3 days in Dubai: an itinerary day by day
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 8 of 13 free; 5 paid — see “Cost”
- Duration
- 3 days, 9:30 to 18:02 each day
- Start and finish
- Burj Khalifa → Dubai Gold Souk
- On foot
- ≈ 58 min in total
- Transport
- 5 rides, ≈ 2 h 26 min
- Lunch
- around 11:34
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- November to March. Day three is mostly indoors — use it for the hottest day.
Day-by-day plan
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
Day 1 · Dubai09:30–18:02 · 5 places · 8 h 30 min
Burj Khalifa
· 1 h 30 min · From AED 189
- 4 min on foot
The Dubai Fountain
· 30 min · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 8 min on foot
The Dubai Mall
· 2 h · Free
- 38 min · transport or taxi
Dubai Creek and the abra crossing
· 1 h · Abra AED 1–2, waterfronts free
- 12 min on foot
Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood (Old Dubai)
· 1 h 30 min · Free
Day 2 · Dubai09:30–17:15 · 4 places · 7 h 50 min
Burj Al Arab
· 30 min · Free
- 17 min on foot
Madinat Jumeirah and Souk Madinat
· 1 h 30 min · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 31 min · transport or taxi
Palm Jumeirah
· 2 h · Free
- 27 min · transport or taxi
Dubai Marina
· 1 h 30 min · Free
Day 3 · Dubai09:30–16:22 · 4 places · 6 h 50 min
Dubai Frame
· 1 h · AED 50, children 3–12 AED 20
- 25 min · transport or taxi
Etihad Museum
· 1 h 30 min · AED 25, under-5s free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 25 min · transport or taxi
Al Shindagha Museum
· 1 h 30 min · AED 50; students 5–24 AED 20
- 17 min on foot
Dubai Gold Souk
· 45 min · Free
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
8 of 13 are free; 5 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 1 | Burj Khalifa | 79 | 1 h 30 min | from AED 189 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Dubai Creek and the abra crossing | 40 | 1 h | Abra AED 1–2, waterfronts free |
| 10 | Dubai Frame | 39 | 1 h | AED 50, children 3–12 AED 20 |
| 11 | Etihad Museum | 31 | 1 h 30 min | AED 25, under-5s free |
| 12 | Al Shindagha Museum | 28 | 1 h 30 min | AED 50; students 5–24 AED 20 |
| Other 8 places | 10 h 30 min | Free | ||
| Total | 16 h 50 min | 8 of 13 free |
Tips for each stop
Day 1
- 1
Burj Khalifa. The world's tallest building, 828 m. At the Top on levels 124–125 starts at 189 AED; you enter by timed slot from the Lower Ground floor of The Dubai Mall. Book a day or two ahead online — it is cheaper and slots sell out.
- 2
The Dubai Fountain. Daytime shows at 13:00 and 13:30 (Fridays 14:00 and 14:30); in the evening every half hour from 18:00 to 23:00. Free from the lakeside promenade.
- 3
The Dubai Mall. Free to enter: the waterfall with divers, a dinosaur skeleton and the aquarium window, which you can see from the mall for free. Shops open until 23:00, until midnight Friday to Sunday.
- 4
Dubai Creek and the abra crossing. Cross the creek on a wooden abra: a few minutes and 1–2 AED. The traditional CR1 and CR2 boats take cash only.
- 5
Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood (Old Dubai). Old Dubai: lanes, coral-stone houses and wind towers. Free to wander; the Coffee Museum is 10 AED. The fort with the Dubai Museum is closed for restoration.
Day 2
- 6
Burj Al Arab. The Burj Al Arab has been closed for restoration since April 2026, so you cannot go inside. The view from outside is free — from Umm Suqeim beach or Souk Madinat.
- 7
Madinat Jumeirah and Souk Madinat. A resort 'town' of canals and wind towers next to the Burj Al Arab. The souk is free; an abra ride is 100 AED for 20 minutes. A good lunch stop.
- 8
Palm Jumeirah. The palm-shaped island. Free to visit; the monorail to Atlantis is 20 AED one way, and The View on level 52 starts at 80 AED, open until 19:00.
- 9
Dubai Marina. A canal between skyscrapers: the promenade is free and always open. Best at sunset, when the towers light up.
