Free Things to Do in Abu Dhabi

Standing its ground as the second most expensive city in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi can certainly be a costly place to visit. 

1. Explore the area - Abu Dhabi is rich in sites that allow tourists to gain an insight into the culture of the city. Free guided tours of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world.  The breathtaking mosque sits on land the size of five football fields, whilst the columns shine with marble panels and semi-precious stones.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

2. Shopping - If you can avoid buying anything, shopping in Abu Dhabi can be an interesting free experience, with plenty of souks to explore. The fish market at the mina end of the city can make for a great early morning walk, with the locally caught fish being on display. An Iranian souk can also be found near the fish market, which boasts an interesting range of plants, pots and other homeware items that are brought across the Arabian Gulf to be sold as they are unloaded by Iranians. The gold souk next to Madinat Zayed shopping centre, the carpet souk in the port area and the fruit and vegetable souk close to the Central Post Office on Airport Road give an insight into the daily life and culture of the city. 

Iranian souk

3. Get active - The Jebel Hafeet Mountain is the third largest in the United Arab Emirates, and whilst it has a road from the bottom to the top that you can drive up, it is also possible to walk all the way to the summit of the mountain too. The peak of the mountain offers panoramic views of the country and the walk up provides a mixed range of flora and fauna to admire.

Jebel Hafeet Mountain

4. Appreciate the art - Located in the middle of downtown Abu Dhabi, the Cultural Foundation is the artistic centre of the city. Open daily, the centre has a range of performances to catch with exhibitions and lectures being free. The Manarat Al Saadiyat is an arts and cultural centre that features four gallery spaces that often provide great free exhibitions as well. Showing works by flourishing national and international artists, the Ghaf Gallery is a villa-based gallery that is slowly becoming one of the most established in the city, which can also be explored for free. The Barakat Gallery specialises in ancient art, with displays including antiquities from Africa, Asia and Europe. Whilst every item is on sale for those who wish to make a purchase, the galleries can be explored at no cost. 

Manarat Al Saadiyat

5. Watch a camel race - Taking place in the revolutionary Al Wathba Racetrack stadium every weekend is the highly competitive camel race that locals flock to watch. If you have a 4x4 available, you can join in by driving alongside the camels for the best view. The race is one of the most traditional sports in the United Arab Emirates, however in recent times robots have replaced jockeys, giving the race a futuristic feel. Other races that can be watched for free are the annual dhow races in February, the Red Bull Air Race in March, the powerboating races in November and jet skiing races which take place throughout the year.

 Al Wathba Racetrack

6. Visit the museums - The Emirates National Auto Museum displays one of the world’s most diverse collections of vehicles from giant Range Rovers to Mercedes in every colour of the rainbow, providing a unique visiting experience. Whilst entry is free, occasionally you may be asked for a small donation to enter the museum.

The Emirates National Auto Museum

"Other" Emirates (history, nature, motor racing)

Many of us who have been in the United Arab Emirates, knows this country as a paradise for shopping, a variety technological skyscrapers, beautiful cars and a sunny beach. 

But the Emirates - it's not just shops, skyscrapers and beaches.

Arabs are known for relate to pretty cool history. No, not without respect, and simply cool. They are worth nothing to demolish old houses and build up in their place new district.

Nevertheless, they are not vandals. One example - the coast of Dubai Creek. That is where you can see a real Arab market.

That there stands Al Fahidi Fort - the oldest building in Dubai, which now houses the Dubai Museum. And there is not far from the Fort quarter Bastakya - preserved ancient Arab quarter, now converted into a museum in the open air.

Beige color and elegance of the Arabic engulfs you at once, but in Dubai, many modern houses are built in a beige color and come with a variety of Arabic elements, so that these species have already become more or less familiar.

In the middle of the block stands a pretty snow-white mosque. Every day, as with all the other numerous mosques, with her ​​melodious call of the muezzin sounds.

