Dubai Highlights Photo Stop City Tour by Car

Zabeel Palace: the ruler's palace gates

Zabeel Palace stands in the green Zabeel district between Bur Dubai and Downtown, and it is used by Dubai's ruling family for official business and receiving guests. The palace itself is closed to the public, but its tall gates, trimmed in gold and set at the end of a palm-lined drive, make one of the most elegant photo stops in the city.

Our guide explains how Dubai grew from a creek-side trading town into a global city during the decades in which this palace has stood, and points out the wide lawns and old ghaf and palm trees that surround it. The stop is short, so have your camera ready as you step out; mornings give soft, even light on the gates. Dress modestly here, as at any official or religious site in Dubai.

Burj Khalifa and Downtown Dubai

Burj Khalifa, opened in 2010, rises 828 metres above Downtown Dubai and remains the tallest building in the world. Its Y-shaped plan was inspired by a desert flower, and its stepped setbacks spiral upward to a slender spire visible from almost anywhere in the city. At its foot lie the Dubai Mall, the Burj Lake and the promenade where the Dubai Fountain performs.

The Burj Khalifa photo stop lasts about 15 minutes, enough to walk to a good angle and fit the whole tower in a vertical frame; the lake promenade is the classic spot. This tour does not go inside, so if you want to ride to the observation decks, book Burj Khalifa tickets separately for another time. On the drive between stops you also pass City Walk, an open-air district of shops, cafés and murals.

Palm Jumeirah and the resort at the crescent

Palm Jumeirah, built from reclaimed sand from 2001 onward, is the palm-tree-shaped island that put Dubai's land reclamation on the world map. The road runs down the trunk, under the elevated monorail and between rows of apartment towers, then passes through a tunnel beneath the sea to reach the Crescent, the long breakwater that protects the fronds.

At the tip of the crescent stands a vast pink-and-cream resort with a giant central arch, the most photographed building on the island, and this is where the Palm Jumeirah tour stops for pictures. From here you look back across the water towards the Dubai Marina skyline. The guide explains how the island was built from sand dredged from the seabed and placed with satellite positioning.

Jumeirah Beach and Burj Al Arab

Burj Al Arab, opened in 1999, stands 321 metres tall on its own man-made island off Jumeirah Beach, its profile shaped like the billowing sail of a traditional dhow. Until Burj Khalifa came along, it was the image that symbolised Dubai, and it still makes the city's most famous postcard when seen from the sand.

The Burj Al Arab photo stop is on the public beach at Jumeirah, with about 15 minutes to walk to the water's edge for a clean shot of the tower and the sea. Just inland the vehicle passes Souk Madinat Jumeirah, a modern market built in old Arabian style with wind towers and small canals. Mornings bring the clearest view, before the afternoon haze rises over the water.

Jumeirah Mosque

Jumeirah Mosque, completed in 1979, is one of the most photographed mosques in Dubai: a white-stone building in the medieval Fatimid style, with two slender minarets and a large central dome finely carved with geometric patterns. It lights up warmly after dark, but in the morning sun the stone looks almost white against the blue sky.

On this tour the mosque is seen as you drive along Jumeirah Beach Road; the guide tells you about its architecture and its role as a place of welcome, since it is one of the few mosques in the city that regularly opens its doors to visitors of all faiths for guided cultural visits. Those visits are not part of this tour, but the guide can explain how to join one on another day.

Old Dubai: the Gold Souk and Dubai Creek

The last part of the tour crosses into Old Dubai, where the city began. Dubai Creek, a natural saltwater inlet, was the trading harbour that brought pearl merchants, spice traders and dhows from Iran, India and East Africa. Wooden dhows still load cargo along the Deira wharves, and small abras, the traditional water taxis, ferry passengers between Deira and Bur Dubai.

On the Deira side, the Gold Souk lines its covered lanes with jewellery shops, their windows full of gold necklaces, bangles and bridal sets. The tour passes by rather than stopping, but the guide shows you where everything is so you can come back on your own. The drive ends at City Centre Deira, beside the metro station, so continuing to the souks or the creek is easy.