Day 3
- 10
Dubai Frame. A 150 m golden frame with a glass-floored bridge on top — old Dubai on one side, the skyline on the other. 50 AED, children 3–12 20 AED, 8:00–21:00.
- 11
Etihad Museum. The museum of how the UAE was founded, next to Union House where the union was declared in 1971. 25 AED, daily 10:00–20:00; no metro nearby, take a taxi.
- 12
Al Shindagha Museum. A museum in the old houses of the ruling family at the mouth of the creek, including Sheikh Saeed's house from 1896. 50 AED, daily 10:00–20:00.
- 13
Dubai Gold Souk. More than 300 jewellers in the covered lanes of Deira. Free to walk; some shops close for a break around 13:00–16:00.
Who this route is for
- A first trip of 3–4 days
- Independent travel without tours
- Interested in history, not only skyscrapers
- Abu Dhabi is a separate day, about 1.5 hours each way
- Theme parks take half a day each
November to March. Day three is mostly indoors — use it for the hottest day.
How the three days work
The first two days are the 2-day itinerary: Downtown with the old city, then the Jumeirah coast. Day three moves between old Dubai and the centre: the Frame in Zabeel Park, the Etihad Museum in Jumeirah, Al Shindagha at the mouth of the creek and the Gold Souk across the water.
Remove any stop with the cross or drag it with ≡, and add another one nearby — the times recalculate.
Day three: Dubai's history
The Dubai Frame opens at 8:00 — mornings are quieter on the glass bridge. The Etihad Museum tells how seven emirates became one country in 1971: 25 AED, guided tours at 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00. Al Shindagha has 22 pavilions in the ruling family's old houses, 50 AED.
From Al Shindagha take an abra across to Deira for the Gold Souk and the Spice Souk. Shops stay open until 22:00, with a break for some in the afternoon.
Adding a desert safari
An evening desert safari picks you up at 14:00–16:30 and drops you back at 21:30–23:30, for about 140–300 AED. Put it on the evening of day three instead of the Gold Souk, or on its own day.
With more time
Day four: Abu Dhabi and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, about 1.5 hours away, or Sharjah with its museums and Blue Souk, 30–60 minutes depending on traffic. From autumn to May, Global Village and Dubai Miracle Garden are open.
How to do it right
- Book Burj Khalifa for the first morning — the view is clearest then.
- The Etihad Museum has no metro stop: 15 minutes by taxi from the Frame.
- Gold Souk prices are the weight of the gold plus the work — haggle on the work.
- The UAE uses the dirham (AED). Cards work almost everywhere; keep some cash for abras, souks and small museums. Dubai's metro needs a Nol card.
- Mosques and palaces want shoulders and knees covered, and women need a headscarf; malls and museums also ask for no beachwear.
Questions
What is a good 3-day Dubai itinerary?
Downtown and the old city, then the coast with the Palm and the Marina, then the Frame, the Etihad Museum, Al Shindagha and the Gold Souk.
Is 3 days in Dubai enough?
Yes, for the city. Abu Dhabi, a safari or theme parks need a day each.
How much is the Dubai Frame?
50 AED, children 3–12 20 AED, under 3 free. Open 8:00–21:00.
What is Al Shindagha?
The historic district at the mouth of Dubai Creek where the ruling family lived — now a museum in 22 old houses, 50 AED.
Can I fit in Abu Dhabi?
Only instead of one of the days: it is about 1.5 hours each way.
How do I get around?
Metro (Red and Green Lines), the tram in the Marina, abras across the creek and taxis. The metro needs a Nol card.
What does 3 days in Dubai cost in tickets?
Burj Khalifa from 189 AED, the Frame 50, Etihad 25, Al Shindagha 50, plus transport. The rest is free.
Is it good with kids?
Yes. There is also a separate Dubai with kids itinerary with the aquarium and the Frame.
When is the best time to visit?
November to March. In summer, day three — mostly museums — is the easiest.
What currency is used in Dubai?
The UAE uses the dirham (AED). Cards work almost everywhere; keep some cash for abras, souks and small museums. Dubai's metro needs a Nol card.
Sources and fact-check
- Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
- RTA: metro, abras and Nol card
- Dubai Culture: Etihad Museum and Al Shindagha Museum
- Wikipedia: Dubai, Deira
