Abu Dhabi in one day: the best route

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Day 6: Abu Dhabi in one day: the best route

With this guide from Abu Dhabi in one day we want to show you all the places that can be visited in the city in one day and that include the most places to see in Abu Dhabi.
After the flight to Dubai, make a route through Dubai in one day, where we toured some of the essential places to see in Dubai, continue with a tour of Dubai in two days, which took us to the oldest neighborhoods of the city , the tour of Dubai in 3 days, during which we enjoy a visit to the desert, one of the best tours and excursions in Dubai and yesterday complete the visit to the city with the route through Dubai in 4 days, today we have to continue with the Travel to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Rub 'al Khali in 9 days visiting a new city: Abu Dhabi.

In our case we have opted for the rental car in United Arab Emirates to make this journey and get to know Abu Dhabi in one day, but you can go perfectly by public transport or choose to take a tour like this day trip with a guide in Spanish or This tour in Spanish that includes the Great Mosque and the Louvre.
If you want more information, don't forget to read the post How to go from Dubai to Abu Dhabi (tour or free).


We leave the Damac de Vogue, which has been our accommodation in Dubai these days to take a taxi that leaves us at 40AED at the airport, in less than 20 minutes and where we go directly to the Hertz counters, which is the rental company of car that we have chosen through Rentalcars, which is the rental car search engine that we always use in our trips and with whom we have also contracted the premium insurance, in case something happens, to be fully covered.

Car rental in Dubai

In case you want to make a trip to the Rub Al Khali desert or make a route for the things to do in Abu Dhabi in a day in a freer way, without needing transportation, the best option is to rent a car, as we have made us.
We leave you some basic data to make this process much faster and faster.

  • Remember that to rent a car in the United Arab Emirates it is not necessary to have an international license. In case you have it, it doesn't hurt to take it.
  • The procedure once you are in the collection office is quite slow, so although it is very effective, it is important to go with some extra time.
  • If you pick it up at the Dubai airport, you must go to the office in the arrivals hall of the airport, where there are different offices of all rental companies, and do all the management there.
  • Then you will have to leave the terminal and go to the covered parking lot that is right in front of you and go to your company's office, where after delivering the papers, they will give you the keys and make a review of the car with you.
  • Remember to take pictures of the car at this time so that if you have any problem, you have proof of the condition of the car at the time of delivery.
  • Although you can rent the car with the basic insurance, we recommend you to take the extra premium insurance with Rentalcars, so that in case of any misfortune, you will get your money back.
  • Always carry a credit card, since no car or debit cards are allowed to rent a car.

Car rental offices at Dubai airport

Tips for driving in United Arab Emirates

In addition to the advice we have given you about car rental, we want to leave you some about driving in the United Arab Emirates.

  • The first and most important thing is to know that you are driving on the right, as in Spain and in general, driving is quite similar to ours.
  • In spite of that, remember to respect the speed limits since normally the locals usually go very fast and skip the speed rules. Do not get used to it and always follow the instructions.
  • In the center of Dubai the driving is usually quite calm, although it is true that there is a lot of traffic during practically all day, especially in the early morning and late afternoon, so if you are going to do a tour Where you have to get somewhere it is important to go ahead.
  • If you are going to do one Abu Dhabi route in one day Like us, it is best to start with the farthest visits from the most central area of ​​the city. In all the places of interest of the cities there is parking, normally free and paid if you must park on the street.
  • In our experience it is essential to bring GPS, either online or offline, since although the roads are very well indicated in most places they are very large roads with many lanes and in order to reach the most tourist sites you have to give a lot rodeo.
  • Gasoline is very cheap and there are many gas stations, both in cities and on the most tourist routes. Although it may vary, the price of 30 liters is about 55AED.

Car rental in United Arab Emirates

Once we have our car, we start the route from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, of 140 kilometers and that takes us 1: 30h or so, enjoying unique views of the city as we leave it and a great arid stretch as we move away from it and until we approach Abu Dhabi.

The first stop to make in Abu Dhabi in one day is none other than the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, one of the essential places to see in Abu Dhabi, which from the distance, we have to confess, has made us fall in love.

