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3 Days in Abu Dhabi: Mosque, Museums and the Corniche
A three-day Abu Dhabi itinerary — the Grand Mosque, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Watan, Yas Island and the desert at Liwa — with transfer times and fixed prices from AUH.
Abu Dhabi is quieter, greener and slower than Dubai, and it holds more of the country's culture. Three days is the right length: one for the landmarks, one for the islands, one for the desert or the coast.
Day 1 — The landmarks
- Morning — Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Go at opening or stay for the floodlit blue hour; dress code is enforced and abayas are lent free at the entrance.
- Afternoon — Qasr Al Watan, the working presidential palace, with the great domed hall and the library.
- Evening — the Corniche: eight kilometres of promenade and public beach.
Arrivals from Abu Dhabi airport are around 30 minutes to the Corniche at a fixed price.
Day 2 — Saadiyat and Yas
Louvre Abu Dhabi deserves a slow two hours — the dome's "rain of light" does something to the galleries beneath it. Afternoon on Saadiyat beach, or across to Yas Island for Ferrari World, the waterpark and the F1 circuit, where you can sometimes drive the track yourself.
Day 3 — Desert or the old city
- Option A — Liwa and the edge of the Empty Quarter: two and a half hours south-west, dunes up to 300 m, and the Qasr Al Sarab road that everyone photographs.
- Option B — Al Ain, ninety minutes inland: the oasis, the camel market and Jebel Hafeet's hairpin road at sunset.
- Option C — stay in town for Qasr Al Hosn and the Heritage Village.
Driving times
- AUH airport → Corniche — 35 km · ~30 min
- Corniche → Grand Mosque — 15 km · ~20 min
- Abu Dhabi → Al Ain — 160 km · ~1 h 40
- Abu Dhabi → Liwa — 230 km · ~2 h 30
- Abu Dhabi → Dubai — 140 km · ~1 h 30
Combining with Dubai
Most trips do both. See the 5-day Dubai and Abu Dhabi itinerary or the week-long UAE route. Fixed prices for every leg are on the UAE transfers page.