That's one of the walls of the terrace of the mosque. Pay attention to her. A simple solution that was easy to see from the inside out, as any breeze ventilates the terrace, the reflected sunlight illuminates the entire room, but the direct scorching sun rays penetrate it easy.

Homes built by squares inside almost each of them - courtyard.

On the inside you can climb the stairs to the balcony, who is also the roof of the first floor.

On the balconies, roofs would have these thatched arbor for leisure.

These are the courtyards.

In the Emirates, not a lot of museums, as in European countries. But if the Arabs are taken for something - they do it seriously.

On the shore of Dubai Creek stands the oldest building of the city - Al Fahidi Fort. And in it, or rather its huge cellars arranged an excellent and informative museum about the life of Dubai in the past century.

Before the fort has a real ship-dau (dhow dhau), more precisely one of the existing types of diverse Arab vessel.

But there is in Dubai and another story - the story of nature, so to speak. This swamp Ras Al Khor. Yes, yes, it is a swamp. And right next to Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall.

In fact, it is part of the Dubai Creek, cut the town in two.

Once upon a time in all the banks in the Gulf Emirates lived millions of birds, a variety of flamingos and herons.

But the discovery of oil and the mass transport of maritime transport, urban growth and development of ports devastated coast these shores.

And that's just on the swamp was a piece of unspoiled nature.

Swamp carefully protected by the state and available for those interested in a totally free.

Also, there are telescopes and binoculars, so you can watch the birds.

History - that's good. But Emirates is also a sport country.

Highly developed different outdoor activities.

Known only in the Middle East, ski runs, and in the shopping center "Mall of Emirates"

Despite the small waves in the Gulf, one can often see the surfers.

Conquer there and the blue sky

Arabs, Italians and many others play football.

They generally highly developed amateur sports.

United Arab Emirates - it is also a car-to-country. Excellent roads, low gas prices and vehicle make Emirates a paradise for car lovers.

Here you can find all car brands. Sport, sport utility vehicles and prestigious ...

In addition to the desert and mountain terrain, Emirates interesting and motorsport fans.

In Jebel Ali, next to kartodroma spread impromptu motocross track.

Also in Dubai, there are a few go-cart track.

Here at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi competitions in drag racing

There are also other championships, for example, GP2, Porsche Mobil-1, as well as Porsche GT3 Middle East

But most importantly, in Abu Dhabi, held one of the stages of "the queen of motorsport '- Formula 1

Skiing In The Desert

All the countries of the Emirates have great entertainments. Not a lot of territory is covered by desert, mountains, modernised cities and two seas that practically are not similar to each other.

Emirates have a lot of fun to offer. You had to go to the desert on a snowboard or ski? This activity is extreme and unusual. Some slopes have a height of more than two hundred meters. To climp at the top of the slopes are used the jeeps.

If you do not want to ski on the sand, you will find a lot of snow in this country. In the terribly hot day for visitors of the country there is snow and even snow slides stadiums, ice rinks where you can ride on a sled or skate skiing. The most famous owner of this miracle is the district stadium, which is the first in the country with the modern technologies.

The most fun occupation is fishing in the Persian Gulf. In these countries the hard times associated with the fish does not happen. In the sea live tuna, barracuda, sailfish, fish, small sharks. Local cooks very tasty and skilfully prepare them for you. It is possible to catch a fish weighing 60 pounds! Just in conducting a walk on the boat, it can be well connected with catching crabs at night. Knowledgeable guide will teach you the old way of hunting for crabs with light and weapons. After the end of hunting you would expect a rich table, made from your prey.

In these countries there are incredible water-parks. They perform some shows and attractions, and show a movie on the water surface. There are hills on which it is possible to accelerate to speeds of 80 km / h, there are slides with a water upflow they differ in that their movement is directed upwards.

And of course only in the UAE is an amazing safari: entertainment in the form of races over the red sand, there are a large number of camels.