Dubai

City guide · United Arab Emirates

Dubai

Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai.

4 ready itineraries · 3, 5, 7, 10-day plans

Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai. It is on a creek on the southeastern coast of the Persian Gulf.

As of 2025, its population stands at 4 million, 92% of whom are expatriates. The wider urban area includes Sharjah and has a population of 5 million people as of 2023, while the Dubai–Sharjah–Ajman metropolitan area has a population of 6 million people.

Best for
First-time visitors who want Dubai without a car. The 3-day plan stays inside walking range of City.
Skip if
Skip Dubai if you only want a beach week or an airport layover. This cluster is for people who will walk most days.

Pick a trip length

One plan per length — open it and walk the days in order.

5-day preview

Skim the walking days, then open the full plan.

Full plan
  1. 1

    City

    Walk City in Dubai. Start at The Waterfall, then ProArt Gallery and Burj Daman Masjid. Stay on foot.

    The Waterfall · ProArt Gallery · Burj Daman Masjid · KidZania · …

  2. 2

    City

    Walk City in Dubai. Start at City walk 2 mosque, then المسجد الإيراني and The Empty Quarter Gallery. Stay on foot.

    City walk 2 mosque · المسجد الإيراني · The Empty Quarter Gallery · Etihad Museum · …

  3. 3

    City

    Walk City in Dubai. Start at mediclinic al bahr, then Wildlife Sanctuary (Flamingo Lagoon) and mercore hotel mina road. Stay on foot.

    mediclinic al bahr · Wildlife Sanctuary (Flamingo Lagoon) · mercore hotel mina road · Diplodocus · …

  4. 4

    City

    Walk City in Dubai. Start at Dubai Garden Glow, then Fountain Watching Hill and Golden Tools Trading. Stay on foot.

    Dubai Garden Glow · Fountain Watching Hill · Golden Tools Trading

  5. 5

    Day trip toward United Arab Emirates

    Leave Dubai for the day. Come back to the same bed.

    United Arab Emirates · Abu Dhabi · Al Ain

Where to stay

Bases that fit the walking plan.

Full guide →

  • The centre

    3 to 5 nights

    First-time visitors

    Stay inside walking range of the first-day stops in Dubai.

Getting there & when to go

Lock timing and airport basics early.

Best time

Dubai works year-round for a walking trip. Shoulder months are easier on crowds and hills.

  • Shoulder months
  • High season
  • Low season
  • Rain days
Season guide →

Airport

Dubai International Airport (DXB)

Dubai's public transport system is one of the best in the Middle East, especially after the launch of the metro, but most visitors end up taking taxis quite often. Using the public transport is a viable option during the winter months, as long as you avoid the rush hour on the red metro line. In the summer, due to the intense heat, taking a taxi is more practical, even if it's just to get to the nearest metro station. The timetables of the public transport are integrated into Google Maps.

  • Public transit from DXB30 to 60 minutes · Local ticket price. Check the operator the week you fly.
  • Taxi or licensed ride hail20 to 45 minutes · Treat any number you see online as an estimate, not a quote.
Transfers →

Practical notes

Short reads before you book.

Understand

Dubai began as a small fishing village on the coast of the eastern Arabian Peninsula. At the beginning, the town made its income as a small pearl diving town.

However, as expanding trade boomed across the gulf, it became a trading hub between Iran and India and gained a lot of notoriety for its imported goods from the East. In fact, the currency of Dubai used to be the Indian rupee historically.

Get in

See the Get in section for the United Arab Emirates for visa and customs regulations. Dubai is a five-hour flight from Europe and three hours from most parts of the Middle East, the Near East, and the Indian subcontinent.

Dubai's main airport is the Dubai International Airport ( ). Its eventual replacement, Al Maktoum International Airport ( ), is open to passenger flights and serves several destinations.

Get around

Dubai's public transport system is one of the best in the Middle East, especially after the launch of the metro, but most visitors end up taking taxis quite often. Using the public transport is a viable option during the winter months, as long as you avoid the rush hour on the red metro line.

In the summer, due to the intense heat, taking a taxi is more practical, even if it's just to get to the nearest metro station. The timetables of the public transport are integrated into Google Maps.

Stay safe

Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world with regard to street crime. Call 999 if you need police attention.

If you heard the sound of cannon fire, don't panic! It actually marks the time to break the fasting during Ramadan.

Related guides

Helpful next pages for Dubai.