Downtown Dubai

Downtown is the centre of new Dubai and the first place visitors head for. Within a few blocks you'll find the city's main landmarks: the world's tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Fountain at its foot, one of the world's largest malls, The Dubai Mall, and Dubai Opera.

Walking around the district is free: you only pay for observation decks, shows and shopping.

What to see in Downtown

Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is the tallest tower in the world: 828 metres, 180 of which are the record-breaking spire. You can simply walk around it and look up, or go up to the observation decks on levels 124, 125 and 148 and see all of Dubai from above. What is on each level, ticket prices and how to book are on the Burj Khalifa page.

Almost every Dubai city tour includes the Burj Khalifa, for example the Dubai Burj Khalifa Tour or the Dubai City Tour by Night.

At.mosphere restaurant

For something more unusual than an observation deck, try the At.mosphere restaurant on level 122: pick a table by the window, order a coffee and enjoy the view.

Armani Hotel

The hotel occupies part of the Burj Khalifa. Its interiors were designed personally by Giorgio Armani, and it has several restaurants, a spa and a fitness centre. Some rooms look straight onto the fountain.

Dubai Fountain

The fountain plays on the lake at the foot of the tower: there are fewer shows in the daytime, and in the evening they run every half hour, each lasting about 5 minutes. The best views are from the café terraces around the lake. Many people combine the show with a trip up the Burj Khalifa, although details are hard to make out from level 124.

Dubai Opera

The opera house is shaped like a traditional Arabic dhow. The building is made of glass and metal and finished with wood inside. Look out for the lobby chandelier made of strands of pearls: for centuries local divers sailed dhows to fish for pearls, and the chandelier is a reminder of that.

The Dubai Mall

The Dubai Mall is one of the largest malls in the world, with more than a thousand shops, including a whole luxury wing, Fashion Avenue. It is not just shopping: there are KidZania, the aquarium, an Olympic-size ice rink, a virtual reality park, cinemas, cafés and restaurants.

How to get there

The nearest metro station is Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall on the Red Line, connected to The Dubai Mall by a covered walkway. By car, the easiest option is one of The Dubai Mall car parks.

Tips before you go

You can easily spend a whole day in The Dubai Mall. Go in the morning and decide after a couple of hours how to spend the rest of the day.

The evening is the best time for a walk: the heat eases and the fountain and the lit-up tower look their best.

To round off the day, ride the metro along Sheikh Zayed Road: from the window you'll see almost all the city's most striking skyscrapers.