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Corniche Night Tour

Abu Dhabi is known for beautiful weather and year-round sunshine but the city can be just as beautiful when the sun goes down. City lights glisten and icons across the skyline glow and present a whole new perspective. Once place to take in incredible nighttime sights is Abu Dhabi Corniche.

Highlights

Walking

3 hours

Highlights

Walking

3 hours

Day 1 highlights

Start your evening journey along the Corniche at Qasr Al Watan. Here you'll witness the Palace come to life in a spectacular light and sound show which illuminates the whole facade with mesmerising patterns, something to be seen to be believed!

A short walk away is the Founder's Memorial which is popular with tourists throughout the day but becomes something special at night. The depiction of the UAE's founder, Sheikh Zayed, is suspended in a starry display. You'll have worked up an appetite during your short walk along the Corniche so why not head into one of the area's most-loved restaurants such as The Terrace.

Qasr Al Watan

Stop 1

Recommended Time: 2 hours

Qasr Al Watan is a working Presidential palace and a majestic cultural landmark that invites the world to discover the rich legacy of knowledge and tradition that has shaped the UAE's journey. Boosting cultural understanding of the nation and emphasising its incredible history, this is more than just a traditional palace. Qasr Al Watan is an exquisitely crafted tribute to Arabian heritage and artistry, with its architecture and design echoing the significance and function of the impressive exhibits and iconic rooms housed within its halls.

One of the palace's most impressive and unmissable attractions is the family-friendly Palace In Motion event, a spectacular light and sound show that celebrates the UAE's journey in three breathtaking acts that unfold in front of the main palace every 30 minutes after sundown, with the final entry taken 30 minutes before showtime. Timings are subject to change.

Aside from this magnificent show, the palace places a strong emphasis on learning and knowledge sharing. Here, visitors can expect to learn about the formation of the UAE, as well as the country's governing traditions and values, with this unique palace highlighting Arab contributions to various fields of knowledge and giving guests access to halls typically reserved for official summits.

The palace houses the Qasr Al Watan Library and House of Knowledge where history and culture buffs, as well as scholars, can explore a vast collection of books, manuscripts and other resources about the UAE, and learn about the nation's progressive journey. Other zones within the palace include A Memory of the Palace, where you can capture a commemorative photo in the palace's media room, as well as The Great Hall, an exquisitely crafted photo-worthy space boasting a central dome, archways, mosaic patterns and mirrored cubes. The Spirit of Collaboration area, meanwhile, sees entities such as the Federal Supreme Council, the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council coming together to express ambitions, set agendas, and map the way forward. Visitors can learn about diplomacy and protocol as they admire the room's iconic chandelier and circular layout, which symbolises the UAE's commitment to illumination and equality.

The Presidential Banquet, meanwhile, reveals how UAE hosts the world, with this immaculately set banqueting hall welcoming VIP officials from around the globe and treating them to warm Emirati hospitality. Visitors to The Presidential Banquet enjoy an in-depth introduction to the customs, protocols and cuisine served here, as well as insights into the unique collections of silver, crystal and chinaware.

The palace also celebrates Abu Dhabi's achievements. On December 15th 2018, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, declared 2019 as the Year of Tolerance. A Celebration of Acceptance, a theme touched upon throughout the palace, highlights the UAE as a bridge of communication between cultures and a nation that expands opportunities for dialogue, while also showing the positive impact of tolerance on society.

If you are coming to the palace by car, go to the Visitor Centre to find the Visitor Centre car park. There is ample parking space available and there is no charge to park there. Valet parking is available at the Visitor Centre car park at a charge ofAED 80. Parking is openfrom 9:30am to 9:30pm, seven days a week.

The Founder's Memorial

Stop 2

Recommended Time: 1 hour

This unique cultural attraction celebrates the life, legacy and values of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the UAE, known as the Father of the Nation. This memorial offers locals and international travellers a unique way to immerse themselves in the history and culture of the UAE, with experiences designed to reveal aspects of the country’s broader social, cultural and environmental heritage, from art to stories, exhibitions and more.

Spread over 3.3 hectares of beautifully landscaped public space boasting indigenous flora, the memorial features a Sanctuary Garden including seating areas and a traditional falaj (ancient irrigation system), a Heritage Garden rich with medicinal desert plants, and an elevated walkway offering captivating views of the Arabian Gulf, the city’s dazzling skyline, and the centrepiece of The Founder’s Memorial, The Constellation.

This incredible and monumental public artwork features a three-dimensional portrait of Sheikh Zayed designed by artist Ralph Helmick. Housed in a 30-metre-high pavilion, The Constellation contains 1,327 geometric shapes suspended on 1,110 cables to create a series of evolving personal encounters with Sheikh Zayed’s image. By night, the suspended shapes shine like stars, a reminder of Sheikh Zayed’s role as a guiding light for the UAE and its people. This celestial display evokes the timelessness of Sheikh Zayed’s vision, which continues to guide the UAE along a path to progress and prosperity. The suspended shapes constitute five different types of regular, convex polyhedrons known as ‘platonic solids’, which are renowned for their mathematical beauty and symmetry. The Constellation is one of the largest art installations of its kind in the world and is unique in its use of abstract portraiture on this scale. This mesmerising piece can be viewed from multiple vantage points around the memorial.

Abu Dhabi Corniche

Stop 3

Recommended Time: 1 hour

Abu Dhabi’s Corniche Road stretches across an impressive eight kilometres of manicured waterfront that includes children’s play areas, separate cycle and pedestrian pathways, cafés and restaurants, and the stunning, lifeguarded Corniche Beach. If you’re looking to soak up Abu Dhabi’s famous year-round sunshine, this immaculate beach is one of the best places to do it.