Remember that although we are going to visit the city by car, another highly recommended way to get to know Abu Dhabi is by booking any of the excursions from Dubai that we discussed above or booking this guided tour of Abu Dhabi with a guide in Spanish or choosing to book the tourist bus from Abu Dhabi, to forget about transportation and get to know the city in the most comfortable way.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque

Considered as the largest mosque in the country, this incredible work of modern architecture was built between 1996 and 2007 and more than 90000 tons of white marble were used in its construction, on which precious stones were embedded forming floral designs of An impressive beauty.
In addition to these data, the more than 1000 columns and 80 domes stand out in addition to its 4 minarets, more than 100 meters high, which stand next to the gleaming white domes, which stand out above the blue of the usual clear sky of Abu Dhabi, under which rest the remains of President Sheikh Zayed.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque

Sheikh Zayed Mosque is also known as the Great Mosque of Abu Dhabi and not only its exterior is magical. Inside you can find several Swarovski crystal lamps, decorated in gold and the largest carpet in the world, which is said to have worked 1200 people for more than two years.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque

The visit to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is free and is organized in an organized way, from the moment you enter the area of ​​the columns. In its outer part you can move freely and we advise you to dedicate a prudential time to tour the whole area and see the mosque from all perspectives as it is a true work of art.
Once you access its interior, you must follow an itinerary guided by a kind of fences, from which you will not be able to leave and that will take you through the most important points in addition to indicating the places where you can stop to take photos.

Interior of the Great Mosque

Something important is to remember that although access to the mosque is free and is one of the few to which non-Muslim access is allowed, it is necessary to maintain a dress code:

  • Men should wear long pants and covered shoulders.
  • Women should cover their hair and wear loose clothing that covers the legs and arms
    In case you do not have this type of clothing, before entering the mosque they will lend it to you for free.

Regarding the time of visit, in this Abu Dhabi in one day, we recommend you whenever you can see it day and night, when the lighting and the swimming pools that surround it, create a magical atmosphere.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque, one of the places to see in Abu Dhabi in one day

A good option to know the history of this mosque and the city is to book this guided tour in Spanish or this private tour, where you choose the itinerary.

Visiting hours: from Saturday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Fridays from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Price: free

Sheikh Zayed Mosque

Tips for visiting the Great Mosque of Abu Dhabi

In addition to the details we talked about earlier, we leave you a series of recommendations to visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque.

  • If you come by rental car, in the Sheikh Zayed Mosque there are several free underground parkings. You only have to follow the indications and above all, once you have parked, write down the entrance for which you have done it, since there are several, it is usually easy to get confused.
  • When you leave you will see that there is a huge underground shopping center with restaurants, bars and even souvenir shops, so if your visit coincides with lunchtime, you can take advantage of it here.
  • Although the entrance is free, in order to access the Sheikh Zayed Mosque you must make a kind of registration in some machines in which after putting your personal data, they will give you a ticket, which you must show security to be able to access the site.
  • The visit to the Great Mosque will take you about 2-3 hours minimum if you want to take photos, so we recommend you to come early and whenever possible, it is best to come first thing in the morning, when there are fewer people or last afternoon time
  • Remember that there is a dress code. In case you do not meet the requirements they will lend you a robe for women and pants for men.
  • In addition to the morning visit, if your route through Abu Dhabi in one day includes spending the night in the city, it is highly recommended that you come again at sunset to enjoy the blue hour in the mosque, as it is an unforgettable moment .
  • And last but not least, it is very important to maintain respect. If they give you a robe with a hood, it's for you to cover your head and hair. As much as you like to go out in the photos with the mane to the wind, please do not do it. Remember that places are made so that its inhabitants feel comfortable not for tourists to take pictures.
  • In addition to this, another of the best things to do in Abu Dhabi in one day is to see the mosque from the viewpoint Oasis of Dignity, located in front of the mosque, about 15 minutes walk.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque

Oasis of Dignity

This is one of the places that are not usually visited and that at least for us, is one of the essentials of the city. Located in front of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, you can go walking across the bridge in about 15 minutes or by car about 2 kilometers as you have to make a detour, this is a place that offers a unique perspective of the mosque and also usually Very little crowded.
As we recommend in the mosque, here we also recommend you come twice: during the day and during the sunset, since the views will be, we assure you, one of the moments you will not forget about this trip to the United Arab Emirates.

Hours: all day
Price: free
You have free parking on one side.

Oasis of Dignity

It is practically 12 noon when we leave the Great Mosque of Abu Dhabi to continue with the route of Abu Dhabi in one day, now towards the Louvre that is 23 kilometers away and where we arrived 30 minutes later.

The Abu Dhabi Louvre

Opened in 2017, thanks to the collaboration of the Louvre in Paris and 16 French museums, this museum has quickly become another of the places to see in Abu Dhabi in 1 day.
Located on the island of Saadiyat, where several more museums are expected to be built, this beautiful building, which cost more than 500 million euros, is one of the most beautiful museums in the world, designed by Jean Nouvel, which highlights its dome with 180 meters in diameter and almost 8,000 stars that let in the light, making the museum illuminate in a natural way, something that gives the interior rooms a unique atmosphere.

Louvre of Abu Dhabi

Although we can say that in the Louvre of Abu Dhabi there is no piece that stand out especially, it is the entire museum that deserves a visit and, of course, its more than 600 pieces have an incalculable value, chronologically telling the history of humanity.

Louvre of Abu Dhabi

In addition to visiting the rooms, you can eat in your cafeteria or restaurant or buy something in your beautiful store.
Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 8pm. Thursday and Friday from 10am to 10pm and Monday closed.
Price: 63AED.
Free parking

Louvre of Abu Dhabi

From here and after 2 and a half hours of visiting and eating in the cafeteria, we decided to continue with the Abu Dhabi in one day approaching the Corniche area, 20 kilometers away, where we arrived late at 3:30 p.m.

Corniche, another essential in Abu Dhabi in one day

Known for being one of the fashionable areas of Abu Dhabi, this large 8-kilometer avenue, runs along the beach and bordered by some of the most emblematic buildings in the city. Keep in mind that temperatures here, as in Dubai are usually very high, so walking or traveling the 8 kilometers is practically unfeasible, so we recommend focusing on the Corniche Beach area, which is one of the best known beaches in the city and where if you want you can take a dip from here, walk or drive, to the points we will talk about next.

Corniche

Etihad Towers

The Etihad Towers are a complex of 5 towers, located on the Corniche promenade and facing the Emirates Palace, among which are some of the tallest buildings in the country, such as Tower 2 with 80 floors and 305 meters high where 2011 the Jumeirah Etihad Towers Hotel was opened, where you can go up to the 74th floor, where there is a viewpoint that connects directly with the hotel and from where there are unique views of the city.
If you want to enjoy these incredible views, we recommend you book this ticket to the Etihad Towers observation platform or the afternoon tea experience at the Etihad Towers observation platform.

Ethiad Towers

Emirates Palace Hotel

Located on the shores of the Persian Gulf, the Emirates Palace is known for being one of the most luxurious hotels in the world as well as being the most expensive hotel in the world since its construction was more than 3 billion dollars.
In addition to the luxury of its 90 suites, some of them decorated with gold objects, in this hotel you will find a helipad and a private beach of more than 1 kilometer.
Although room prices basic They are usually 400 euros and the most expensive to reach 12000 euros, if you do not want to pay that amount, you can access their hall for free or href = "// www.civitatis.com/es/abu-dhabi/cena- emirates-palace? aid = 1051 "rel =" nofollow noopener noreferrer "target =" _ blank "> book a dinner at the fantastic buffet at Le Vendome restaurant or at the Hakkasan Asian food restaurant.

Emirates Palace Hotel

Qasr Al Watan

This impressive palace located a few meters from the Etihad Towers and the Emirates Palace Hotel, is another place you can not miss on the route through Abu Dhabi in one day. Used until a few years ago only for official events, you can now visit its impressive interior, which highlights the dome of the Great Hall and its traditional decoration in which you can also see some important pieces such as the legendary Quran of Birmingham, the First modern map of Arabia or some pre-Hispanic codices plus an impressive library.

