Incredible unseen Dubai neighbourhood completely overlooked by Brit tourists

Forget Dubai's glittering towers, pristine estimation and affluent persona - the city's anchor is acold much humbling and brimming with charm and culture.

Dubai is wide known arsenic a modern metropolis, defined by flashy skyscrapers and large concern arsenic good arsenic world-class buying and entertainment. The 2nd largest emirate successful the UAE, Dubai prides itself connected offering the precise champion of immoderate you are looking for. That said, determination is an old-world charm that has remained successful the oldest neighbourhood successful the city, Bur Dubai.

Before Dubai became the mega-modern metropolis it is today, the country to the westbound of Dubai Creek (also known arsenic Khor Dubai, a earthy saltwater inlet that divides the city) was the tract of the city’s archetypal settlement, Bur Dubai. Over time, the colony people expanded inland, with the creek remaining Bur Dubai’s anchor and enabling Dubai’s maturation arsenic a trading hub.

Despite being densely packed with residential and commercialized areas, Bur Dubai is 1 of the astir walkable areas successful the city. And determination is plentifulness to marvel astatine arsenic you stroll done the streets. Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, commonly referred to arsenic Al Bastakiya, is the historical centre of Dubai. The country has undergone immense restoration enactment successful caller years to bring the district’s avenues, lanes and buildings to their erstwhile glory. Now the oldest lasting residential country of Dubai, the Bastakiya 4th was archetypal established by affluent textile and pearl merchants from Iran.

Walking done the country contiguous volition transport you backmost to that aged satellite epoch of tightly coiled alleys and past upwind towers channeling aerial done the adjacent buildings. Here, you’ll besides find the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, which regularly hosts tours and events designed to beforehand taste and humanities consciousness for tourists.

Bastakiya is besides a immense creation hub, location to some the XVA comptemorary creation assemblage and Dubai’s oldest creation space, Majlis Gallery. After taking successful the fantastic enactment of Arab artists, indulge successful good day cakes and caller mint foodstuff successful a adjacent cafe.

If you’re funny successful shopping, the Textile Souk is wherever you volition find a scope of ready-to-wear outfits from section designers arsenic good arsenic good fabrics. Alternatively, the Meena Bazaar (also known arsenic Dubai’s “Little India”) is simply a bustling buying hub wherever you tin find everything from golden jewellery to luxe silk sarees to spices.

Finally, if you’re successful Bur Dubai, you’d beryllium remiss not to instrumentality an abra (traditional woody boat) crossed the creek to Deira to spot what the eastbound broadside of the creek has to offer.