How to have the perfect weekend in Dubai

Here's how to spend a weekend in Dubai - Getty

Dubai is often described as Las Vegas without the casinos. It certainly likes to do things on a grand scale. Supersized hotels, buffets, malls, amusement parks, aquariums, designer cars and luxury yachts are all commonplace. Expect to crane your neck looking up at the world’s tallest building – the Burj Khalifa – and then score a dizzying number of Instagram likes with a photo taken in front of the world’s largest flower arrangement (five million blooms set in the shape of an Airbus A380 plane, thanks to the Dubai Miracle Garden).

Don’t be afraid of the heights, mega brunches or the 16-lane Sheikh Zayed Road that is the spinal column of Dubai. Indulge in the emirate’s excesses; put that elastic belt to the test, skydive out of a plane, spend like no one is watching and enjoy the year-round sunshine on more than 10 miles of wide sandy beaches. Moderation doesn’t suit this place. Go big, and then go home.

For further Dubai inspiration, see our guides to the city's best hotels, restaurants, shopping, nightlife, things to do and family-friendly things to do. For a stay where all of your food and drinks are included, go to our guide to the best all-inclusive hotels in Dubai. 

In this guide:

• How to spend your weekend
• When should I visit Dubai?
• Where to stay in Dubai
• Essential information: what to know before you go

How to spend your weekend

Day one: morning

Start the day at Dubai’s beloved Burj Al Arab, the sail-shaped “seven-star” hotel perched on its own man-made island, reached via a private causeway from Umm Suqeim. Enjoy a decadent breakfast at Bab Al Yam or even lunch at sunny Sal restaurant on the impressive terrace. While you’re here, take a look around. Inside Burj Al Arab is a fascinating 90-minute butler-guided tour of the iconic hotel’s rainbow atrium, Royal Suite and new Experience Suite, which tells the landmark’s history through interactive displays and memorabilia, including the sports car David Coulthard span doughnuts in on the helipad. 

Afternoon

Fancy a spot of shopping after lunch? Dubai is famous for it, after all. Take a taxi to The Outlet Village in Jebel Ali for discounted designer clothes from the likes of Armani, Hugo Boss and Coach. Then head in the opposite direction to explore the famous Dubai Mall, the UAE’s biggest, packed with high street and designer boutiques, in the heart of Downtown Dubai. For more suggestions of where to go shopping in the city, see our guide. 

This mega mall is in the shadow of the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa. Visit the At The Top observation decks, open from 7am to 11pm (with last entry at 10pm), to get an aerial view from the tower, or marvel at its mammoth proportions from the ground up where the Dubai Fountain performs rousing water, music and light shows from 5.45pm until 11.30pm.

Complete your retail experience around historical Dubai Creek, a 10-minute drive from Downtown. Hop on a traditional wooden abra to sail between the main souks; facing the mouth of the creek, the Textile Souk (Ali Bin Abi Talib Street) is on the left bank and on the right there’s the Spice Souk (34 Street), the Perfume Souk (Sikkat al Khali) and the Gold Souk (Old Baladiya Road). Abra rides costs just AED 1 (22p), making them the cheapest sightseeing tours in Dubai. For more suggestions of the best family-friendly things to do in the city, see our guide. 

The Burj Al Arab is a Dubai landmark - Ahmed-Yahiawi/Ahmed-Yahiawi

Late

Model your new purchases at one of Dubai’s best restaurants, among them Michelin-starred Ossiano at Atlantis, The Palm, and Himanshu Saini’s Indian fine-dining degustation restaurant Trésind Studio above Nakheel Mall, both on Palm Jumeirah.

Later, enjoy drinks at one of Dubai’s buzzing night spots. West Beach, also on Palm Jumeirah, is lined with beach clubs that transform into clubs after dark; Surf Club, with its finger on the R&B pulse, is a popular choice. On the Jumeirah Beach Residences (JBR) strip, head to Bla Bla Dubai, an emporium of different-themed bars with sea views, and on Bluewaters Island explore the gin menu among the foliage at The London Project, a leafy retreat beneath the Ain Dubai wheel of light. For more suggestions of the best restaurants in the city, see our guide. 

