Here’s why Abu Dhabi is a haven for all culture mavens

If you’re over, chances are you are living in a city or country which you were not born into. Yet, where you reside, you are mostly identified by your ethnicity. So there are spaces you feel welcomed because you are different, and there are also spaces you feel left out because you either don’t speak the language or are from a different culture.

If this hits closer home, you are not alone. The UN World Migration Report 2024 says 3.6 percent of the global population are international migrants. This makes adopting cultural identities and in turn, identity crises, one of the most crucial paradigm shifts in global society. To this author, who has lived and continues to live through this dichotomy, a recent trip to Abu Dhabi seemed like the first place she has been to, which is an exception to this rule. A city, which is so sure of its roots, that it’s forged into a futuristic living without the trepidation of losing its past. And what better than a region where past, present and future coexist in harmony, to become a growing hub of arts and culture across the globe?

Emirates Palace

The first destination with which we started our cultural exploration was Emirates Palace on a winter evening, which felt like stepping inside a gilded dream. From the floors to the ceiling, the space looked bathed in gold, replete with ornate leaf motifs everywhere and regal chandeliers that could light up the largest ballrooms!

While we had expected all things Emirati to be swanky, what blew us over was how connected the architecture was to its heritage. Designed by Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo, Emirates Palace was unveiled in 2005. Conceived to showcase Emirati hospitality to the world, the place soon doubled up as a palace and a hotel to welcome official state guests. This led to the palatial design, filled with marble, mosaics and dome–shaped doors reflecting the opulent aesthetic of the region. We rounded off our visit with a cup of the famous gold cappuccino at one of its lounges. The verdict? It tasted exactly how a cup of good cappuccino is supposed to taste like. But of course, we never regret the dash of drama that drinking coffee with gold dust offers. After all, we don’t do opulence out of necessity!

The Souk

Caffeine–invigorated, we decided to make one more stop before dinner. We wanted to check out local shops for souvenir shopping and so decided to visit a market at the World Trade Centre called The Souk. On entering, we realised that this one is not only for the task but also for the ‘Gram.’ A contemporary take on the traditional Arabic souks, this colourful, Insta-worthy shopping centre features a mix of crafts, food and luxury goods. The architecture is replete with high ceilings, two atria and Arabian décor.

While you get handcrafted bags to coaster sets designed like miniature Turkish carpets in this market, there are two things we couldn’t find at better deals anywhere other than here: tea and jewellery. Tea flavours range from the classics like chamomile and jasmine to local favourites like Iranian rose and white pepper; the price range in this market is probably the cheapest in the city. Rosary beads set on silver dominate the trend in jewellery. You can find anklets, earrings, rings, statement and dainty necklaces and more. And don’t forget to bargain!

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

The next morning, we visited Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque — the country’s largest mosque. And its immensity captivated us the moment we stepped inside. Bathed in bright sunshine against the azure sky, it stood tall with the strength of the thousand prayers believers offer there every day.

Conceived by UAE’s founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as a symbol of peace, tolerance and diversity, the mosque boasts Mameluke, Ottoman and Fatimid architectural styles. It houses the world’s largest hand–knotted carpet by Iranian artisans, and one of the world’s largest chandeliers, adorned with Swarovski crystals. The ultramarine and saffron floral motifs that run across the walls might make you feel like you are walking inside an Indo– Persian painting. This opulence, however, has been balanced well with the strict rules that the visitors need to abide by.

Although we had worn outfits keeping in mind the mosque guidelines (you can find it on their website), we were stopped from entering as two of us were wearing kurtis, the sleeves of which did not cover us up to the wrists. Fortunately, we were able to find black sleeves under AED 15 (INR 355 approx), which was probably the cheapest thing available at the shops inside the mosque premises. Also, be sure to keep your head covered at all points in time. Security guards always keep a check and do not shy away from asking visitors to cover their heads properly, even if it slips off for a moment. However, everyone is so respectful while doing so, it’d almost make you feel jealous of their ability to maintain discipline while being polite and hospitable.

