With year-round sunshine and dazzling skyscrapers, holidays to Abu Dhabi combine international glamour with the romance of the desert.

Sun, speed and skyscrapers

Modern towers jostle for attention with ornamental mosques in the United Arab Emirates' Abu Dhabi, a city that combines the cutting edge with the intensely traditional. Home to a Formula One Grand Prix as well as the world's fastest rollercoaster, it's one of the Middle East's most thrilling cities.

Mosques and fortresses

Abu Dhabi's greener than its flashy cousin Dubai, and its oldest building, the Qasr al Hosn Fortress, was built from coral and sea stone way back in the 1700s. The white marble Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque attracts more than five million visitors every year, so head there early to avoid the crowd.

Shopper's delight

From bright gold jewellery and Arabic coffee pots to rugs and Eastern spices, city breaks in Abu Dhabi are a shopper's paradise. The traditional markets offer affordable treasures for bargain hunters, while its world-class malls are filled with bright lights and luxury goods for big spenders.

At a Glance

  • Admire one of the world's most modern skylines
  • Venture across the desert on a dune buggy
  • Shop 'til you drop in the gleaming Abu Dhabi Mall

Best time to go to Abu Dhabi

Thanks to its year-round warm weather, basking in sunshine’s part and parcel of trips to Abu Dhabi, whenever you visit. The mercury often hovers well over the 30°C mark during July and August. Meanwhile the likes of April, May, June and October are a little bit cooler, with temperatures hitting the mid-twenties. January’s the coldest month, but even then, things don’t dip lower than the mid-teens. And, as you’d expect in the desert, rain’s a pretty rare occurrence.

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