Day two: morning

Watch the sun rise as you run off yesterday’s excesses along the track at The Beach, JBR, which is punctuated with outdoor gym stations and exercise machines so fitness enthusiasts can maximise their workouts. 

Run off yesterday’s excesses along the track at The Beach, JBR

Then – if it’s the weekend – promptly undo all your good work by going out for the Dubai institution that is brunch: three to four hours of unlimited food and drinks that normally clocks in at between AED 300 (£64) to AED 600 (£127) per person. Some hosts offer a more refined brunching atmosphere than others. 

For a supersized spread, stroll over to The Ritz-Carlton Dubai for the London Social Garden Brunch at Caravan restaurant. Inspired by London’s Notting Hill, and set in a high-ceilinged dining hall that spills out onto landscaped gardens, the concept is centred on vibrant farm-to-table ingredients and good champagne. The upscale gathering takes place every Saturday from 1:30pm to 4:30pm and costs from AED 395 per person.

Afternoon

Walk off brunch with a sedate stroll through the Dubai Miracle Garden, a surreal petal-filled landscape, only open during winter, presenting photo opportunities at every turn thanks to a kaleidoscope of 45 million artfully arranged flowers incongruously blooming in the desert.

Admire heart-shaped trellises swollen with petunias along the Avenue of Love, and see houses, windmills, and even a Mercedes, all repurposed as planters for marigolds, roses, calendulas and tulips.

The Dubai Miracle Garden is a kaleidoscope of 45 million artfully arranged flowers incongruously blooming in the desert

Late

After sunset, experience a different type of garden made entirely of light bulbs. Dubai Glow Garden also operates an ice park, where miniature Dubai landmarks are frozen in time. From here, it’s a 10-minute cab ride to the Dubai Fountain at the foot of the Burj Khalifa. Every half-hour, from 6pm to 11pm, a water show erupts, with accompanying lights and a soundtrack that oscillates between classical music and pop hits. For more suggestions of the best things to do in the city, see our guide. 

Conclude your hedonist’s trip at Zuma Dubai, where you can dine izakaya-style (a bit like the Japanese version of a tapas bar), sharing a winning last supper of moreish monkfish tempura with yuzu mayo and a fresh take on grilled chicken wings with sea salt and lime. For more suggestions of the best bars in the city, see our guide. 

After sunset, experience sprawling gardens made entirely of light bulbs at Dubai Glow Garden

Insider tips

Neighbourhood watch

Next to Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood in Dubai Creek, alongside atmospheric Dubai Creek, you’ll find Al Seef, more than a mile of waterfront promenade lined with fashionable and traditional restaurants, spice shops and ice cream parlours. 

Attractions

Find collections from local established and rising artists at creative hub Alserkal Avenue, which is home to more than 60 art and design studios. Look out for Alserkal Lates, where certain spaces are open well into the evening.

City hack

Download The Entertainer Dubai app to access two-for-one vouchers for some of Dubai's top restaurants, attractions and experiences, including the water park at Atlantis the Palm and a desert safari. The 2025 edition costs AED 626 (£136) and contains more than 7,000 deals.

Hotels

Experience a new kind of pool club 100 metres above Dubai. Poised on top of the cantilever corridor that connects the twin towers of One&Only One Zabeel, Tapasake serves Japanese haute cuisine and has in-pool tables.

Did you know?

Camelicious camel milk ice-cream is a Dubai must-try and can be found throughout the emirate. The lactose-free treat comes in several local flavours, including cardamom, date and saffron varieties.

Where to stay

Luxury living

The lavish Bulgari Resort Dubai is perched on Jumeirah Bay, an artificial island shaped like a seahorse. It's an antidote to the city’s ubiquitous skyscraper hotels, with a low-rise, Mediterranean-style design, a swanky spa and the world’s first Bulgari Marina and Yacht Club. It’s also just 15 minutes' drive from the Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall.

All 101 hotel rooms at the exclusive Bulgari Resort Dubai come with a huge private balcony

Boutique beauty

Enjoy arty Arabian minimalism at XVA Art Hotel. This tiny boutique option also happens to be one of Dubai’s best contemporary art galleries, so the courtyard café attracts some of the city’s more interesting creative types.

