Abu Dhabi holidays

Abu Dhabi’s beach count sits in double figures, so there’s plenty of room for seaside relaxation on city breaks here. Some beaches come with a small fee, while others are totally free to use.

Saadiyat Island’s cotton-white stretch of sand comes with a fee, but its stacks of facilities make it worth the cost for all-day beach jaunts. There are plenty of sunloungers and parasols to rent, and a choice of bars and restaurants on hand for when hunger strikes in between sea swims.

You’ll need to escape the city if you’re after a quieter stretch of sand. Mirfa Beach is a great option – it’s around a two-hour drive from the centre of the city, which means it sees a lot fewer footprints than the swathes in the centre of Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi’s Central Market a one-stop-shop for shopping, from handicrafts and clothing to spices and souvenirs. It sits on one of the city’s oldest sites, which was once home to a traditional souk. Inside, a series of squares, courtyards and alleyways give a nod to its history.

You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to shopping in Abu Dhabi. The city’s namesake mall is a great place to start off your shopping trip, with a list of international names such as Zara and Calvin Klein featuring on its list of more than 200 shops.

Marina Mall’s a good option for designer shopping – it’s fitted with five levels, which host more than 400 shops such as Tiffany & Co., Prada and Yves Saint Laurent. Once you’ve bagged your buys, you can finish off your designer shopping with dinner in the 30-storey observation tower, which sorts out sweeping views right across the city.

While Abu Dhabi days are best spent on the beach, there are plenty of options when it comes to evening activities. Nothing’s quite as relaxing as checking out the sights from the sea on a traditional sailing boat, known as a dhow. You can pick up trips from most marinas, and take off on a sailing trip along the skyscraper-lined shoreline. Onboard dinner’s on the cards on most trips, too.

Yas Island’s the place to head once the sun sets. Here, you’ve got pretty much unlimited options for nights out. From partying on a floating beach club to live music in luxury hotel bars, this place has got it all.

As the national dish of the UAE, you’ll find Khuzi listed on menus in most restaurants across the city. It consists of roasted lamb on a bed of saffron-spiced rice, and it’s topped off with nuts, raisins and potatoes.

These tasty dessert dumplings come soaked in a sweet-and-sticky sauce. They’re sprinkled with sesame seeds and served up warm.

This dish is served up on a bed of sweet onions and sugary rice. It’s made with fish, which is prepared and served whole, with local spices sealing the deal with lots of flavour.

These tasty wraps have found their way on to street-food stalls in Abu Dhabi from their original home, Lebanon. Shish shawarmas are popular – they’re made with cubes chicken and salad which are both wrapped up in pitta bread.

This salad dish comes loaded up with lettuce, sliced tomatoes, cucumber, mint leaves, garlic, onion and olive oil. It’s usually served with pitta bread, which is usually broken into bite-sized pieces and mixed in with the salad.