How to plan 7 days in Dubai?

A jewel of the Middle East. A marriage of tradition and urban. A go-to destination for luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture, beautiful beaches, and a lively nightlife scene as well as for adventure, culture, and throwback to the golden old days.

I’ll walk you through some ideas on how to get the most out of your trip to Dubai and also how to plan 7 days in Dubai (full itinerary provided).

Where to stay in Dubai ?

Historic and culture-rich areas:

  • Al Fahaidi
  • Al Seef
  • Deira Dubai
  • Bur Dubai
  • Meena Bazaar
  • Gold Souk

Luxury and ultramodern areas: 

  • Jumeirah Beach Residence
  • Sheik Zayed Road
  • Downtown Dubai
  • Dubai Marina
  • Dubai Festival City
  • The Palm Dubai

What to see and do in Dubai?

There are plenty of beautiful places to see in Dubai and in the surrounding Emirates. Here are a few of our top picks. You can see photos of these locations below.

7 days in Dubai suggested itinerary

We’d love to help you design your bespoke trip to Dubai

Places to eat in Dubai

Connectivity

Free WiFi available around the city, register details online to gain access

Currency

Dirham (AED) Check conversion rates here

Visa

Depends on the country of origin.  None required for UK nationals

How to budget

Dubai is set to become the number one destination in the world for luxury tourism. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy Dubai on a budget. There are plenty of accommodation options, alternative transport modes, free activities to do and plenty of restaurants that won’t break the bank. 

Cultural Expectations in the UAE

When visiting any country, it is crucial to be well-aware of local customs. This will help avoid any cultural faux pas and help you enjoy your trip and interact with locals, without offending anyone.  

Religious insights:

  • Ramadan is the holy month in the Islamic calendar and is extremely important.  Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset during the holy month. When visiting the UAE during Ramadan it’s crucial to know not to eat, drink, smoke, or even chew gum in public. Aside from it being highly offensive to those who are fasting, it is also not allowed by law in the country.
  • Under no circumstances should one take pictures of Emirati women. Additionally, it’s considered extremely offensive to stare at women in national dress. Although tourists may do so innocently and out of curiosity, this shouldn’t be done at all. Any sort of unwelcome physical contact is seen as a form of disrespect and even flirting with Emirati women is frowned upon.

Public behaviors:

There are a few public behaviors that are extremely frowned up – and sometimes even illegal in the UAE. Being drunk and disorderly is a big no-no and people can even be taken in by the police for doing so. Additionally, public displays of affection are deemed to be rather disrespectful to Emirati culture. Another thing to be mindful of as tourists are what to take pictures of. It’s illegal to take photos of women, in addition to military and government facilities.

Show

Best time to visit

Winter months, from November to April. January and February see heavy tourist traffic due to shopping festivals.

Navigate offline

Download the RTA Smart Drive app and navigate your route while offline

Transport

You can catch an Uber, Dubai taxi offers a great service as well, or you can use the metro, it stops at most tourist destinations.

Did you sort out travel insurance for your trip?

Couples get a 25% discount and kids get to go FREE!

Free COVID cover included

for: 1: Cancellation; 2: Curtailment; 3: Emergency Medical & Repatriation;

click here to get your quote

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *