Luxury Dubai
Tours made for you

The 21st century's extravagant and emerging city

A dazzling city of sky-piercing architectural wonders, luxury resorts, lively souks and an electric nightlife. Built on an area that was little more than endless sands some 5,000 years ago, the city has a fascinating history. Pre-Islamic ceramics point to people having lived in the area since around the third and fourth centuries, but the modern city that stands today is believed to have had its beginnings as a small fishing village in the 18th century. The discovery of oil in the waters off Dubai in 1966 led to an acceleration of construction and a rapidly growing population.

Situated in the Arabian Desert, the fine sands here are largely made up of crushed seashells and coral. Because this sand is too smooth to be used for construction, a lot of the sand used in the construction of this modern city was imported from North Africa and even Australia. As you head east, the dunes are larger and the colour changes to red due to the iron oxide found in the sand.

One of the main draws of Dubai is its shopping, with more than 70 shopping centres, some of which rank among the largest in the world. Modern shopping opportunities aside, the city also boasts enticing souks full of intoxicating perfumes, fragrant spices, exquisite textiles and glittering jewellery.

Instantly recognisable sites around the city include the Palm Jumeirah, an artificial archipelago shaped like a palm tree, and The World Islands, an archipelago of artificial islands constructed to resemble the world map, about four kilometres (2,5 miles off the coast).