Abu Dhabi isn’t shy in breaking world records: the world’s largest hand-loomed carpet, the fastest rollercoaster, the highest high tea, the tower with the greatest lean, the largest cluster of cultural buildings in the 21st century—is there nothing the UAE capital can’t beat? Explore this exciting city where everything seems to set on hustle and bustle mode with the Abu Dhabi Travel Guide and Offline Map
1. Emirates Palace
Dubai might have Burj Khalifa soaring up vertically, but Abu Dhabi has the Emirates Palace, which sprawls horizontally. It is regarded as the BIG hotel in the Gulf and consists of audacious domed gatehouse and flying ramps to the foyer, 114 domes, and a 1.3 kilometer private beach. To make it more glamorous it has 1,002 crystal chandeliers and 392 luxury rooms and suites. The great thing is you don’t have to check-in to check it out.
2. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
The Grand Mosque is impressive to Abu Dhabi. Rising from its well manicured gardens are more than 80 marble domes on a roofline held aloft by 1,000 pillars. Delicate floral designs inlaid with semi-precious stones, such as red agate, amethyst, and jasper decorate a variety of marbles. It is a masterpiece of modern Islamic Architecture and design. Built by UAE’s first President, Sheikh Zayed, it can hold up to 50,000 worship goers and is one of the very few mosques to welcome non-muslims in the region.
3. Louvre Abu Dhabi
The highly anticipated Louvre Abu Dhabi finally arrived in late 2017. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, this striking museum definitely astounds. The 23-gallery project featuring a contrasting medina-inspired sequence of white buildings flanking a centerpiece. The elaborate, 180-meter-wide filigree dome pays homage to desert-palm shading with its geometric openings represent interlaced palm leaves used in traditional roofing.
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