Al Fahidi, still widely called Bastakiya, is the best-preserved piece of old Dubai, built in the late 19th century by merchants from Bastak in southern Iran who settled along the Creek. Its narrow lanes run between coral and gypsum houses topped with barjeel wind towers, an early form of air conditioning that funnels breeze down into the rooms. The quarter now holds small museums, galleries, courtyard cafes and the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, which runs meals and talks explaining Emirati customs. Al Fahidi Fort, the oldest building in Dubai, stands at one end and houses the Dubai Museum. Mornings and evenings are cooler for walking the lanes.

Al Fahidi Fort, built around 1787, is the oldest surviving building in Dubai. It defended the town by the creek and served at different times as the ruler's residence, a garrison and a prison. In 1971 it opened as the Dubai Museum, with galleries below ground showing life before oil: pearl diving, desert camps, the souk and traditional houses.

Dubai Creek is the saltwater inlet that made the city, separating Deira from Bur Dubai and serving as the harbour where pearl divers, fishermen and dhow traders worked long before oil. Wooden abras still ferry passengers across for a token fare, and the short crossing between the souq stations is one of the cheapest and best rides in the Gulf. On the Deira side are the gold, spice and textile souqs; on the Bur Dubai side, the old quarter and the fort. Cargo dhows still load goods for Iran and East Africa along the wharfs. Late afternoon, when the light softens and the souqs reopen, is the best time.

The Dubai Gold Souk in Deira is a covered market street with several hundred jewellery shops. Window after window is filled with gold necklaces, bangles and wedding sets, mostly in 18, 21 and 22 carat. Prices follow the daily gold rate, plus a making charge that is open to bargaining. The Spice Souk and the creek are a short walk away.

The Dubai Spice Souk is a set of narrow lanes in Deira, next to the Gold Souk and the creek. Sacks and baskets are piled with saffron, dried limes, cardamom, frankincense, rose petals and dried fruit, much of it traded with Iran and India. An abra across the creek from Bur Dubai lands right beside it.

Al Seef is a waterfront promenade along about 1.8 km of Dubai Creek. One half is built to look like an old Gulf trading town, with coral-stone walls, wind towers and shaded lanes; the other half is modern. Shops, cafes and a floating market line the water, and wooden dhows are moored alongside. Al Fahidi is next door.

At 828 metres and 163 floors, Burj Khalifa has been the tallest building in the world since it opened in 2010. Designed by Adrian Smith of SOM, its stepped triangular plan was inspired by the desert flower Hymenocallis and helps it stand against the wind. Observation decks on levels 124, 125 and 148 give views across Dubai to the Gulf and the desert, and on a clear day you can see for nearly 100 km. The tower holds apartments, offices and the Armani Hotel, and its spire is visible far outside the city. Book a timed ticket, and choose sunset if you want both day and night views.

The Dubai Mall opened in 2008 at the foot of the Burj Khalifa and is one of the largest shopping malls in the world, with well over a thousand shops. It also holds a huge aquarium, an indoor waterfall with diving figures, an ice rink and a traditional-style souk. The Dubai Fountain plays on the lake just outside.

The Dubai Fountain performs on the 30-acre lake between Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall, shooting water up to about 150 metres, roughly the height of a 50-storey building. It was built by the same company behind the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas and uses more than 6,600 lights and 25 colour projectors. Shows run every half hour in the evening and a couple of times in the afternoon, set to Arabic, classical and international music. You can watch free from the waterfront promenade and the bridge, or pay for a boat on the lake. Arrive a little early in the evening, as the best spots fill quickly.

The Museum of the Future opened on Sheikh Zayed Road in 2022 and is instantly recognisable: a silver torus with a hollow centre, its surface covered in Arabic calligraphy that spells out quotations from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid. The building has no internal columns, and the calligraphy openings serve as its windows. Inside, the floors are staged as experiences rather than displays: a space station in orbit, a digital library of an imagined future Amazon, a wellness floor and a children's area. The themes are space travel, climate and ecology, health and new technology. Tickets sell out on busy days, so book ahead.

