Dubai's Most Iconic Landmarks

Rising above Downtown Dubai, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest structure and building in the world, and the centrepiece of the whole district.

Its tapering, three lobed form draws on the geometry of a desert flower and on traditional Islamic architecture, and its silvery cladding catches the light differently through the day.

From street level it is genuinely difficult to take in the full scale until you step back across the surrounding boulevards.

The tower is far more than an observation attraction. It houses residences, corporate offices and the Armani Hotel, and it anchors a masterplanned neighbourhood that includes The Dubai Mall and the Dubai Fountain.

For most visitors, though, the draw is the At the Top experience, with observation decks on the upper levels offering sweeping views over the coast, the desert and the endless grid of the city below.

Booking ahead is strongly advised, especially for sunset slots, which are the most popular and often sell out. Tickets are tiered by level, with higher decks commanding higher prices, so decide in advance how high you want to go.

Palm Jumeirah is an artificial archipelago built out into the Gulf in the shape of a stylised palm tree, complete with a trunk, fronds and an encircling crescent breakwater.

It is one of the most ambitious land reclamation projects ever completed, and its distinctive outline is recognisable from the air and from satellite imagery.

Today the island is a dense mix of villas, apartment towers, hotels and beach clubs. The trunk carries a monorail running from the mainland out to the crescent, and the fronds are lined with waterfront homes.

Along the crescent sit some of the city's best known resorts, restaurants and leisure venues, making it a destination in its own right.

Visitors come to dine, relax on the beaches, or simply take in the sheer scale of the engineering. The View at The Palm observation deck offers a vantage point over the whole formation, helping you appreciate the shape that is otherwise hard to grasp from ground level.

The Museum of the Future is one of Dubai's boldest recent additions, a gleaming torus shaped building whose curved facade is covered in flowing Arabic calligraphy.

The script is not merely decorative, the windows are formed by the letters themselves, so the architecture and the message are inseparable. It sits prominently beside Sheikh Zayed Road, impossible to miss as you pass.

Inside, the museum is organised as a series of immersive, themed environments rather than traditional galleries. Exhibitions explore space, ecology, wellbeing and emerging technology, using interactive installations to invite visitors to imagine possible futures.

The experience is designed to be experiential and forward looking rather than a conventional display of objects.

Because of its popularity and timed entry system, advance booking is essential, and slots can sell out well ahead. It has quickly become one of the most talked about cultural destinations in the city.

Al Fahidi Fort is the oldest surviving building in Dubai, constructed from coral and gypsum and once serving to defend the town and guard the landward approach to the creek.

Its sturdy walls, watchtowers and central courtyard are a tangible link to an era long before oil and skyscrapers, when Dubai lived by the sea and the desert trade.

The fort houses Dubai Museum, which uses the historic rooms and a series of below ground galleries to trace the emirate's development.

Displays and dioramas recreate scenes from traditional life, including the souk, pearl diving, desert survival and the crafts and daily routines of old Dubai, giving depth to a story that the modern city can otherwise obscure.

It sits within the wider Al Fahidi historical neighbourhood, a district of restored wind tower houses, narrow lanes and small museums and galleries that reward slow exploration on foot. Together they form the heart of heritage Dubai.

Ain Dubai is a giant observation wheel on Bluewaters Island, ranking among the tallest wheels of its kind in the world.

Its slender spokes and enclosed cabins turn slowly high above the waterfront, offering elevated views back toward the coastline, the Palm Jumeirah and the towers of the Marina district.

The wheel is designed for a leisurely experience, with spacious cabins that rotate gently to allow passengers to take in the panorama from every angle. On a clear day the views stretch far along the coast, and after dark the surrounding developments glitter with light.

It is worth noting that Ain Dubai's operating status has varied since it opened, so it is especially important to verify whether it is currently running before planning a visit.

Bluewaters Island itself, connected to the mainland and to Jumeirah Beach Residence, is a pleasant dining and leisure destination regardless.

Sheikh Zayed Road is the great arterial highway running through the heart of the city, and the corridor of towers rising along it forms the classic image of modern Dubai.

From the Trade Centre roundabout down toward Downtown, a near continuous wall of skyscrapers lines the route, including the Emirates Towers and countless corporate and residential high rises.

The skyline is best appreciated as a whole rather than as any single building. Seen from an elevated bar, a nearby rooftop or simply from the road itself, the density and variety of the towers convey the pace at which the city has grown.

Much of this rose from comparatively empty land within a few decades, a fact that is easy to forget once you are among the glass and steel.

At night the corridor comes alive with illuminated facades and the streaming lights of traffic, making it a favourite subject for long exposure photography and a fitting symbol of Dubai's relentless forward drive.