48 hours in Abu Dhabi

An early December trip to Abu Dhabi was the perfect opportunity to enjoy some winter sun. My sister, Alice, joined me on my two night trip to the UAE. After reaching out on Instagram for recommendations, I decided to do no research myself and be guided by what my followers recommended to us. Read on to see what we got up to on our first trip to Abu Dhabi.

Day 1:

But first, coffee.

Not just any coffee, of course the decadence of the Middle East trickles down to even what they serve in their coffees. We drank almond milk, 24 carat gold laced cappuccinos at the Emirates Palace.

Quite possibly the only time in my life I’d be willing to pay what converted to £15 for a coffee, but it was very much the novelty of drinking real gold that got us. We sat on their terrace, enjoying the day and taking in the stunning architecture of the building.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque

Pretty much every recommendation that came back included a trip to the Grand Mosque. Knowing it was absolutely not to be missed we paid a visit on our first day. We chose to visit at sunset to witness the light fade behind the stunning building.

Women are provided with appropriate dress to visit the Mosque, and remember to remove your shoes before entering. Also be respectful of those who have come to the Mosque to pray.

Dinner.

This might just be the first time in my life I forgot to take a picture of my food before consuming it. Maybe because it was SO good! Anyway if you want to see what we ate check out my YouTube video here because I still managed to film it. 🙂

Here we dined on all the Mezze. This was our favourite meal during our time in Abu Dhabi was at Lebanese Flower. We ordered an abundance of hummus, breads, tabuloueh, pickles, aubergine and roasted cauliflower. The meal set us back 100 dirham for the two of us, which is a fraction of the price of a meal at any of the hotels and resorts. We dined in a more local part of town where you are spoiled for choice for incredible Lebanese restaurants.

 

Day 2:

Beach day:

We decided today we would soak up the Abu Dhabi sunshine and relax at the hotel beach. 27 degrees and no clouds was the perfect combination for a mid morning to afternoon chill out.

 

The Highest High Tea of them All:

We’d received a few recommendations to visit the Etihad Tower viewing observatory. 74 floors we had quite possibly the greatest high tea I’ve ever experienced. Like everything in Abu Dhabi, each individual cake and sandwich was so decadent. The warm cookie was baked in an individual ceramic dish and served warm fresh from the oven.

We chose to book our table just before sunset and had a phenomenal view all up the coast as the day faded. Make sure to ask for a table by the window to enjoy the view whilst you dine.

46th Anniversary UAE celebrations:

Conveniently we visited Abu Dhabi on the weekend of the 46th anniversary of the formation of the UAE. This naturally called for celebrations. We witnessed the most spectacular firework display on the beach at our hotel. It certainly was a magical end to our wonderful weekend in Abu Dhabi.

 

Next on my list for Abu Dhabi:

• The new Louvre
• SaadiYat Beach Club
• Brunch

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Watch my Abu Dhabi Vlog here: