Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates and the seat of its federal government. It sits on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf, connected to the mainland by three bridges. First settled in the 18th century by the Bani Yas tribe, who found fresh water there — Abu Dhabi translates roughly as "land of the gazelle" — the city has transformed beyond recognition since oil was discovered in 1958.
Today it is a global city of gleaming towers, sprawling boulevards, and ambitious cultural institutions. The Corniche, a manicured 8 km waterfront promenade, runs along the western edge of the island and is the social heart of the city. At the other end of the cultural spectrum, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world and genuinely one of the most beautiful buildings on the Arabian Peninsula.
Saadiyat Island, just offshore, has become the city's cultural district. The Louvre Abu Dhabi opened in 2017 under a Jean Nouvel-designed dome that scatters patterns of light across the galleries below; the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is under construction nearby and the Abrahamic Family House opened in 2023. The Qasr Al Hosn fort — the oldest stone building in the city — anchors the heritage district on the main island. At the western end of the Corniche, Emirates Palace, the Etihad Towers, and Qasr Al Watan form a triangle of national set-pieces.
Yas Island, out by the airport, holds the leisure and motorsport district: Ferrari World, the Yas Marina F1 Circuit, Warner Bros World, SeaWorld, and Yas Waterworld, all close together.
Abu Dhabi is distinctly different from Dubai: less frantic, more planned, more traditional. The pace is slower, the streets less crowded, and the mix of cultures — with a large South Asian and Arab expatriate population alongside Emirati nationals — makes it an interesting place to spend a few days. The deeper Emirati landscape — Sir Bani Yas to the west, the Liwa dunes to the south, Jebel Hafit and Al Ain to the east — repays anyone with a day or two to spare.