The Dubai Frame in Zabeel Park is exactly what its name says: a golden rectangle 150 metres tall and 93 metres wide that frames the city. Stand on one side and you look at old Dubai, Deira and the Creek; turn around at the top and you see the towers of new Dubai along Sheikh Zayed Road. A glass-floored sky bridge runs between the two towers 48 storeys up, and a gallery below tells the story of the city's growth from fishing village to metropolis. It opened in 2018 and its pattern is based on the Expo 2020 logo. Clear mornings give the sharpest views in both directions.

Jumeirah Mosque, built in 1979 from pale stone in the medieval Fatimid style, has two minarets and a large central dome. It is one of the few mosques in Dubai that welcome non-Muslim visitors, on guided visits run under the Open Doors, Open Minds programme. The building is especially attractive when lit at dusk.

Burj Al Arab stands on its own artificial island off Jumeirah Beach, shaped like the billowing sail of a dhow and 321 metres tall. It opened in 1999 and quickly became the symbol of modern Dubai, known for its suites on two levels, a helipad near the top that has hosted tennis matches and golf shots, and an atrium tall enough to hold a small skyscraper. A curved bridge is the only road to the island, and access is limited to guests and people with restaurant or tour bookings. The best free views are from the public beach at Umm Suqeim, especially at sunset. The hotel is lit in changing colours at night.

Madinat Jumeirah is a resort district beside the Burj Al Arab, built in the style of an old Arabian town with wind towers and waterways. Visitors come for Souk Madinat, a covered market of shops and restaurants, and for the paths along canals where wooden abras carry hotel guests. The terraces give a classic view of the Burj Al Arab.

Palm Jumeirah is an artificial island off the Dubai coast built in the shape of a palm tree, with a trunk, sixteen fronds and a curving breakwater around them. It was reclaimed from the sea in the 2000s using sand dredged from the Gulf and rock from the mountains, adding about 56 km of new shoreline. The island holds hotels, apartments, beach clubs and the Atlantis resort at the far end, linked by a monorail along the trunk. The View at The Palm observation deck looks down on the whole shape, which is best appreciated from above. Public beaches and the Boardwalk are open to everyone.

Dubai Marina is a waterfront district built around a man-made canal about three kilometres long, lined with some of the tallest residential towers in the world. A promenade runs along the water, with cafes and restaurants. Dhow cruises and water buses leave from the quays, and the beach at JBR is a few minutes' walk away.

JBR Beach runs in front of the Jumeirah Beach Residence towers beside Dubai Marina. The wide public beach is free and has showers, a running track, camel rides and water sports. Behind it, The Walk and The Beach form a long strip of shops, cafes and an outdoor cinema. Ain Dubai rises just offshore on Bluewaters Island.

Dubai Miracle Garden, opened on Valentine's Day 2013 in Dubailand, claims to be the largest natural flower garden in the world, with tens of millions of blooms planted each season. The flowers are arranged into structures rather than beds: floral arches and hearts, a full-size Emirates A380 covered in petals, castles, peacocks and cartoon characters. Drip irrigation and treated waste water keep it alive in the desert climate. A butterfly garden stands next door. It is seasonal, usually opening around November and closing in May, because the summer heat kills the display.

The Al Qudra Lakes are a group of man-made lakes in the Saih Al Salam desert, about 40 minutes from central Dubai. They draw many birds, including swans, ducks and flamingos, and desert animals such as oryx and gazelles. People come to picnic, cycle the long desert track nearby and watch the sunset. Two heart-shaped lakes lie close by.

Global Village is a seasonal outdoor fair on the edge of Dubai, open from about October to April. Pavilions representing dozens of countries sell crafts, food and clothing, and there are stage shows, street performers, a funfair and fireworks on many evenings. It opens in the late afternoon and runs until after midnight.