See More Cultural Attractions with Dubai Holiday Packages

In recent times, Dubai has the reputation of being a major tourist destination and business hub of the Middle East. The capital of the Emirates of Dubai, this city is known for its excellent infrastructure and towering high-rises including the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa. Despite all the changes that it has undergone over the years, this Emirati city has been successful in preserving its rich Arab traditions. You can witness the influence of the Arab and Islamic culture on the city's architecture, attire, cuisine, and lifestyle. While exploring this part of the United Arab Emirates, you’ll get the chance to witness its popular cultural attractions.

Among them is the Jumeirah Mosque, which is considered as one the iconic landmarks of the city. It is a replica of Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque and has been constructed in the Fatimid architectural style. Most of the Dubai holiday packages include a visit to this majestic mosque, which looks truly attractive in the evenings when its floodlights come alive. There are guided tours organised by the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Cultural Understanding, which help non-Muslims to have a better understanding of Islam. You can take these tours on all days except on Fridays and they begin at 10 am every day.

The Dubai holidays also allow you to explore the Bastakia quarter, which is also referred to as the Al-Fahidi neighbourhood. It was built during the 19th century and was home to many of the rich Persian merchants trading in textiles and pearls. They had settled in this region primarily owing to the easy access to Dubai Creek and tax-free trading that they enjoyed in this part of the world. As you explore this quarter, you'll come across several old buildings built using limestone and coral. They also have wind-towers that provided an early form of air-conditioning by trapping the wind and funnelling it down into the rooms.

You can visit Deira with the all inclusive Dubai holidays to get a glimpse of the traditional markets or 'souks'. Among them, the Deira Gold Souk is the world's largest gold bazaar. A visit to the Deira Spice Souk would give you the chance to witness plenty of stalls that seem to overflow with different kinds of spices, such as saffron, cumin, paprika, and thyme. The 'Heritage House' is one of the attractions in Deira you can't afford to miss. It was built in the late 19th century for an Iranian merchant and was later the residence of a renowned pearl merchant, Sheikh Ahmed bin Dalmouk.

One of the interesting cultural attractions in Dubai is the Heritage and Diving Village, which showcases the city's cultural, architectural, and maritime heritage with the help of some intriguing displays. They give you some insights into the activities that were carried out in this region before the oil boom, such as dhow building and pearl diving. You'll also find some excellent recreations of Persian homes, a small souk with weavers and potters creating handicrafts at the stalls, and a traditional coffee house.

You can click here for detailed information on Dubai holidays and the attractions that you can get to explore in this Emirati city.

I'm Amanda, and I work as a content strategist for Home and Away Holidays, which provides affordable holidays to the world's most exotic destinations.