Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven emirates that make up the UAE. It occupies an area equal to 80 thousand square meters. kilometers. The United Arab Emirates was formed in December 1971. ABU DHABI is the official capital of the state, the administrative center of the emirates and the residence of the President. It is the largest of the seven emirates with a total area of 67,000 sq. km., it also includes 200 islands bordering the Arabian Peninsula. Over the past twenty years, the capital has undergone great changes. Modern ABU DHABI is one of the most intensively developing cities not only in the country, but also in the world. As the center of the oil industry with ultra-modern skyscrapers, ABU DHABI has been called the Manhattan of the Middle East.
According to IAMACCEPTED, the emirate of Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven emirates, its area is 86% of the entire territory of the United Arab Emirates. The ruler of Abu Dhabi and the President of the United Arab Emirates is Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nayan.
Abu Dhabi is one of the greenest cities on the coast of the Persian Gulf. The main attraction of the city is the Al-Husn Palace, also known as the Old or White Fort, it was built at the end of the 19th century and is the oldest architectural structure in the capital, where the age of the “old” buildings does not exceed 30 years. In the past, the fort served as the residence of the rulers of Abu Dhabi, and now it has been converted into an archive of historical documents at the Abu Dhabi Cultural Center. Near the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Complex on Al Musaffah Road is the so-called Cultural and Ethnographic Village, which reproduces the traditional life and way of life of various parts of the country. On weekends and holidays, a demonstration of national songs and dances is arranged here.
Abu Dhabi owns 95% of the country’s oil reserves and all natural gas fields in the UAE. This emirate is one of the most important places in the Persian Gulf and has two important cities – the business center of Abu Dhabi, located on the coast of the Gulf, and the oasis city of Al Ain, located 145 km to the east.
ENTERTAINMENT, LEISURE, SHOPPING, SIGHTSEEING
The CORNICHE ROAD embankment is a favorite place for walks and recreation for tourists and local residents. The embankment, about 10 km long, has been turned into the largest park area in the East. Here is located most of the 90 fountains of the capital, including the most famous (“Coffee Pot”, “Swan”, “Volcano”, “Pearl”, etc.).
Historical heritage village – located on a picturesque cape overlooking the city. This is an ethnographic museum where you can get acquainted with the national way of life and culture. The entrance is free.
City fruit market – located on the central square AL ITTIHAD.
The fish market is a very colorful place in the port area, worth a visit, if not for gastronomic purposes, then at least to take pictures.
The most popular restaurants in the city are AL SAFINA and AL SOFON (Ras Al Akhdar area) and AL DHAFRA (next to the fish market). It should be remembered that alcoholic drinks in Abu Dhabi are served only in restaurants located on the territory of hotels. In ordinary city restaurants there is a “dry law”.
The shopping streets KHALIDA and HAMDAN in the AL MARKAZIYAH area are the focus of small shops and boutiques. Huge shopping centers, as in Sharjah and Dubai, are not yet in Abu Dhabi. One of the most popular shopping centers is AL HANA SHOPPING CENTER, located in the center, not far from the main promenade. In addition, there are many small CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY shopping centers.
An artificial island “LU-LU” (“Pearl”) is currently being built near the coast, on which a water park will open. The island will be connected to Abu Dhabi by an underwater tunnel.
Excursions
Abu Dhabi is the administrative center of the Emirates, and the President lives here (you can see his palace). Modern high-rise buildings soared into the sky. A lot of greenery, hundreds of fountains surrounded by flower beds – all this adds to the charm of the Embankment, a place of rest for the townspeople.
In Abu Dhabi, we will show you an ethnographic village, where you will see in what difficult conditions the Arabs lived until quite recently. Here we will offer you something exotic – to smoke a hookah, or, as the Arabs used to say, shisha.
You will climb to the observation deck and look at Abu Dhabi from a bird’s eye view. We will go down and you will see the Al Hoshi Palace, the very first residence of Sheikh Zayed. In addition, we will show you the wedding halls and, if you are lucky, you will become a guest of a real Arabic wedding. The tour will end with a sumptuous dinner at a restaurant on an Arab boat or at the five-star Hilton Hotel. A visit to “little New York” will be an event for every tourist and will be remembered for a lifetime.
