Luxury things to do in Dubai
Burj Khalifa's highest table, Jamavar, Orfali Bros, and SAL at sunset
Dubai at its most unrestrained: breakfast pastries from Ladurée, lunch or dinner at the most talked-about addresses in the city, and cocktails high enough to see the Gulf on a clear evening. For anyone who wants the definitive version of every experience the city offers.
Day 1: Downtown and the Burj
Ladurée, the Burj Khalifa, lunch at Atmosphere, Souk Al Bahar, then Indian at Jamavar and a drink at SAL.
- 9:30 AM
Ladurée
Start the day with pastries and coffee at the iconic Ladurée, the most boujee way to ease into Downtown Dubai.
Map - 10:30 AM
Burj Khalifa برج خليفة
Go up the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa observation deck is the grandest landmark flex in the city.
Map - 12:30 PM
Atmosphere Burj Khalifa
Lunch at Atmosphere, the world's highest restaurant at 122 floors up, the city's most famous and spectacular lunch address.
Map - 2:30 PM
Souk Al Bahar سوق البحار
Browse Souk Al Bahar's luxury boutiques and soak in the Burj Khalifa views across the water, the most elegant afternoon stroll in Downtown.
Map - 7:30 PM
Jamavar
Refined North Indian cooking by Dubai Opera; go for the tasting menu, and make sure the Malabar prawns are on it.
Map - 9:30 PM
SAL
A late drink on SAL's terrace at Burj Al Arab with the lit sail overhead; book ahead, it runs as a restaurant.
Map
Day 2: Al Fahidi and the Creek
Wind-tower lanes and a great-value Emirati spread by day, then Al-Fanar's elevated traditional cooking in the evening near the Creek.
- 9:30 AM
Coffee Museum
Arabic coffee brewed the old way inside a wind-tower house, with antique pots and roasters from across the region.
Map - 10:30 AM
Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood حي الفهيدي التاريخي
Wander the atmospheric wind-tower lanes of Al Fahidi, the oldest preserved neighbourhood in Dubai, right on the doorstep.
Map - 12:30 PM
Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant | مطعم الخيمة التراثي
Great-value Emirati spread in a heritage tent setting, the city's most-lauded traditional lunch.
Map - 7:30 PM
Al-Fanar
Acclaimed Emirati fine dining, elevated traditional dishes in an elegant Creek-area setting.
Map - 9:30 PM
Siddharta Lounge by Buddha Bar
Cocktails high up at Grosvenor House, with the lit towers of Dubai Marina all around the pool terrace.
Map
Day 3: City Walk and Jumeirah
A green morning in Al Wasl Park gives way to Orfali Bros at lunch and Manāo's Thai contemporary tasting menu, the most decorated dinner of the trip.
- 10:30 AM
Al Wasl Park حديقة الوصل
Stroll the lush Al Wasl Park, a rare green escape in the middle of the city, right in the neighbourhood.
Map - 12:30 PM
ORFALI BROS RESTAURANT
The three Orfali brothers cook modern Aleppo-rooted plates at Wasl 51; save room for their desserts.
Map - 2:30 PM
Etihad Museum متحف الاتحاد
Built beside Union House, where the UAE was founded in 1971; the roof is shaped like the treaty's open pages.
Map - 7:30 PM
Manāo
A modern Thai tasting menu in Jumeirah; let the kitchen run the courses and add the pairing.
Map
Where to stay
Armani Hotel Dubai
Giorgio Armani's own hotel sits inside the Burj Khalifa itself, putting Day 1's entire itinerary at your front door.
Address Downtown Burj Dubai
Address Downtown delivers the grandest pool-and-skyline setup in the city, with Souk Al Bahar and Jamavar a short walk away.
Make Dubai your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
Get Swearby on the App StoreBefore you go
Book ahead
- Burj Khalifa: a few days ahead
- Museum of the Future: weeks ahead
- Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding: a few days ahead
- La Perle: a few days ahead
- Dubai Opera: a few days ahead
- Emirates Golf Club: weeks ahead
Skip these
- The dirt-cheap AED 50 to 99 desert safari: long pickups, aggressive upselling, crowded camp and poor buffet. Book named operators only.
- Burj Khalifa lounge tiers at levels 148 and 154 cost double to triple the 124 and 125 ticket for the same horizon.
- Dubai Frame as a paid interior visit and Ski Dubai for experienced skiers both underdeliver for the time and money.
- Gold Souk buying without the day's gold rate, a hallmark and a proper invoice; mall prices carry flagship premiums.
The full Dubai travel guide: when to go, safety, getting around