Abu Dhabi on Your Mind? This Is the Only Guide You Need for the Land of Luxury!

The capital and the second-most populous city of the UAE (after Dubai), Abu Dhabi, is one place which has both historical and modern day attractions rich in architecture, structure and overall look . Whether its theme parks, luxurious resorts, cultural villages, skyline views, beaches or any other unique entertainment, there's definitely a lot to do in Abu Dhabi for everyone out there.

Full Day City Tour covers- The Grand Mosque, Emirates Palace, Etihad Towers, Qasr Al Watan and Louvre Museum

Start with Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the grandest mosque of UAE. The mosque will easily take up 2 hours of your day as you walk through and see the modern Islamic architecture from outside as well as inside.

Few tips for visiting the grand mosque:

1. Check out their official website for visitor's timings on different days.

2. Book your visit beforehand to avoid getting into long queues since the entry is free.

3. Free dresses for men and women are available right before the mosque entry. So it's okay to come wearing anything as you wish to because they will anyway make you wear abayas unless you are covered from head to toe.

4. Do not forget to carry your sunglasses as the bright sunlight falling on the white stone will literally make your naked eyes go blind.

5. Fill up your water bottles here as you get free drinking water inside the mosque.

Once you are done admiring the beauty of this place, you can straight away head to the expensively built 5 star hotel in Abu Dhabi, Emirate Palace, the architecture of which will woo your mind and please your sight to the core.

Entry to some parts of the hotel is kept unrestricted for visitors like us whereas the private beach, room gallery, pool area and a lot of other services are only accessible to the guests who are staying inside the hotel.

You can enjoy a cup of coffee in the main lobby area with some amazing music or treat your taste buds with the delicious food from a number of restaurants inside the luxury hotel.

As soon as you get out of the main exit you will see the tall Etihad Towers right in front of you! This is a famous photo stop for tourists visiting Abu Dhabi from various parts of the world.

Next Stop- Qasr-Al-Watan, The President's House:

You can reach the parking area of Qasr Al Watan on foot from the Emirates Palace (approx 1 km) and then get on a free shuttle which will directly take you to the ticket counter. After collecting your ticket you'll have to go through a security check and again get on a shuttle that'll take you to the main entrance.

Once you enter the presidential palace, you'll be walking through majestic hallways, uncovering centuries of Arabian knowledge, marveling at the beauty of Arabian craftsmanship, expressing yourself with interactive installations, and delving into the region's rich heritage of artistic contributions.

More than a palace, this place is a structural milestone where the world leaders shape the future in spaces. The interiors of the palace give the look of rich Arabic heritage making it a true paradise for photographers!

There is a 15 mins long light & sound show that happens in the palace courtyard after regular intervals starting 7:30 PM so try and see that if time permits!

Pro-Tip - If you wish to add Louvre museum to your itinerary then you might as well consider getting an online combo pass for Qasr-Al-Watan & the museum . Also, check out Corniche Beach which is on the way to the Museum. You can definitely skip seeing the beach here if you have seen the ones in Dubai.

This is how you can make the most out of Abu Dhabi in a single day. In my next blog, I will be covering some details about the theme parks (Ferrari World, WB, YAS water park) of Abu Dhabi.

If you find this blog informative then please let me know in the comments section. You can connect with me on Instagram for more of my travel stories!