Indoor lanes
Ornate lanterns and carved wood.
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Souk Madinat Jumeirah is a modern take on the traditional Arabian market at the heart of the Madinat Jumeirah resort, on Dubai's coast just south of the Burj Al Arab. Opened in 2004, it gathers dozens of shops and kiosks along indoor lanes and more than 20 restaurants and cafés, many with terraces overlooking man-made canals. Created under the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, then Dubai's Crown Prince, to reimagine the city's past, it takes its cue from the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood and Dubai Creek. Winding alleys, wooden walkways, carved timber, ornate lanterns and wind towers recall the old quarters, while small abras ply the canals of a resort covering more than 40 hectares. Shops sell oud and incense, spices and saffron, Kashmiri pashminas, hand-loomed carpets, antiques, Arabian art and jewellery. More than ten murals by local artists and 21 calligraphy panels by Diaa Allam decorate the halls, and the Theatre of Digital Art stages immersive 360-degree shows and concerts, ticketed separately. Restaurants range from Persian, Indian and Emirati to Greek, Japanese and Mexican, and abras take visitors on 20-minute tours of the canals. The souk lies under 1 km south of the Burj Al Arab; Mall of the Emirates, with Ski Dubai, is about 2 km south-east and Palm Jumeirah about 5 km south-west, as the crow flies. Shops open daily from 10:00 to 23:00; restaurant hours vary. Allow one to three hours, ideally from late afternoon into the evening, when the lanes are lit, and end on a terrace facing the Burj Al Arab.
Ornate lanterns and carved wood.
20 minutes along the resort's canals.
From the waterside terraces.
Madinat Jumeirah resort, Jumeirah Street, south of Burj Al Arab, Dubai
Yes: the 20-minute full abra tour runs from 10:00 to midnight for 100 AED per adult, 50 AED per child or 299 AED for two adults and three children, with tickets sold at a booth in the souk and no need to book. Guests of the resort's hotels ride free.
The nearest metro station is Mall of the Emirates on the Red Line, about 2 km away as the crow flies, from where a short taxi ride completes the trip. The underground car park charges 20 AED an hour, and spending 100 AED at a participating outlet earns three free hours.
