Dubai is an incredible city with such a lot of money invested in it that tourists here bring their most challenging, at times insane, but cutting-edge wishes and projects to life. How can you clarify a ski resort and a monster aquarium in the Middle Eastern desert, the construction of the world’s tallest skyscraper, the building of an entire exhibition of artificial islands, just as numerous other implicit “wonders of the world” that are well ahead of the reality?

Dubai’s popularity continues to grow worldwide, thanks to the city’s impressive modern architecture, exciting shopping, world-class cuisine, and endless opportunities for travelers. Even if you’re only in the emirate for a few days, you simply need to plan your stay to see the best of Dubai. Here’s a 5-day visit plan to help you get the most out of your holiday.

Day 1: Sightseeing
Whether this is your first time in Dubai or you’ve been here many times before, you’ll always discover something new. The best time to take a city tour is the first day, this way you’ll familiarise yourself with the surroundings and you’ll be in a better position to plan the rest of your holiday.

You’ll want to climb to the top of the famous Burj Khalifa tower for a bird’s eye view of the city. It is the tallest building in Dubai at 829.8 meters and its 124th-floor observation deck is worth a visit.

Book a tour with one of the many tour companies — it will help you gather useful information and make you feel more at home in the city. Take a tour bus ride, enjoy a luxury cruise with a gourmet dinner, or simply rent a luxury car to experience the lifestyle of the rich.

Day 2: Museums and historical sites
Dubai has a large number of museums to visit and it would take you over a week to visit them all, so choose the ones that interest you most and dedicate an entire day to them. You may want to start with the most famous museum, the Dubai Museum, which is housed in the city’s oldest building, the Al Fahidi Fort.

The museum’s archives are rich with ancient maps of Dubai, local antiques, rare documents of the Emirate, Asian and African artifacts. The museum features exhibits of scenes from life in the desert, Bedouin tents, a model mosque, and recoveries from sea voyages.

Day 3: Adventure
From exotic camel racing to thrilling rallies across the desert dunes, Dubai has a great variety of activities to keep you busy.

The Arab Emirates is world-renowned for its luxurious resorts, where everyone can enjoy desert horse riding, as well as archery or laser gunning.

Fans of extreme adventures can try rock climbing or jet ski racing.

Day 4: The unique shopping experience
Dubai’s shopping malls are strikingly different from those of Paris and New York, and certainly worthy of the attention of shopping enthusiasts. We’ve already mentioned the Mall of Emirates with its ski slope, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Madinat Jumeirah Market, for instance, offers shoppers the opportunity to reach nearby restaurants and hotels via its own waterway.

Day 5: Hatta
Dubai is known for more than just fine dining and theme parks: the beauty of the unspoilt nature surrounding the city deserves a special mention.

After touring the endless sand dunes on your quad bike you can make the trip to Hatta, 134 km from Dubai at the base of Al Hajar Mountain. Relax under the roof of one of the traditional houses in the newly restored ancient settlement and swim in the crystal clear waters of the mountain lake or in one of the many natural waterholes fed by underground springs.