Middle East
United Arab Emirates
Between sand and glass, a country that lives in the future without forgetting its dunes
Dubai at its most vertical and nocturnal, the desert by balloon or in a 4x4 at sunset, and a calmer Abu Dhabi of the Louvre and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
The Emirates are a country that has risen from the desert in just a few decades, and the journey feeds on that contrast. Dubai is the most vertical and effervescent face: skyscrapers that seem to challenge the sky, a city that never switches off at night and, a few minutes from the water, an old quarter of souks and narrow lanes where the air still smells of spices and you cross the water by boat. Abu Dhabi beats to another rhythm, calmer and more monumental: an immense white mosque, museums that gather the art of the world under a single dome, and a pace that invites you to stop, look and walk slowly.
And around both cities, the desert. An hour from Dubai, the dunes change the rhythm of the journey completely: you cross them in a 4x4, watch them from a balloon at dawn, or live them at night, over dinner beneath a sky full of stars. It suits those who want a journey of contrasts, where the most modern city and the silence of the dunes fit into a single itinerary.
Datos del viaje
Experiences
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Abu Dhabi in a day: the Louvre, Qasr Al Watan, and the Grand Mosque
A full day in the Emirates' capital, between the art of a one-of-a-kind museum and the country's largest mosque.
View experience: Abu Dhabi in a day: the Louvre, Qasr Al Watan, and the Grand Mosque
I set aside a full day to cross over to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the Emirates, without the rush of a half-day excursion. We start at the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, whose great metal dome filters the light of the Persian Gulf as if it were the canopy of a giant palm tree, over a collection that crosses cultures and centuries without distinguishing between East and West. We continue along the Corniche, with the Emirates Palace hotel and the skyline of Al Maryah Island in the background, to Qasr Al Watan, the presidential palace open to the public, with its marble halls and great golden dome. After lunch at a local restaurant, the afternoon is for the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the largest in the world, with 82 white marble domes and the largest hand-woven carpet ever made. We finish with a panoramic drive around Yas Island, before returning to Dubai or spending the night in Abu Dhabi.
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Nighttime desert safari with falconry and a Bedouin dinner
Sunset dunes by 4x4, a falcon perched on your own arm, and a Bedouin dinner under the stars.
View experience: Nighttime desert safari with falconry and a Bedouin dinner
We leave Dubai in mid-afternoon by 4x4 toward the desert dunes, where the driver plays with the steepest slopes before stopping to watch the sunset over the red sand. We arrive at a camp built like an old Arabian fortress, where a falconer teaches how to hold a falcon on your own arm with a leather glove, while others try camel or horseback riding, get henna tattoos, or smoke shisha under the tents. The evening continues with a grilled buffet dinner and live shows — belly dance, tanoura, Emirati dance — before returning to the city.
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Sunrise balloon flight over the dunes
Lifting off before sunrise and watching the Dubai desert dunes light up in color from the air, in the deepest silence.
View experience: Sunrise balloon flight over the dunes
The experience begins before dawn, with a drive in vintage off-road vehicles to an authentic camp deep in the desert. There, the balloon is inflated as the sky begins to lighten, and liftoff almost always coincides with sunrise: the pristine dunes of the Dubai desert light up in orange and pink beneath the balloon, in a silence that contrasts with the bustle of the city just an hour away. The flight lasts about an hour, and the morning ends with a gourmet breakfast served right in the desert before returning to the hotel.
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Dubai from the air, by helicopter over the Palm
Twenty-two minutes by helicopter over the Palm Jumeirah, the Burj Khalifa, and the artificial islands of the Gulf.
View experience: Dubai from the air, by helicopter over the Palm
We board a private helicopter for a 22-minute flight over some of the most ambitious constructions on the planet: the Palm Jumeirah and the Atlantis hotel at its tip, the artificial islands of The World archipelago, and the beaches of Jumeirah with the curved silhouette of the Burj Al Arab. The flight also passes near the historic district of Al Fahidi, with its traditional wind towers, and culminates flying close by the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, before returning to the helipad.
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Behind the wheel of a Ferrari on the desert roads
A rental sports car and several hours of straight road through the dunes, with the Persian Gulf itself as a backdrop.
View experience: Behind the wheel of a Ferrari on the desert roads
For anyone who wants more than to see Dubai through a car window, it's possible to rent a sports car — a convertible Ferrari 488 Spider, for example — and drive the roads that cross the desert on the outskirts of the city, with sand on both sides and miles of straight asphalt ahead. The car is picked up with an assisting driver or self-drive, depending on each traveler's profile, and the outing can be combined with a photo session by the dunes before returning it at the hotel.
Itinerary ideas
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5 days
The Emirates in 5 Days: Essential Dubai
Skyscrapers, desert, and a classic touch of the Gulf's youngest city
View itinerary idea: The Emirates in 5 Days: Essential Dubai
The most repeated route among real Dubai itineraries: two days of city — modern Dubai along Sheikh Zayed Road and Downtown, and old Dubai around the souk and Dubai Creek —, an afternoon by speedboat along the coast and a desert safari night with a Bedouin dinner, and a final free day for shopping before a farewell dinner overlooking the city's night skyline.
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7 days
Dubai and Abu Dhabi: Luxury and Heritage in the Emirates
Dubai's skyscrapers and the capital's art and religious architecture, in a single route
View itinerary idea: Dubai and Abu Dhabi: Luxury and Heritage in the Emirates
Adds a full-day trip to Abu Dhabi, the capital, to the essential Dubai route: the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, the Qasr Al Watan presidential palace, and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, before returning to Dubai for the rest of the route — balloon flight over the desert, helicopter, and shopping.
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5 days
Dubai Honeymoon: Speed and Sea Views
A romantic getaway with a helicopter flight, a rental sports car, and dinner on a yacht in the Marina
View itinerary idea: Dubai Honeymoon: Speed and Sea Views
Designed for a honeymoon or a couples' getaway: a helicopter flight on the first day, a private tour of modern Dubai, a desert safari night, a day behind the wheel of a rental sports car, and dinner aboard a luxury yacht in Dubai Marina before heading home.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to travel to the United Arab Emirates?
From November to March, with mild temperatures. Official tourism places the best period between November and May. July and August are extremely hot and humid, and life moves indoors. If you travel in summer, I plan the day around early mornings and evenings.
How long should a trip to the UAE last and how long does it take to get there?
Five to seven days are usually enough for Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with the desert if you wish. There is a direct flight from Madrid and Barcelona of 6.5 to 7.5 hours. It's a compact destination, ideal as a short trip or a stop on the way to Asia.
Do I need a visa to travel to the UAE from Spain?
No: holders of an ordinary Spanish passport are exempt from a visa. The passport must be valid for six months and the maximum stay is 90 days in every 180-day period. As of November 2026 that is what Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs states; confirm the conditions on its official page before booking.
What language and currency are used in the United Arab Emirates?
The official language is Arabic, but English is very widely spoken in tourism and commerce, so you will get by without any difficulty in hotels, restaurants and shops. The currency is the UAE dirham (AED). You don't need to speak Arabic to travel comfortably here.