions from visitors, to guided tours of one of Dubai's finest mosques.

They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner to share sitting on the floor, in the Bedouin tradition. Quite an experience! Remember to book to make sure you get a seat, though, as it does get busy. You can also stop by for coffee in the typical finjaan cups, served directly from a dallah coffee pot. The Centre is located on Al Musalla Rd.

Try the updated tradition: Aseelah Restaurant

For a fusion of traditional and contemporary cuisine, don't miss Aseelah Restaurant in the heart of the old town. It is decorated with Arabic elements and has an impressive jute tree in the centre of the restaurant.

Traditional dishes such as samak or Arabian lobster are finger-licking good! Prices vary depending on what you order, of course. There are options from around €40, but the bill per person can go up a lot depending on the dish. You can find it on Baniyas Rd.

Now that you know the old and traditional Dubai, I suggest a radical change of scenery: visit the Dubai Mall.

How to get there

You can take the green metro line to Burjuman station and then connect with the red line to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall.

Public transport will take you about an hour. You can buy a one-day unlimited travel card for about €5. You can also take a taxi or Uber. The journey takes about 20 minutes and costs about €8. If you see a pink taxi, it is a vehicle driven by women and only offers its services to other women.

What you'll find

Dubai's shopping malls are truly amazing and I find the Dubai Mall to be the most impressive in the city. In fact, it's the largest mall in the world.

It's not just a place to shop - inside this huge complex you can find all these attractions and experiences:

• There's an ice rink, the ** Dubai Ice Rink**, where if you're lucky you can witness a snowfall.
• There is also an impressive indoor waterfall. You wouldn't expect it, inside a shopping mall.
• Its aquarium has 300 species of animals, including rays and sharks, and is open from Sunday to Wednesday between 10:00 and 22:00. The price is around 38€ and I recommend you buy tickets for the Dubai Aquarium in advance.
• A flight simulator, where you can sit in the A380 pilot's seat. Tickets must be bought in advance. The price is around €85 for half an hour.
• If you go with children, don't miss the haunted house or the children's theme park (KidZania). Reservations are required. Admission to KidZania costs around €50 per person.
• Of course, there are also shops: more than 1,200 shops from all over the world, such as Bloomigsdale or Galeries Lafayette Haussmann.
• You can also visit a diplodocus fossil, 7 metres high, 24 metres long. Yes, just like the ones in the movies.
• And if you get hungry unexpectedly, don't worry: there are restaurants for all tastes and ages.

The Miracle Garden is a Garden in Dubailand which opened on Valentine's Day 2013 and soon became a tourist attraction.

How to get there

From the Mall of Emirates or Mall of Dubai you can reach the Miracle Garden directly by public transport. It takes about 20 minutes by bus 105, as well as by taxi or Uber.

What you'll find

This visit is even more impressive if you remember that Dubai is built in a desert area. This is the largestplanted flower gardenin the world (72,000 square metres and 45,000 planted flowers). The flowers are arranged in shapes such as hearts or stars.

Interesting details

• Price: Admission to the garden costs approximately 11 euros.
• Opening hours: The garden is open from 09:00 to 21:00, but only six months of the year, the winter months. The weather in Dubai is so hot from June to October that the plants can't stand it in summer.

Be sure to take a stroll around Dubai's downtown area. Downtown Dubai is a touristy and trendy area, with surprising nooks and crannies and a fast pace of life.

From the Business Bay, the business district, you can take a selfie with the city skyline, including the towers of the luxurious JW Marriott Marquis Dubai hotels. And wandering the streets of the neighbourhood you'll find everything from the Dubai Opera to international fashion boutiques.

What you'll find

A neighbourhood full of life, with the buildings and experiences of modern Dubai.

The Burj Khalifa is the tallest skyscraper in the world and one of Dubai's landmarks. It is located in an area known as Downtown Dubai and is 828 metres high. But don't worry, you'll get there fast: the lifts are high-speed.

How to get there

From Jumeirah Beach you can get there on foot, it's about a 15-minute walk. If you're coming from another part of the city, getting to the Burj Khalifa is easy.

Enjoy the city from the top

You can climb to the 124th and 125th floors and enjoy a 360º view from the top of the Burj Khalifa that includes the city, the sea and the desert. Be careful if you are afraid of heights! The floor of the observation decks on these floors is made of glass.

It is very popular to go up at sunrise or sunset: at these times, the impression is even more intense. There is an even higher observation deck on the 148th floor, and if the heights make you hungry, you can grab a drink at the world's highest café, The Lounge Burj Khalifa.

The tour also includes a multimedia presentation on the history of Dubai and how the skyscraper was built. I recommend getting your Burj Khalifa ticket online. The price is around €40 per person and must be booked in advance.

What time is it? 18:00? Come on down! 300 metres from the Burj Khalifa, there's a water show that doesn't disappoint. At the Burj Lake there is a daily show in a 275-metre-long fountain. Its water jets reach a height of 150 metres.

But if you want the plan to be even more spectacular, in true Dubai style, I recommend that you buy tickets for the fountain show, which includes a night-time ride on a traditional boat and pick-up and drop-off back at the hotel. In luxury!

Useful facts

• Where: Opposite the Burj Dubai, on the terrace of Dubai Mall.
• Hours: Daily from 18:00 to 23:00, every 30 minutes.

It's time to stop for a break and a drink, isn't it? The Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa neighbourhood is called Dubai Downtown and is the centre of the modern city. Here you can find restaurants for all tastes and budgets: from fast food to fine dining.

My favourites? Here they go:

• The Royal Orchid: On Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard is this restaurant specialising in Far Eastern dishes, from Japan to Thailand. The dishes are presented with care and the flavours are very well cared for. The price is around 50 € per person (depending on what you order, of course) and, of course, reservations are required.
• Neos: Located on the 63rd floor of a skyscraper, you can enjoy a drink or a snack while watching the fountain show from a unique location on Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, the price is around €69 and the place has a dress code: you can't go up there in shorts or flip-flops. It's quite an experience.

You're looking forward to the trip, aren't you? Wait a minute! There's something else I have to tell you: You have two options: go on your own or book an organised tour.

Do you prefer to book an organised tour or travel on your own?

First of all, you can choose to go on an organised tour. Some take the whole day (about 9 hours) and offer a guided tour of Dubai's most iconic sights.

• They cost around €90 per person per day. I advise you to review the proposals in this post and choose a tour that includes the points that interest you most.

• If you're interested in this option in a very comfortable version, check out the Dubai sightseeing buses that run around the city.

You can also visit these places on your own. As this is a day trip, I recommend using a taxi or Uber. Public transport is safe and cheap, but much slower, so don't waste your time in the city! If you choose this option, you can also find guided tours to specific points along the route. For example, there are several tours of the Al Fahidi neighbourhood with a guide who will answer all your questions. This tour lasts about an hour and a half and costs around €28.

This is the end of our tour. What a day! I hope you enjoyed the itinerary.