Louvre Abu Dhabi

Now, if you’ve got only a few hours in Abu Dhabi and are wondering where to go, we recommend Louvre Abu Dhabi. A collaboration between the UAE and France, this museum uses the brand to borrow artworks from the French museum. The serene, white building itself looks like an artwork, blending traditional Arabian architectural elements with modern aesthetics. We had booked a guided tour (of 45 minutes) but you can opt for one without a guide as well — the labels accompanying every artwork are informative enough.

With almost 700 permanent and 300 loaned artefacts, the collection spans the entirety of human history, from prehistoric artefacts to contemporary artworks. In artefacts, you’ll find pieces from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and the Islamic world. The best part? It doesn’t showcase these with a ‘here are things historians deem important’ approach, but shows the connections between similar artefacts to help laymen like us understand why they are important. For example, we noticed three similar white–and–ultramarine porcelain plates on display side by side, derived from three different countries — China, Pakistan and Turkey! Alongside are works by European masters. Look out for Da Vinci’s Saint-Jean Baptiste, Renoir’s The Cup of Chocolate and Van Gogh’s Bedroom in Arles.

Souq Al Qattara

The next day, after an early lunch, we left for Al Ain to attend the 10th edition of the Traditional Handicrafts Festival. Popularly known for its abundance of greenery and cultural significance, Al Ain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At first glance, the festival looked like a scene from The Arabian Nights. On entering, we saw rows of men holding thin bamboo canes, moving in synchronised rhythm to drum beats with the occasional hauntingly beautiful sound of rababah. Our guide, told us that this performance was called Al Ayyala. Against the faint tint of the desert sun setting for the day, we noticed several small shops lined one after another across three different lanes. Hundreds of visitors, both tourists and locals, were present. We stepped inside a workshop first, where Emirati artisan women donning golden battoulahs were weaving bags out of dried palm fronds. We then moved on to the next stall by the public library network MAKTABA and we met a kind calligraphist who offered us bookmarks, each with our names in Arabic!

Our next stop at the festival was the souks, which boasted a range of items you can’t resist but buy for just the aesthetics! These included bags and hats with talli weaves (metallic threads woven into fabrics), honeys extracted from different flowers, snacks made by Emirati grannies at home and whatnot! We tried a shot of Emirati coffee, along with a snack bar made of six kinds of nuts and dates called tamaria. Imagine creamy, chunky peanut butter marrying into sweet, rich dates — perfection.

Our senses were soon held hostage by the scent of musky oudh, a luxury ingredient in traditional Emirati perfumes, which was wafting from a shop nearby. “This is why your modern perfumes don’t last longer,” a shopkeeper told us when we were looking for a sample fragrance to apply on the pulse. She then proceeded to gently run a bakhoor (incense burner), which had oudh (the perfume), through the width of our hair. “This way,” she smiled, “the perfume lingers for longer.” And that, in fact, turned out to be an undeniable truth.

After a tour of the replica summer houses that were traditionally built by the desert inhabitants, we had our dinner assembling delectable treats from the food shops at the festival. We capped off the night after an hour of stargazing in the middle of Al Qua desert, which was, simply put, as exhilaratingly ‘peaceful’ and cathartic as Hrithik Roshan’s first scuba diving lesson in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara!

While this author can keep writing about a lot more amazing experiences during the week she spent in this city, she’s a bit petrified picturing her editor’s disappointed face at her exhausting the word limit again. However, before we draw curtains on this story, let’s just give you one more reason to love Abu Dhabi — the city is very safe for women and is, therefore, a great option for women wanting to travel solo. So, if you’re a culture maven or simply drawn to all things Middle East, a trip to Abu Dhabi should be on your bucket list for 2025.

All–inclusive round trip to Abu Dhabi from Bengaluru starts at INR 60,000 onwards.