ABU DHABI, UAE — Does this desert destination conjure up palm trees, camels and sand dunes? The long-time centre of the UAE’s buoyant oil industry, Abu Dhabi has diversified its offerings as much as its population, adding ʻart destinationʻ to its list of tourism lures.

With the ongoing development of Saadiyat Island Cultural District and the recent completion of the inaugural Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, Abu Dhabi’s cultural evolution is attracting attention from art connoisseurs and travellers around the globe.

For Canadians wanting to travel to Abu Dhabi, Eithad Airways recently launched its A380 aircraft on daily flights between Toronto Pearson and Zayed Abu Dhabi International (AUH). The A380 will feature The Residence, an exclusive suite in the air for two passengers including private bedroom, en-suite shower room and living room, car service to and from airports and in Abu Dhabi, separate check-in and complimentary spa treatment prior to departure.

Abu Dhabi has seen steady growth in the past 20 years. For Q1 2025, Zayed Abu Dhabi International Airport recorded 6.9 million passengers, a record-breaking increase of 35.6%.

With the Abu Dhabi tourism strategy 2030 focused on increasing visitors from 24 million in 2023 to 39.3 million, there is also plans to add hotel rooms, with projects in development from Waldorf Astoria, the Vignette Collection from IHG Hotels & Resorts, Nobu Hotel and expanding luxury resort destination Nural Island.

GUGGENHEIM ABU DHABI & MORE

Architecture and culture lovers will no doubt be impressed by the sights in Abu Dhabi, the largest of the seven emirates within the UAE, and the capital.

Skyscrapers in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Home to a branch of Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, Berklee Abu Dhabi was designed by Foster + Partners and bills itself as the worldʻs pre-eminent institute of music, dance and theatre.

The cityʻs Saadiyat Cultural District meanwhile is a hub of arts, culture and beauty. It includes Louvre Abu Dhabi, the first branch of the world renowned French art institution. Louvre Abu Dhabi was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel. Thereʻs also the eye-catching Abrahamic Family House, a trio of religious buildings (a church, a mosque and a temple), teaching visitors about connections between the three faiths. Abrahamic Family House was designed by Sir David Adjaye.

Louvre Abu Dhabi

Saadiyat Cultural District is also where visitors will find Manarat Al Saadiyat, a contemporary art gallery and home to the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi and recently-opened Teamlab Phenomena, a multi-sensory immersive video art exhibition space from the Japanese art collective, designed by Abu Dhabi-based MZ Architects.

One of a trio of buildings at Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District

Not only that, the district will soon welcome the opening of the Zayed National Museum, celebrating the history of the UAE and designed by Foster + Partners, as well as National History Museum Abu Dhabi designed by Dutch architects Mecanoo, documenting the 1.38 million years of the region’s evolution, and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, the fourth and largest of the Guggenheim galleries, designed by Canada’s own Frank Gehry.

The debut of the emirate’s Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial has allowed Abu Dhabi to reinforce itself as a cultural destination.

Launched in November 2024, the biennial showcased 70 UAE and international artists with installations and performances in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Bright blue signage along the eight art routes detailed the artists and their work, with the majority free and public-accessible.

Popular areas for residents such as the corniche, an eight kilometre path along the Arabian Gulf, the downtown parks and the Abu Dhabi bus terminal, were some of the spaces chosen for art installations as well as inspiring the artists.

The carpet souk was another area where a dusty, empty space between proprietors is a now a colourful carpet installation, a collective creation between the family-owned businesses and artist Christopher Joshua Benton, now a hangout space for the community.

“We don’t know what will last (after the biennial), but the ephemeral quality of the art represents the migration and transitory environment of the emirates,” explained Reem Fadda, Director of Cultural Programming for the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

The inaugural Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial 2024–2025

CANʻT-MISS ATTRACTIONS 

The number one draw in Abu Dhabi is the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, last year welcoming a record-breaking 6.5 million visitors, with more than 80% from outside the UAE. Officially opened in 2007, the grand mosque is the largest in the world and tickets are free.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre

Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island has become a popular sports and entertainment hub thanks to a multitude of distractions: Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World, CLYMB Yas Island and Seaworld, as well as Yas Marina Circuit, where driving, drifting and karting experiences are available on the track used for the annual F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Warner Bros. World at Yas Island

Yas Waterworld is expanding, adding 18 new rides and 3.3 kilometres of slide sections to be opened later this year. Yas Island has a multitude of hotels including W, Staybridge Suites, Radisson Blu and The WB Abu Dhabi, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, the first Warner Bros-themed hotel in the world, with a dive-in movie theatre, kids club, splash pad and expansive pool complex.

More information about travel to Abu Dhabi is at VisitAbuDhabi.ae.