The “City of Gold” awaits: soaring towers, golden deserts, and a blend of ancient Bedouin tradition with ultra-modern luxury. This tour takes you through both traditional and contemporary Dubai, with an unforgettable side trip to the capital, Abu Dhabi.
Tour Itinerary
Athens – Dubai. Gather at the airport for your flight to the “City of Gold”, Dubai. On arrival, transfer to and check in at our hotel. Overnight stay.
Dubai – Traditional Dubai Tour (Deira – Bur Dubai – Zabeel, incl. lunch). After breakfast, we begin our first tour of Old Dubai to understand how it all began. Our first stop is the Bur Dubai area and the Al Bastakiya quarter, home to the city’s first “built” houses — a picturesque area of narrow lanes we’ll explore on foot (conditions permitting) before reaching the Dubai Museum, housed in the city’s oldest building, Al Fahidi Fort. Inside, videos and life-size reconstructions show how locals lived before the discovery of oil, giving a fuller picture of the city’s evolution. We then reach the Creek, Dubai’s historic waterway, and cross it aboard an abra (traditional water taxi) to Deira, home to the Gold and Spice Souks. Enjoy free time for shopping — spices, souvenirs, and yes, gold too (don’t forget to haggle!). We recommend trying a fresh exotic fruit juice, such as mango or avocado. The tour continues to the Zabeel area, where we’ll see some of the Sheikhs’ palaces and stop for photos outside the palace of Dubai’s current ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum — keep an eye out for peacocks roaming the entrance. Return to the hotel, with the afternoon free. Overnight stay.
Dubai – Modern Dubai Tour (Jumeirah – Dubai Marina – Palm Jumeirah – Sheikh Zayed Road – Burj Khalifa). After breakfast, we head to Downtown Dubai. Travelling along Sheikh Zayed Road, one of the city’s largest and most central avenues, we’ll see the Dubai Twin Towers, the Creek extension, the world’s tallest hotel, and the elevated metro under construction. This route brings us to the foot of the world’s tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa, where we stop for photos. We continue to Zabeel Park to see the Dubai Frame, a striking structure resembling a giant picture frame, made of two 150m towers connected at the top by a glass bridge. We then stroll through Downtown and Boulevard Street with its wonderful shops, before continuing to the coastal district of Jumeirah, stopping for photos at the iconic sail-shaped Burj Al Arab hotel and a nearby cluster of some of the city’s most exclusive hotels. Our tour continues to the man-made Palm Jumeirah island, where we’ll ride the monorail (approx. 20 AED) for aerial views of the island, its celebrity-owned villas, Aquaventure Waterpark, and a better sense of the island’s design, with photo stops in front of the Atlantis hotel. We then head to Dubai Marina, stopping for photos in front of the world’s tallest twisted tower. Return to the hotel with the afternoon free — we recommend a visit to one of the city’s malls, such as The Dubai Mall or Mall of the Emirates. For the evening, we suggest a Dubai Marina dinner cruise. Overnight stay.
Dubai – 4×4 Desert Safari. In the mid-afternoon (around 15:30), our safari drivers/guides will collect you from the hotel. After around an hour’s drive, we reach the starting point of the safari. Buckle up as we cross dunes once traversed by camel caravans, riding 4×4 jeeps across the sands with photo stops at the dunes and for sunset. The route ends at a Bedouin-style camp, where dinner is served. Enjoy camel rides, henna tattoos, shisha, and traditional belly-dancing and Tanoura dance performances — all under the desert stars. Return to the hotel full of new memories.
Dubai – Abu Dhabi (incl. lunch). After breakfast, we depart for the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, known locally as the “Green Emirate”. After a roughly 190km (2-hour) drive past the area with the 17 palaces of the sons of Sheikh Zayed and the Presidential Palace, we arrive at one of the world’s most beautiful hotels, the Emirates Palace — a dream hotel of marble, alabaster, granite and gold throughout, with free time for photos. We continue to the Abu Dhabi Heritage Village, a step back into the city’s past, before finishing our tour of the capital at Yas Island, home to the Formula 1 circuit. We’ll stop for photos and visit the entrance of Ferrari World for photo opportunities and souvenir shopping at the world’s largest Ferrari boutique (park ride admission not included). The tour concludes with lunch, followed by transfer back to our hotel. Overnight stay.
Abu Dhabi (Day 2). We continue our tour of Abu Dhabi, visiting the magnificent Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, considered one of the most beautiful mosques in the Muslim world, with free time for photos. Leaving the mosque behind, we follow the city’s beautiful coastal road to the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum (admission approx. 60 AED), where you’ll have time to admire the architecturally stunning building and its dozens of exhibits from cultures around the world. The rest of the day is free — we recommend returning to the Emirates Palace to enjoy a cappuccino topped with 24-karat gold flakes (reservation required). Overnight stay.
Abu Dhabi – Dubai – Athens. Departure for Dubai for our connecting return flight, arriving back in Athens the same day.
*The itinerary above is indicative; the final schedule is confirmed approximately 3–5 days before each departure.
What’s typically included
Economy class flights
Daily breakfast at the hotel
Lunch after the Traditional Dubai tour and after the Abu Dhabi tour
A BBQ dinner with entertainment show during the desert safari
Monorail ticket for aerial views of Palm Jumeirah
Pre-purchased, skip-the-line admission to the Louvre Abu Dhabi
An experienced Greek-speaking tour leader based in Dubai (not a local guide)
Public liability insurance
Airport taxes, gratuities, porterage, and optional extended insurance packages are payable separately in Athens and are not included above.
Interested in this trip? Get in touch with us for current departure dates, availability and pricing.
