Meraas beach, with views of the city's skyline and the Persian Gulf
Despite the effort to compare it to cities like Shanghai or Las Vegas, **Dubai is unlike any other destination in the world.** It has bold architecture, an obsession with fashion and style and, much to its dismay, an eternal cliché as a superficial city.
But contrary to its skyscrapers and shopping malls, Dubai hides a few surprises. that is worth discovering and enjoying, as Try the best falafel in the Middle East. And this is just the beginning.
The views from one of the suites at the Bvlgari Resort
LIKE LIKE A LOCAL
Among all the ostentation and power of Dubai, it is certain that no one would notice the **Sultan Dubai Falafel restaurant** to stop along the way. But it is here, in this modest place in the old town where They've been serving the best falafel for years, not in town, but in the entire Middle East.
Converted into a cult dish, this kind of Chickpea fritter with coriander and parsley shows that, from a culinary point of view, Dubai is known for its most luxurious restaurants , generally located in the bowels of an ostentatious building, but not because of the bases of its gastronomy.
So to prove the contrary, that there is another Dubai in Dubai and it is delicious and cheap , in ** Frying Pan Adventures ** have managed to perfectly capture the increasingly increasing traveler demand for the authentic and the local, offering a series of food tours of that other Dubai where you can not only enjoy the best falafel, but also you learn to make the delicious and very sweet kunafa , a dessert of Palestinian origin based on nabulsi cheese.
In Dubai, the ideal is to take it in the Qwaider Al Nabulsi Restaurant where, sitting outdoors and surrounded by locals, savoring life accompanied by dishes such as musakhan , a kind of chicken pie with onions and olive oil.
Sultan Dubai Falafel restaurant serves the best falafel in the entire Middle East
SHOPPING YES, BUT NOT IN A SHOPPING CENTER
There are few things more fun in Dubai than shopping in its souks. Away from the huge shopping malls (some of them, like the Dubai Mall, the largest mall in the world, even encloses an aquarium within its luxurious walls), in areas like Deira we can find the Spice Souq , where today it is true that there are few spices and many trinkets or the Gold Souq , a paradise of gold and ostentatious jewels. Here discretion remains at the door of the souk.
In Bur Dubai you will find the Textile Souq and some adjoining electronics stores where you can haggle until you lose your voice. Those are the rules of the game. And in a calmer environment, the small shops of Al Fahidi, the oldest community in Dubai, They delight lovers of jewelry, soft rugs and all kinds of accessories. Area, unique for its Persian architectural heritage, provides the traveler with an additional aura of mystery that comes from its labyrinthine alleys and its intoxicating aroma of coffee in one of the most important heritage areas of Dubai.
Here, in the bosom of the former home of the Seddiqi family, is the ** XVA Art Hotel , the only boutique hotel in the city. A secret and sexy haven that hides 14 rooms, an art gallery and a beautiful cafe with a view of the stars. Also in the Al Fahidi neighborhood we find one of the most charming restaurants in the city, ** Local House , famous for serving a delicious hamburger made with camel meat.
One of the Dubai beaches
A SUNSET IN THE DESERT
No one should leave Dubai without having enjoyed a desert safari, which is one of the best ways to experience the Emirati culture… and to test the adrenaline. And there are plenty of ways to do it, from 4x4ing the sand dunes to camping under the stars or riding a hot air balloon. And in all of them you can experience **the magic of the desert, which begins on the Al Awir road in any of the tours offered by Arabian Connections**.
The sunset dyes the landscape in reddish, copper and even lilac tones, it is the witching hour of Dubai, a show to which everyone is invited. From the top of any dune, postcard photography is one that is not forgotten. Little word. Most desert tours also include a belly dance show and a buffet barbecue dinner : meats, salads, Arabic sweets, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages such as local beer and wine. However, it is It is the overnight experience that truly makes this desert getaway special. Camera and tripod in hand, sheltered between blankets, it's time to sleep under a blanket of stars.
One of the corners of the La Mer neighborhood
LA MER, THE MOST 'INSTAGRAMABLE' AREA OF THE CITY
Open daily from dawn to dusk, the growing new beachfront neighborhood of Meraas is the city's hot spot . Restaurants, shops, beach clubs and even experiences like Hawa Hawa (a Japanese-inspired inflatable playground), this area stretching from the Pearl Jumeirah to Jumeirah Bay is, unfiltered, the most Instagrammable spot in the city.
A harmonious fusion between contemporary design and the beach. We can't imagine anything better. La Mer brings together the best of Dubai's sun, sea and outdoor fun in a space where there's room for, or almost, everything.
On one side are the more than 100 stores (essential a halt in the ShayMartian local boutique ) Y industrial-inspired restaurants in a kind of shopping center made from old cargo containers, boulevards lined with rows of palm trees and artistic murals full of graffiti.
And on the other, the beach, with a very Californian aesthetic , colored cabins, many beautiful people and free wifi. And one more thing, the views of the views of the city skyline and the Persian Gulf they are spectacular. They unholster their phones.
The Bulgaria Resort in Dubai
DUBAI, THE PENULTIMATE STOP OF BULGARI HOTELES
It is not even half a year old but ** The Bvlgari Resort is already one of the most desired hotels in the Emirates... and half the world.** Nothing is surprising when we refer to this urban oasis located in the exclusive artificial bay of Jumeira, on an island carved in the shape of a seahorse and linked by a 300m bridge to the central coast of the city.
Entirely designed by Antonio CitterioPatricia Viel, the renowned Italian architecture studio that has created all the Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts, in this hotel you breathe luxury without eccentricities and good taste throughout (plus a scent created specifically for the establishment that can't be found anywhere else in the world) .
It is not for less. With a total of 101 rooms and 20 beachfront pool villas , the hotel also bet on gastronomy as one of its main dishes, with the Il Ristorante gourmet restaurant at the head of an offer where local dishes abound with touches, of course, of Italian gastronomy, such as those that can be found in La Spiaggia, your beach club and ideal place to enjoy a good cocktail at sunset.
But this hotel still has another ace up its sleeve, which is none other than its spectacular spa of more than 1,700 square meters. Hammam, indoor pool, gym, beauty salon with hairdresser... Everything in this space is designed for enjoyment, relaxation and even falling asleep in the middle of an exfoliation, cleansing and stretching treatment. At the end of the day, it's all about relaxing, right?
Inside the Bvlgari Resort