PARTNER CONTENT BY DEPARTMENT OF
CULTURE AND TOURISM - ABU DHABISUNRISE
Bustle and Bargain
at the Mina MarketsA dawn visit to the Mina Zayed
port reveals a multicultural
palette that has helped turn
Abu Dhabi into one of the
world’s most diverse cities.
Wooden dhows jostle for
space harborside, where
fishermen and traders unload
goods bound for the Mina
Markets. Here you’ll find Indian
fishmongers hawking the
day’s catch, Afghan rug sellers
peddling colorful carpets, and
Pakistani merchants offering
mounds of fruits, vegetables,
and succulent dates.MORNING
Discover the Louvre
Abu DhabiThe walls of Jean Nouvel’s
architectural masterpiece are
rendered in bright pearlescent
white; its floor is carpeted in
a mosaic of dappled sunlight
that spills through 7,850
holes in the vast domed
roof. Canals wend their way
along the promenades and
viewing decks, a reminder of
the museum’s Saadiyat Island
waterfront location. Inside is
the largest art collection in
the Middle East, a timeless
trove of works ranging from
pre-history to post-modernism.LATE MORNING
Return in Time
at Qasr Al HosnLike many of the ancient
fortresses in the UAE, Qasr Al
Hosn, also known as the White
Fort for its brilliant color,
was built to defend the city’s
primary freshwater source. Its
high walls and mismatched
watchtowers made it Abu
Dhabi’s largest structure until
the late 1960s, but today it’s
dwarfed by the surrounding
skyscrapers, an anomalous
slice of history in this futuristic
cityscape. The fort is now an
art gallery, cultural foundation,
and event space—a powerful
reminder of the capital’s rapid
evolution.LUNCHTIME
Paddle through
Mangrove National
ParkLife slows down when sluicing
through the saltwater channels
of Mangrove National Park in
zero-impact kayaks. Keen-eyed
visitors might spot flamingos,
reef herons, and egrets among
the seven-square-mile tangle
of trees. Peer into the clear
pools for a chance to glimpse
green turtles, bottlenose
dolphins, and pods of dugong:
gentle “sea cows” that bask in
the warm waters.A
vibrant collection of skyscrapers and
mangroves, mosques and museums, the city
of Abu Dhabi should be on any traveler’s
bucket list. The capital of the United Arab Emirates is
a place where the classic and contemporary meet and
mingle and where residents hail from every part of the
globe. While art and architecture address questions
about the city’s identity and future, traditional life
continues undisturbed in surprisingly humble corners.
Sample all that’s on offer in this full-day itinerary.Photos at left (from top):
Gallerygoers contemplate
an art festival’s paintings. A
craftsman fashions an oud, a
traditional stringed instrument.
The city’s skyscrapers rise be-
hind the Emirates Palace Hotel.500 mi
500 kmSAUDI Abu Dhabi
ARABIAIRAQ IRANPAK.
QATAR U.A.E.Arabian
SeaRed Sea
OMANYEMENPARTNER CONTENT BY DEPARTMENT OF
CULTURE AND TOURISM - ABU DHABISUNRISE
Bustle and Bargain
at the Mina Markets
A dawn visit to the Mina Zayed
port reveals a multicultural
palette that has helped turn
Abu Dhabi into one of the
world’s most diverse cities.
Wooden dhows jostle for
space harborside, where
fishermen and traders unload
goods bound for the Mina
Markets. Here you’ll find Indian
fishmongers hawking the
day’s catch, Afghan rug sellers
peddling colorful carpets, and
Pakistani merchants offering
mounds of fruits, vegetables,
and succulent dates.
MORNING
Discover the Louvre
Abu Dhabi
The walls of Jean Nouvel’s
architectural masterpiece are
rendered in bright pearlescent
white; its floor is carpeted in
a mosaic of dappled sunlight
that spills through 7,850
holes in the vast domed
roof. Canals wend their way
along the promenades and
viewing decks, a reminder of
the museum’s Saadiyat Island
waterfront location. Inside is
the largest art collection in
the Middle East, a timeless
trove of works ranging from
pre-history to post-modernism.
LATE MORNING
Return in Time
at Qasr Al HosnLike many of the ancient
fortresses in the UAE, Qasr Al
Hosn, also known as the White
Fort for its brilliant color,
was built to defend the city’s
primary freshwater source. Its
high walls and mismatched
watchtowers made it Abu
Dhabi’s largest structure until
the late 1960s, but today it’s
dwarfed by the surrounding
skyscrapers, an anomalous
slice of history in this futuristic
cityscape. The fort is now an
art gallery, cultural foundation,
and event space—a powerful
reminder of the capital’s rapid
evolution.LUNCHTIME
Paddle through
Mangrove National
ParkLife slows down when sluicing
through the saltwater channels
of Mangrove National Park in
zero-impact kayaks. Keen-eyed
visitors might spot flamingos,
reef herons, and egrets among
the seven-square-mile tangle
of trees. Peer into the clear
pools for a chance to glimpse
green turtles, bottlenose
dolphins, and pods of dugong:
gentle “sea cows” that bask in
the warm waters.A
vibrant collection of skyscrapers and
mangroves, mosques and museums, the city
of Abu Dhabi should be on any traveler’sbucket list. The capital of the United Arab Emirates is
a place where the classic and contemporary meet and
mingle and where residents hail from every part of the
globe. While art and architecture address questions
about the city’s identity and future, traditional life
continues undisturbed in surprisingly humble corners.
Sample all that’s on offer in this full-day itinerary.
Photos at left (from top):
Gallerygoers contemplate
an art festival’s paintings. A
craftsman fashions an oud, a
traditional stringed instrument.
The city’s skyscrapers rise be-
hind the Emirates Palace Hotel.500 mi
500 kmSAUDI Abu Dhabi
ARABIAIRAQ IRANPAK.
QATAR U.A.E.Arabian
SeaRed Sea
OMANYEMEN