1 day in dubai itinerary

1 Day in Dubai itinerary: what poor people can do

What to do in 1 Day in Dubai itinerary? Almost nothing because I'm too poor for Dubai. This, my guys, has been really tough as a travel blogger for me. Visiting Dubai was more complicated than I thought because it's HUGE. Dubai is in fact more than 50 km long! This is not to say that you cannot visit the city at all. I just want to say that you CANNOT visit many things as many websites say. This is why we travel bloggers exist, to give you a hand manage your time.

1 day in dubai itinerary

About Dubai, I'll tell you about my personal experience and the places that, in my opinion, were worth seeing in 24 hours. The 1st thing I can tell you is this: be prepared to be out and about from morning to night. At the end of the article I leave you with a whole series of useful links on travel, accommodation, and tours. Ready to visit this city built literally on nothing? Iamme ià

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links to helpful experiences that I love to suggest to my readers. (Here the cookie policy). If you click on one of them, I may receive a small commission (for which I am really grateful) at no extra cost to you. Clicking on it will help me manage my website for you, free of charge, funding my project and continuing to travel, informing explorers and travellers.

1 Day in Dubai itinerary and what to see? The things that are really worth visiting

The paragraph begins with a question that is not by chance. As mentioned before, Dubai is huge. This is why we need to first understand what is worth seeing in Dubai. But what is worth seeing in Dubai considering that for everyone it is the city of luxury and skyscrapers?

1 day in dubai itinerary

First thing stereotypical about Dubai that everyone sees (on the web and social media): skyscrapers and luxury. I avoided this approach by trying to discover the real Dubai, the one that was there before. And do you know what was there before? Come with me, now I'll show you the places (and photos) of ancient Dubai and what you have to see if you're here for a short time.

Old Dubai itinerary

This was a unique experience . Admiring the historic district of Dubai is an experience because it is different and unusual. Unless you were born in the Emirates, you will hardly see anything like this in your lifetime. The architecture of the buildings, the clothing of the people, the markets, the typical food of the Emirates.

gianluca-acampora

1 Day in Dubai itinerary: Al Fahidi

Al Fahidi is the historic district of Dubai which you will love and, which for me, you should visit. Lose yourself in its narrow streets and enter the various typical fabric and spice shops. The Emirates are known for their high quality and variety of fabrics and spices and you will find them in abundance here. Enter the Dubai's characteristic and historic venues, they are disarmingly beautiful. Take the opportunity to sit enjoy some typical dishes and their herbal teas (hot/cold).

al-fahidi

1 Day in Dubai itinerary: Grand Souk Bur

A few steps from Al Fahidi you can immerse yourself in the culture and products of the Emirates. The word souk in Arabic means market and in Dubai you will find many, many…! Among the most famous you will find Grand Souk Bur which is the largest market in the city. The fact that it is located in the historic district makes it an attraction worth visiting.

grand-souk-bur

Lose yourself in its alleys and admire the typical colours, from spices to fabrics. I also found many artisan shops with handmade and truly special works. If I were you I would take a small souvenir.

Gold souk Dubai

Ready to make an investment in gold? I'm joking...but if you really have some money to waste, think about it. This souk is famous, I dare say throughout the world, for its reputation for gold. Dubai is known throughout the world for its numerous businesses and gold is among them. Here, in fact, you can buy gold at a very low cost advantageous and get a real bargain. This souk is also located near the Grand Souk Bur and therefore easy to reach. Once there you think about dropping by.

1 Day in Dubai itinerary: Burj Khalifa

The tallest skyscraper in the world is located in Dubai gentlemen, what do you think, shall we go and see it? I didn't reach the top of it, I didn't have enough time, but on the other hand, I saw the light show. In Dubai, every evening in the Burj Khalifa Square there is a fountain show and it is something to see in my opinion.

1 day in dubai itinerary

In addition to being beautiful the show itself, the Burj Khalifa area is one of the most popular and with more nightlife. Restaurants, bars, luxury shopping malls and much more. This is how you could end your day in Dubai, with one of the coolest attractions in town. Also because, as I told you at the beginning, getting around Dubai is not so easy. Not because the transport doesn't work, but because the city is huge and getting around takes time. I also leave you the link to book the get to the top of the Burj Khalifa

Getting around in Dubai

In Dubai all transport works very well and it is better to buy the Nol card . This card allows you to use all public transport in the city throughout the day. The main ones to take are:

  • Metro
  • Tram
  • Bus

The only thing I found a little boring, given how big the city is, is the frequency of the trips (even 30 minutes). Dubai has almost 4 million inhabitants and cannot afford gaps of more than 10 minutes per ride (in my opinion). That said, I still managed to get everything done in one day. Consider that the two areas where I was were very far from each other, now I'll show you on a map.

3 hours of travel only during the day between one place and another. Do you understand now why I say that visiting Dubai (at least in one day) is difficult? Add to this you have to walk, stop to eat, and visit attractions. That's why there are just 2-3 places on my itinerary.

Traditional food in Dubai

Do you remember when I told you about the Al Fahidi neighborhood and about trying some traditional food once there? Well... take these dishes that I am writing to you as a reference and try at least one:

  • Harees
  • Majboos
  • Luqaymat
  • Madrouba
  • Thareed
  • Meat Biryani
  • Chicken saloona
  • Oozie
traditional food in dubai

Where to stay in Dubai

In Dubai you can find many solutions for accommodation, I opted for a hostel. I was in a nice area, in a skyscraper with a view and close to transport. I personally feel like recommending the hostel I stayed in. Very welcoming (also thanks to the owner who lives there) and friendly.

where to stay in dubai

I also leave you some links in case you want better solutions in terms of privacy:

Best tours in Dubai: useful links

I leave you the links to book the most popular tours in Dubai in case you have a little more time (for example the following day):

1 Day in Dubai itinerary: curiosity

  • In Dubai's public transport you will find female-only carriages. P.s. I noticed it because the first day I took the subway all the women looked at me badly, very badly indeed.
  • The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world
  • Only 15% of Dubai's population is local
  • The United Arab Emirates is almost entirely covered by a breathtaking sand desert. Translated for travellers: lots of excursions and fun
  • Dubai is home to the only seven-star hotel in the world: Burj al Arab. The interior of this luxury hotel is decorated with approximately 1,790 square meters of 24-carat gold leaf… bah

Conclusions

I want to return to Dubai and I was disappointed that I wasn't able to visit it as I wanted. Between excursions and places to visit outside Dubai (and there are some) it is a city to dedicate at least 7 full days to in my opinion. I hope that my tips on Dubai will be useful to you to better facilitate your itinerary.To the next trip and remember: those who travel live twice…!

P.s. don't forget to click here to follow on my instagram page the places I've been.

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