Tours in Abu Dhabi

Start at the Corniche in the early evening. Families spread out on the grass, joggers go past in the heat that has finally eased, and the towers across the water turn gold. Abu Dhabi is a city you take slowly. It is calmer than its neighbour down the coast, with wide avenues, a lot of shade you have to look for, and a habit of letting the big buildings do the talking.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the reason many people come, and it earns it. You walk across white marble courtyards that stay cool underfoot, and the scale only sinks in once you are inside. Go late in the day if you can, when the light changes and the domes glow after dark. Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, and women should bring a scarf for the head.

Qasr Al Watan is the other stop worth building a morning around. It is a working palace with great halls and gardens, and the rooms are made for lingering. Nearby, Emirates Palace sits along the shore like a stage set, and it makes a good photo stop even if you never go in.

Out on Saadiyat Island, the Louvre Abu Dhabi sits under its lattice dome, and the light through it moves across the water and the walkways all afternoon. Yas Island is the loud side of the city, with Ferrari World and the circuit. For something slower, find the Dates Market and Heritage Village, where you can taste, browse and get a sense of older Abu Dhabi.

Many visitors also use the city as a base for a day in Dubai, an easy drive up the coast, with its creek, souks and skyline. If there is a building here you want to see that is not in the list below, ask. A local guide can build the day around it.