7 days in the UAE: an itinerary by emirate
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 12 of 33 free; 21 paid — see “Cost”
- Duration
- 7 days, 9:30 to 18:13 each day
- Start and finish
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque → Bithnah Fort
- On foot
- ≈ 1 h 59 min in total
- Transport
- 16 rides, ≈ 8 h 5 min; 3 transfers between cities
- Lunch
- around 13:13
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- November to March: around 24–28 °C by day, cool evenings. From May to September walking outside is hard.
Cities in order
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 · Abu Dhabi09:30–18:13 · 5 places · 8 h 40 min
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
· 1 h 30 min · AED 10 for tourists, booked online
- 58 min · transport or taxi
Qasr Al Hosn
· 1 h 15 min · ≈ AED 30, under-18s free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 20 min · transport or taxi
Abu Dhabi Corniche
· 1 h 30 min · Free
- 18 min on foot
Heritage Village
· 45 min · Free entry
- 22 min · transport or taxi
Emirates Palace
· 45 min · Free entry; gold cappuccino AED 90
Day 2 · Abu Dhabi09:30–17:34 · 3 places · 8 h
Qasr Al Watan
· 2 h · AED 65, ages 4–17 AED 30
- Lunch · 1 h
- 52 min · transport or taxi
Louvre Abu Dhabi
· 2 h 30 min · AED 70, under 18 free
- 42 min · transport or taxi
Jubail Mangrove Park
· 1 h · Boardwalk AED 10–20, kayak from AED 80
Day 3 · Dubai09:30–18:02 · 5 places · 8 h 30 min
Morning transfer: bus or taxi on the E11 · ≈ 1.5 h
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 4 · 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 5 · 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
Day 6 · Sharjah09:30–18:11 · 6 places · 8 h 40 min
Morning transfer: RTA bus, ferry or taxi · ≈ 30–60 min
Al Majaz Waterfront
· 1 h · Free
- 13 min on foot
Al Noor Island
· 1 h 30 min · AED 35; AED 50 with Butterfly House
- Lunch · 1 h
- 19 min · transport or taxi
Blue Souk (Central Souq)
· 1 h · Free
- 19 min · transport or taxi
Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn)
· 1 h · AED 10 · 5-museum ticket AED 20
- 13 min on foot
Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization
· 1 h 30 min · AED 10, children 2–12 AED 5
- 7 min on foot
Rain Room
· 30 min · AED 25, under 5 free
Day 7 · Fujairah09:30–17:07 · 6 places · 7 h 40 min
Morning transfer: car or taxi across the Hajar Mountains · ≈ 1.5 h
Fujairah Corniche
· 1 h · Free
- 22 min · transport or taxi
Fujairah Museum
· 1 h · ≈ AED 5
- 10 min on foot
Fujairah Fort
· 45 min · Free (unofficial)
- Lunch · 1 h
- 20 min · transport or taxi
Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Fujairah
· 45 min · Free (unofficial)
- 21 min · transport or taxi
Fujairah Heritage Village
· 40 min · ≈ AED 5 (unofficial)
- 44 min · transport or taxi
Bithnah Fort
· 30 min · Free (unofficial)
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
12 of 33 are free; 21 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 1 | Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque | 45 | 1 h 30 min | AED 10 for tourists, booked online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Qasr Al Hosn | 38 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ AED 30, under-18s free |
| 4 | Heritage Village | 41 | 45 min | Free entry |
| 5 | Emirates Palace | 41 | 45 min | Free entry; gold cappuccino AED 90 |
| 6 | Qasr Al Watan | 35 | 2 h | AED 65, ages 4–17 AED 30 |
| 7 | Louvre Abu Dhabi | 40 | 2 h 30 min | AED 70, under 18 free |
| 8 | Jubail Mangrove Park | 24 | 1 h | Boardwalk AED 10–20, kayak from AED 80 |
| 9 | Burj Khalifa | 79 | 1 h 30 min | from AED 189 |
| 12 | Dubai Creek and the abra crossing | 40 | 1 h | Abra AED 1–2, waterfronts free |
| 18 | Dubai Frame | 39 | 1 h | AED 50, children 3–12 AED 20 |
| 19 | Etihad Museum | 31 | 1 h 30 min | AED 25, under-5s free |
| 20 | Al Shindagha Museum | 28 | 1 h 30 min | AED 50; students 5–24 AED 20 |
| 23 | Al Noor Island | 34 | 1 h 30 min | AED 35; AED 50 with Butterfly House |
| 25 | Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn) | 39 | 1 h | AED 10 · 5-museum ticket AED 20 |
| 26 | Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization | 36 | 1 h 30 min | AED 10, children 2–12 AED 5 |
| 27 | Rain Room | 39 | 30 min | AED 25, under 5 free |
| 29 | Fujairah Museum | 38 | 1 h | ≈ AED 5 |
| 30 | Fujairah Fort | 44 | 45 min | Free (unofficial) |
| 31 | Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Fujairah | 42 | 45 min | Free (unofficial) |
| 32 | Fujairah Heritage Village | 42 | 40 min | ≈ AED 5 (unofficial) |
| 33 | Bithnah Fort | 31 | 30 min | Free (unofficial) |
| Other 12 places | 15 h | Free | ||
| Total | 39 h 10 min | 12 of 33 free |
Who this route is for
- A first trip to the UAE
- Independent travel by bus and taxi
- Cities, museums and some sea
- A pure beach holiday — stay in one resort instead
- Ras Al Khaimah — its beaches are currently closed
November to March: around 24–28 °C by day, cool evenings. From May to September walking outside is hard.
