Sheik Zayed Mosque - And other nearby attractions

The Grand Mosque is one of the major tourist hotspots you find in Abu Dhabi. It is not hard to locate this place for that matter. The mosque is gigantic in its space. UAE's late President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan formulated the establishment of this mosque with the intention of uniting the diverse sects of the Islamic community.

The mosque takes you to the ancient architecture and hence will bring you forward to the modern sophisticated architecture. You can experience the fusion of both traditions within the same place. Eleven years had been spent to construct the mosque, and finally, this is the country's largest mosque.

If you are interested in how a mosque functions, visit here during a Friday. A large number of Muslims gather at the Grand Mosque. If it is during Eid, the number could even rise up to 40,000. It is better to approach Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center first to get an idea about the mosque's customs and rituals. The office also manages the mosque's daily operations. The mosque is usually crowded as a place of worship, Friday gathering and also as a centre for learning. The mosque has several programmes meant for visitors keen on learning Islam.

While a series of world-class museums are being developed on Saadiyat Island, a temporary exhibition space hosts regular cultural programmes, talks, performances and workshops on art appreciation and on the art acquisitions and treasures that will be on loan to the new museums to form their core collections.

The white fort as it is better known, the oldest building in Abu Dhabi parts of which date from the late 18th century, hosts a permanent exhibition about the history and culture of Abu Dhabi and its people. Although the fort itself was renovated in the 1980s, the whole historic Al Hosn quarter is currently undergoing renovation.

This 1600 sq meter site on the breakwater overlooking the Corniche recreates a traditional Emirati oasis village. Here visitors are introduced to the traditional lifestyles of Abu Dhabi before the oil boom. Goat hair Bedouin tents, wooden and palm frond houses, replicas of stone houses from the hills, fishing villages with old fishing boats and traditional souks recreate old lifestyles. The museum on the premises has a collection of photos of Abu Dhabi before the oil boom among a selection of traditional artefacts. Stay at a property the likes of Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, which is one of the better Abu Dhabi resorts, to enjoy easy access to the city's many attractions in the downtown area.