In addition to the interior, the exterior of the Qasr Al Watan and the gardens are also incredible and another of the places you can not miss in the city. Keep in mind that the visit will take you at least one hour, so if you want to visit other places, it is perfect to fit it in the central hours of the day to avoid the heat.

You can book the ticket in advance here.
Visiting hours: every day from 10am to 8pm. Last entry one hour before closing.
Free parking

Qasr al Watan, one of the places to see in Abu Dhabi

Once the visits of this area of ​​Corniche are made, we return to the parking lot where we have left the car to approach us to another of the places that have recommended us most for this Abu Dhabi in one day and that in this case it is none other than a shopping center, the Marina Mall where we park for free in its outdoor parking.

Marina Mall

This is one of the best known shopping centers in Abu Dhabi next to Yas Mall. According to our experience, it is not worth the visit unless you have a free hour since this is less spectacular than Yas Mall and much less than any of the ones you could see in Dubai.

From here and it is already 17h, we take the car again to travel again the almost 30 kilometers that separate us from the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and the Oasis of Dignity where we live the one we can say, it has been the momentary capital letter of this trip .

Visit Sheikh Zayed Mosque and the Oasis of Dignity at sunset and at night

Both visits, as we mentioned at the beginning of the post, we believe that they are essential in any tour of Abu Dhabi in one day. Taking into account that the sunset time depends on the time of the year, we recommend you look at this in any application and arrive at the Oasis of Dignity about 30 minutes before this time to start seeing the dance of colors that happens before the sunset sun and above all, marvel at one of the most impressive images you can see in the city.

Sunset from Oasis of Dignity

After sunset, we recommend you to be here one more hour, to see how the mosque lights and the famous appears "blue hour", a magical moment that together with the sunset, we are sure, will be unforgettable.
In this area there are usually not many people besides it is huge, so you will not have problems to find a place in front of the mosque and enjoy the show.

Sunset from Oasis of Dignity

Once you have enjoyed the sunset, our proposal is that you take the car and return to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, where you will have to go through the entire entrance process and visit it again at night.
We assure you that it changes completely and will be another unforgettable experience. Besides that at this time there is practically no one, you can see the mosque illuminated in an impossible blue, which seems to compete with the white of the marble and the call to prayer, for being authentic protagonists.

Night at Sheikh Zayed Mosque

In total it counts about 2-3 hours to make this visit to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and the Oasis of Dignity at sunset and at night, so you will probably finish visiting this area at approximately 9 p.m.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque

If you still have strength and want to continue with the Abu Dhabi in 1 day, our proposal is that you approach Yas Marina, where you can park for free, the fashionable area of ​​the city, where you can end the night having dinner or having a drink, surrounded by the most festive atmosphere.

Interior of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque

Yas Marina

Located on Yas Island, this area is for Abu Dhabi what is Dubai Marina for Dubai. This is where the majority of foreigners who seek the atmosphere and fun come together, which is sometimes difficult to find in the rest of the city.
On this promenade you can enjoy the views of the impressive Yas Viceroy building, envy some of the most luxurious yachts in the country, dine at one of its restaurants or see the famous Formula 1 racing circuit.
Remember that in this circuit you can enter for free if you register on the official website or book the experience of co-driving in a racing car at full speed.

Yas Marina

And after this last visit in the city and completed the Abu Dhabi route in one day, we return to Corniche, where we left the car in the parking lot of the Eclipse Boutique Suites our accommodation in Abu Dhabi tonight, where like the previous days, we fell like children.

We leave you the map with the location of all the places and things to do in Abu Dhabi in one day, including the most tourist spots in the city.

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In addition to all the places mentioned, if you have an extra day or more time, we recommend you review the post 10 places to see in Abu Dhabi where you can find many more ideas to complete your route through Abu Dhabi in one day.

Day 7: What to see in the Rub 'al Khali desert

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Video: Dubai: One Day in Abu Dhabi Episode 7 (March 2024).