Madinat Jumeirah

Madinat Jumeirah is a sprawling resort and souk complex on Dubai's Jumeirah coast, designed to evoke a traditional Arabian town of the past. Threaded with saltwater canals and served by wooden abra boats, it has become one of the city's most photographed leisure destinations and a favourite backdrop for the Burj Al Arab beyond it.

Its architecture borrows from old Gulf design. Low sand-coloured buildings crowned with wind towers, the region's traditional form of natural air-conditioning, cluster around courtyards and waterways lined with palms. The layout is deliberately theatrical and thoroughly modern beneath the surface, yet it captures a romantic image of a coastal trading settlement more convincingly than most such schemes manage.

At its core lies Souk Madinat Jumeirah, a covered market of shops, galleries and restaurants selling everything from lanterns and textiles to fine dining and shisha. Waterside terraces, a theatre and a conference centre share the grounds with two luxury hotels and a private stretch of beach, making it a self-contained enclave rather than a working bazaar, though prices are fixed rather than haggled.

Visitors come as much to wander as to shop. A short abra ride along the canals offers the best perspective on the complex and unbeatable views of the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, particularly at sunset when the towers glow gold and pink. Entry to the souk and walkways is free, and the setting is fully paved and accessible with plenty of shade, though dining and hotel rates sit firmly at the premium end. It works well as an early-evening outing paired with dinner and a drink beside the water. Reserve a canal-side table well ahead in high season, as the sunset slots facing the Burj Al Arab fill quickly.