Abu Dhabi in a Day | Stopover Guide

How to get around Abu Dhabi in 1 day

The best way to visit Abu Dhabi in 1 day is renting a car, it drives wonderfully around the city, Everything has parking, and it's the fastest way to get around. In case of I just want to visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque The best option is to go and return by taxi.

Also There are free shuttles that go to the different tourist spots But the schedules are limited. If you choose this option, you can supplement it with taxis (I recommend using Uber or Careem). There is also public transport, but you need to buy a travel card.carGable at the airport and from experience we can tell you that a lot of time is lost in transfers.

📱To order taxis without relying on public WiFi, I'll explain what the best way is.the best way to have internet in Abu Dhabi.

Another different activity you can do during your layover, or if it's your second time in Abu Dhabi, is to go to the Yas Island and its amusement park.

What to see and do in Abu Dhabi in 1 day

We start the day visiting the most emblematic place in Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. This impressive mosque is one of the largest in the world, the 15th to be exact. And it will take your breath away with its majestic architecture, white marble and elaborate golden details. It is a true architectural beauty. And surprisingly, it's free!

You just have to register at this website and you receive a QR with which you access. Make sure you wear appropriate clothing. Women must cover their arms, legs (including ankles) and head. Men cannot wear shorts.

Would you like internet to use GPS and be able to communicatecarYou? There are options!we tell you everything!

 Schedule: 09:00-22:00, Friday closed from 12.00:15.00 to XNUMX:XNUMX.

To know more you can read this other article about Sheikh Zayed Mosque, a little of its history and more details for your visit. (soon…)

After the mosque, head to the Presidential Palace, Qasr Al Watan. This is the administrative center of the country, we go to the offices of the presidentBut it is also a cultural place with incredible architecture that was completed in 2019.

Entry to the Qasr Al Watan Presidential Palace

It's well worth visiting the inside, or at least getting a glimpse of it.carI peeked a little into its exterior (although it's not very clear) to see the facade, made of white granite and limestone, with a imposing central dome 37 meters high.

In addition to the impressive architecture, the interior of the palace is full of details and has a gigantic library with several exhibition rooms and the magnificent "Great Hall", famous for its chandelier with 350,000 pieces of crystal.

Schedule:  10:00-17.45:XNUMX from Monday to Sunday.

Undoubtedly, one of the essential places for a stopover in Abu Dhabi. And it is very close to the Etihad Towers, our next stop on this Abu Dhabi itinerary in 1 day.

For us this quick stop It is a must see in Abu Dhabi in 1 day. The Mandarin Oriental hotel is one of the most luxurious in Abu Dhabi, if not the most, And since there are some shops and restaurants inside, you can access it without staying. You can tour its front gardens and the hall, which is insultingly large, with a spectacular dome as its main axis.

We entered through the main door and left the car in a parking lot that was on the right side of the hotel, shortly before the main entrance.

Although without a doubt one of the best things about the Mandarin is the views of the Etihad Towers, a complex of 5 of the tallest skyscrapers in the city. In addition, Tower 2 has an observatory on the 74th floor, located 300 meters high and offering 360 views of the city and the Arabian Gulf.

The Abu Dhabi Corniche is an 8 kilometer promenade with views of the city skyline. You can take a walk, rent a bike or simply relax on one of its public beaches. The plan above all will depend on how hot it is because the last time we went it was May and it was already impossible to be in the sun.

At the end of La Corniche, on Google Maps it appears as Abu Dhabi View Point, You have frontal views of the skyline. We liked them even more than from La Corniche.

Although it is not the cheapest area of ​​the city, it has many restaurants and it is most likely that if you have started your stopover in Abu Dhabi in the morning at this time you will already be hungry. The best priced options are usually Indian or Arabic food.

Another quick, cheap and tasty option is to go to a shopping center that has Carrefour or Lulú. Both have a huge takeaway section with dishes of all kinds and you can ask for them to be heated up for youInside the shopping centers there are food courts where you can sit down, rest and eat.

This place opened in 2016 is one of the most photographed in Abu Dhabi for the views of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and its reflection in the pond, the Oasis of Dignity. It is known by this name because it is a tribute to the fallen soldiers of the United Arab Emirates.

Finishing your one-day stopover in Abu Dhabi watching the sunset at Wahat Al Karama is the best of plans, seeing how the day falls and the mosque takes on blue tones is beautiful. In fact, if you have time and energy left, as the mosque opens until 22:00 p.m., you could also enter at night.

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With the five previous places, I think you will have more than enough stopover, but if you have more than one day in Abu Dhabi, you already know the main attractions or you prefer to do something different, these are some more things that can be done in the city and its outskirts.

• Dedicar the day his amusement parks, in Abu Dhabi there is Ferrari Land, Yas waterworld y Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi. Guaranteed adrenaline! And a very fun stopover in Abu Dhabi.
• Go shopping or take a walk in one of the shopping centers in Abu Dhabi. With the weather being hot, you might be grateful to add some to your Abu Dhabi plans in 1 day. The most popular are: marina mall, Abu Dhabi Mall, Al Wahda Mall y The Galleria Al Maryah.
• Visiting mangrove nature reserve, there are some walkways to explore on foot or they also do kayak excursions that you can book there directly or in Civitatis.
• Know the Abu Dhabi Lovre Museum. Opened in 2017, this impressive building is the main museum of Abu Dhabi's cultural district and houses a large collection of art from around the world. Please note that the museum is closed every Monday and tickets can be purchased online.

• Taking out Abu Dhabi boat trip to see places like the Marina Hotel, the Heritage Village, the Corniche and of course the Abu Dhabi skyline from another perspective.
• dinner show to know the Abu Dhabi desert.

Other Recommendations to stopover in Abu Dhabi in 1 day

If you are going to stay overnight we recommend doing so in the Abu Dhabi center or in one of those that are right in the Airport.

We do not forget gastronomy, some restaurant recommendations beyond supermarket takeaways are: Bandung Restaurant, Zaatar w Zeit, Dragon Bao Bao Restaurant, Evergreen Restaurant (a vegetarian Indian), Lebanese Mill Restaurant. And near where we stay in the Hotel Aloft There was a street with very good and cheap local restaurants like Rubban Al Khaleej or the luqqimats (typical sweet) on Luqaimat and Chebab Muroor Street.

Having internet in Abu Dhabi is practical, especially if you go by car. There are eSims plans from 1 day that allow you to have unlimited internet in a super simple way.

Finally, don't forget to select travel insurance with coverage world or add Arab Emirates to the coverage countries to be protected during your stopover. We leave you a discount and a comparison between Iati and Heymondo, our favorites for short-term trips.

So far our little one guide on what to see in Abu Dhabi in 1 day, a city that is ideal for a one-day stopover on the way to other countries such as Maldives, South Africa, Korea or China.

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