Find out what to do in Abu Dhabi and how to visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, also known as the white Mosque.
Not long ago I wrote a post about what to do in Dubai on a low budget. However, if you are planning to visit the United Arab Emirates I think the most interesting thing to visit is not in Dubai, but Abu Dhabi.
Some people take advantage of a stopover in this city and spend a couple of days visiting its interesting attractions.
Even though it doesn’t get as nearly as many visitors as Dubai, Abu Dhabi it’s in my opinion a nicer city.
What to do and what do see in Abu Dhabi
Probably the most famous landmark of this city is the Ferrari World amusement park.
Another very popular place among tourists and local tourists is the Marina Mall, a quite big mall. However if you have visited Dubai and its Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates, this is probably not worth it.
The only interesting thing about the Marina Mall is the tower in the middle where you can take the elevator and have a nice 360° view of the city.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi
The landmark of Abu Dhabi is the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi, also known as the white mosque. It’s really an incredible building.
This mosque’s one of the biggest in the world and it can host about 40000 people. There are 82 domes and some of them are covered with gold.
There are well over 1000 columns.
Inside the mosque, you can find the biggest hand-made carpet in the world.
This chandelier is one of the biggest in the world: it has a diameter of over 10 meters, it’s 15 meters tall, and a total weight of over 12 tons.
Outside the mosque, there are numerous pools. If you have the chance it’s a good idea to take some pictures while the sunsets.
How to properly dress when visiting the White Mosque of Abu Dhabi
Since the United Arab Emirates is a Muslim country, it’s important to dress properly especially before visiting a religious site. Shorts are not allowed both for men and women and the women should have their heads covered. If you don’t have the right clothes, you can rent them right before getting inside the mosque. You’ll also have to take your shoes off.
The first official celebration was the funeral of Sheikh Zayed, from whom the mosque gets its name. The whole building cost about 545 million USD and it took 11 years to be completed: from 1996 until 2007.
How to get to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi
The best way to get to the Mosque, if you are in Dubai, is by booking a half-day tour or full-day tour of Abu Dhabi. The tour will take you also to the Mosque.
Keep in mind that on Fridays tourists are not allowed to visit the Mosque. If possible visit the Mosque around sunset to take some nice pictures.
On Booking.com you can find some good deals for your accommodation in Abu Dhabi. Alternatively, check out Agoda.
Another thing to keep in mind is that during Ramadan the visit time it’s reduced. You can check the dates here.
Here a couple of articles about two other very interesting places: Burano, in Italy, with its colored houses, and Dongchuan Red Land, in China.