How the week works
The route never doubles back: Abu Dhabi — Dubai — Sharjah — Fujairah. Each day is a YesGo city itinerary: two days in Abu Dhabi, three in Dubai, one each in Sharjah and Fujairah.
If you fly into Dubai, go to Abu Dhabi first: it is 1.5 hours away, and you come back to Dubai with your bags for three nights.
The emirates on the route
Abu Dhabi is the capital: the white Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Louvre under its lace dome, the Qasr Al Watan palace. Dubai has the skyscrapers, Burj Khalifa, the old city on Dubai Creek and the Jumeirah coast. Sharjah is the cultural capital with its museums and Blue Souk — and a dry emirate. Fujairah is the only emirate on the Gulf of Oman, beyond the Hajar Mountains: old forts and the sea.
Getting around without a tour
Intercity buses link Abu Dhabi and Dubai; RTA buses E303, E306 and E307 and a ferry go to Sharjah. Bus E700 or Etihad Rail reach Fujairah, but you need taxis there, so renting a car for the last two days is easiest. Dubai has the metro on a Nol card; Abu Dhabi has taxis and buses on a Hafilat card.
Where to stay
Two nights in Abu Dhabi near the Corniche or downtown. Four nights in Dubai, with Sharjah as a day trip 30–60 minutes away. The last night in Fujairah on the coast.
UAE itinerary for 5 or 10 days
Five days: drop the second Abu Dhabi day and Fujairah — one day in Abu Dhabi, three in Dubai, one in Sharjah. Ten days: add a Dubai beach day, a desert safari and Yas Island with Ferrari World. Every city has its own 1–3 day itineraries.
How to do it right
- Book the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque online in advance — 10 AED.
- Book Burj Khalifa online for a specific slot.
- Sharjah's museums open only at 16:00 on Fridays — visit on another day.
- 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 7-day UAE itinerary?
Abu Dhabi for 2 days, Dubai for 3, then a day each in Sharjah and Fujairah.
Can you travel around the UAE independently?
Yes: buses and taxis between emirates, the metro in Dubai. A car is easiest for the east coast.
How long from Abu Dhabi to Dubai?
About 1.5 hours by bus or taxi.
How do I get from Dubai to Sharjah?
RTA buses E303, E306, E307 or the ferry; a taxi takes 30–60 minutes depending on traffic.
How do I get to Fujairah?
Bus E700 from Dubai (≈ 2 h), Etihad Rail, or about 1.5 hours by car.
What can I do in the UAE in 5 days?
A day in Abu Dhabi, three in Dubai and a day in Sharjah.
When is the best time to go?
November to March. In summer, walk only in the morning and evening.
Can you swim in Ras Al Khaimah?
Not right now: the emirate's beaches are closed until further notice, so the sea on this route is in Dubai and Fujairah.
Is it good with kids?
Yes. Dubai has its own with-kids itinerary, and in Abu Dhabi the Louvre and the fort are free under 18.
What currency is used in the UAE?
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: Dubai buses and ferries
- Etihad Rail: Dubai–Fujairah train
- Wikipedia: United Arab Emirates