Budget bolthole

With a superb downtown location and views of the Burj Khalifa, Rove Downtown Dubai, sets a new standard for affordable hotels in Dubai. It's as hip as it is homely, featuring quirky décor, an outdoor pool, excellent restaurant and relaxed service. For more suggestions of the best hotels in the city, see our guide. 

Dubai goes hipster with the stylish and affordable Rove Downtown

How to get there and how to get around

Dubai is served by Dubai International Airport (DXB), which, by car, is around 15 minutes from Downtown Dubai and 30 minutes from Dubai Marina. Major carriers including Emirates and British Airways fly direct from the UK. You don’t need a car. Taxis are plentiful and affordable, with a minimum fare of AED 12 (£2.50). The Metro is clean and cheap, with one-zone one-way fares from AED 4 (80p). 

Know before you go

Essential Information

• British Embassy: 00 971 4 309 4444; gov.uk/government/world/united-arab-emirates, Al Seef Road, Bur Dubai. Open Sun-Thur, 7.30am-2.30pm

• Emergency services: Dial 999 (police), 998 (ambulance) or 997 (fire department)

• Dubai Tourism: visitdubai.com/en

The basics

• Currency: Dirham, written as Dh, Dhs or AED (Arab Emirates Dirham)

• Telephone code: From Britain, dial 00 971 (for the United Arab Emirates), followed by 4 (for Dubai landlines), then the seven-digit number

• Time difference: +3 during British Summer Time, +4 hours the rest of the year

• Flight time: London to Dubai is between seven and eight hours

Local laws and etiquette

• Islam is an important aspect of daily life in the UAE, even in Westernised Dubai. Emiratis adhere to Islamic codes of conduct, following the Five Pillars of Islam (declaring there is no God but Allah, praying five times a day, donating to charity, fasting during Ramadan and making the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime).

• During Ramadan, cultural sensitivities are heightened, and eating and drinking in open public spaces during daylight hours is forbidden; however, most restaurants remain open, using screens to prevent fasters from observing diners.

• Tourists and residents aged 21 and over can purchase alcohol at licensed venues in Dubai, such as hotels and restaurants, and at the designated alcohol stores, MMI and A&E. However, there is a zero-tolerance policy for drunken behaviour and drink-driving, so everyone must drink responsibly.

• While swimwear is suitable at the beach or pool, out of respect for the local culture, visitors to the UAE should dress modestly in government buildings and family-friendly public places, such as shopping malls; avoid transparent clothing, indecently exposing parts of the body or displaying offensive pictures or slogans on clothes. When visiting mosques in the UAE, women are expected to wear a headscarf and cloak, or full-length loose-fitting clothes, while men are expected to cover their knees and shoulders, and shoes should be removed by everyone before entering.

• Keep public displays of affection to a minimum; holding hands is acceptable, but kissing and hugging in public is not.

• Homosexuality is illegal, and same-sex marriages are not recognised in the UAE.

• Noise disruptions, bad language, obscene gestures and showing disrespect to the UAE, its leaders or religion are all forbidden and may result in detainment or deportation.

• Do not photograph or film anyone without their permission. Photography of palaces, military offices and government buildings, such as airports, is also prohibited.

• Unless an Emirati extends their hand for a handshake, a hands-free greeting, typically placing a hand on your heart, is preferred.

• The UAE weekend is Saturday and Sunday, but Friday remains a Day of Congregation for Muslims and many public sector offices close at midday to allow for prayer time.

• Though times vary slightly, major supermarkets open from around 8am to 10pm, while shopping malls open from 10am to 11pm or midnight daily.

About our expert

Sarah Hedley Hymers

Sarah is a travel writer, author and television presenter. Her latest book, the Lonely Planet Dubai & Abu Dhabi guide is out now, and her latest series, Grand Voyager, is set to air on Euronews. She moved to Dubai more than 15 years ago and, despite travelling extensively for work, she hasn’t found anywhere else she’d rather live.

Destination expert Sarah Hedley Hymers

Play The Telegraph’s brilliant range of Puzzles - and feel brighter every day. Train your brain and boost your mood with PlusWord, the Mini Crossword, the fearsome Killer Sudoku and even the classic Cryptic Crossword.