What to see in United Arab Emirates: 9 must-sees

Immerse yourself in the world's most excessive city, where skyscrapers, malls and the beach form a metropolis that went from a pearl-fishing village to the capital of luxury in 50 years. Founded in 1833, Dubai was a fishing and trading port until oil transformed the city in 1966. Today it holds 3.5 million people in a desert, including the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall and the Palm Jumeirah — three of the most ambitious constructions on Earth. The souks (markets) of gold, spices and textiles hum with life where traditional trade blends with modernity. 4x4 drives across the desert, seaplane flights over Dubai and dinners at Michelin-starred chefs' restaurants create experiences rivalling those of any other city in the world.

Enjoy the largest theme park in the world, where races, rides and speed create a one-of-a-kind experience. Speed, adventure and the world's largest roof. Take part in adventure and entertainment activities where excitement, scenery and fun create a lasting memory. Adrenaline, fun and lifelong memories.

Ride up the world's tallest building, where 828 meters of glass and steel form a spire that touches the sky. The Burj Khalifa, inaugurated in 2010, holds 163 floors and 1,040 apartments, where residents can see the horizon from 500 meters up. The observatory on the 148th floor, at 555 meters, offers a view of 95 kilometers where the desert meets the sea. The Burj Khalifa's fountains — the largest in the world — stage a spectacle of light and water every night, where 6,600 lamps, 25 color projectors and 50 great fixtures create a visual symphony seen by more than 100 million people. The Armani hotel, the restaurants of the world's most famous chefs and the Dubai Mall — the largest on the planet — complete a complex that has redefined the concept of luxury.

Walk through the 82 white marble domes of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, inaugurated in 2007 over 22,400 square meters. Walk barefoot its 1,000 columns and stop on the Iranian carpet of 5,627 square meters — the largest in the world — beneath a 12-meter chandelier. The mosaics of 24 colors and the Swarovski stained glass filter light that changes with the hours, while orange groves perfume the outer courtyards of this religious monument of Abu Dhabi.

Swim the coves of Palm Jumeirah — the world's largest palm-shaped island, built with 94 million cubic meters of sand in the middle of the Gulf. Ride the 5-kilometer monorail linking the trunk with the mainland and watch the palm silhouette cut out against the desert. Spend the night at Atlantis, The Palm — the largest luxury complex in the Middle East, with 1,539 rooms — or walk the villas line of the trunk, with direct sea views.

Step into the building with the world's strangest shape — a 77-meter ring with Arabic calligraphy on its facade representing knowledge and hope. The Museum of the Future, inaugurated in 2022, holds 7 floors of interactive exhibits where artificial intelligence, virtual reality and science fiction create a journey to 2071. The facade, made up of 1,024 carbon-fibre panels, each bearing a phrase of Sheikh Mohammed in Arabic calligraphy, is one of the most complex buildings ever constructed. The transparent elevators offer views of the interior as you ride up to the 7th-floor observatory, where the panorama of Dubai and the desert is overwhelming.

Enter the Rub' al Khali — the largest continuous sand desert on Earth — and cross its 650,000 square kilometers of dunes stretching to the horizon. In the Abu Dhabi region you will find reddish dunes of more than 250 meters, such as those of Liwa, where the sunset light tints the sand coppery. Watch Arabian oryxes and gazelles between the crests, drive a 4x4 down steep descents, or sleep in Bedouin camps beneath skies without light pollution. Carry plenty of water and a local guide, since there are no signposted roads here.