Dubai 7-Day Itinerary: Sharjah, Hatta & Abu Dhabi

What is the best 7-day itinerary for Dubai?

Use days 1 to 3 for Dubai itself at an easy pace: old Dubai, an art morning and Downtown. Then take day trips to Sharjah by ferry, Hatta by bus and Abu Dhabi by train, and keep day 7 for the Marina and a desert evening. Avoid Mondays for the Abu Dhabi day.

A week lets Dubai breathe. The 3-day plan packs the city into three full days; this version spreads the same districts over shorter days and adds three day trips that public transport now handles: the RTA ferry to Sharjah, the Hatta Express bus and Etihad Rail to Abu Dhabi, which launched passenger services from Dubai on 30 September 2026.

Check the FCDO’s UAE advice before you book. Its 24 July 2026 update tells travellers in the region to be prepared for possible flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures and potential travel disruptions, citing strikes and retaliatory attacks by Iran across the region since 8 July; it does not advise against travel to the UAE.

Pick a base with where to stay in Dubai: Bur Dubai or Downtown suit this plan, since the Sharjah ferry leaves from Al Ghubaiba and the Hatta bus from Dubai Mall. For dates, see best time to visit Dubai.

What does a week in Dubai look like at a glance?

Arrive and settle in on day 1 with an evening on the Creek; spend day 2 on heritage museums, day 3 on art and Downtown, day 4 in Sharjah, day 5 in Hatta’s mountains and day 6 in Abu Dhabi, then end with the Marina and the desert on day 7.

Fixed points shape the order: Jameel Arts Centre closes on Tuesdays, the Louvre Abu Dhabi on Mondays, and Sharjah’s museums open only from 4pm on Fridays. The Hatta bus runs every two hours, so that day suits an early start. Shuffle days 4 to 6 to fit these gaps.

Hours and fares come from the RTA, Dubai Culture, the Sharjah Museums Authority, Visit Hatta, Visit Abu Dhabi and Etihad Rail launch reporting, checked on 17 October 2026; Ramadan and public holidays change them.

Days 1 and 2: how do you see old Dubai at an easy pace?

Arrive, rest, then spend your first evening on the Creek, crossing by abra as the lights come on. On day 2, walk Al Fahidi at 7am, see Al Shindagha Museum before the heat, take a taxi to the Etihad Museum for the afternoon, and finish in Deira’s souks after dark.

Splitting old Dubai across an evening and a morning avoids the midday slog. A one-dirham cash fare buys a crossing on the RTA’s traditional abras, and its petrol heritage abras add a route from Al Seef to Baniyas for a longer look at both banks. Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood opens at 7am every day.

Al Shindagha Museum spans 22 pavilions in 80 historic houses, Gulf News reported at its 2023 reopening; its Dubai Creek: Birth of a City section covers the city’s first bank, police house and produce market. The Etihad Museum picks up the story with the founding of the UAE in 1971, in a 25,000 m² building on the site where it happened.

Deira’s souks, which Visit Dubai calls spectacular, are easiest after sunset in the warmer months. The Green Line’s Gold Souk and Al Ras stations take you back to Bur Dubai, or to the Red Line at Union.

Day 3: how do you combine art with Downtown?

Choose Jameel Arts Centre at Jaddaf Waterfront, which is free, closed on Tuesdays and opens at noon on Fridays, or the galleries of Alserkal Avenue for the morning. Rest after lunch, then head to Downtown for the Burj Khalifa’s observation decks in the late afternoon and the Dubai Fountain after dark.

Jameel Arts Centre opens 10am to 8pm, from 12pm on Fridays, closes on Tuesdays and is open-access and free; it also takes group tour bookings. The alternative, Alserkal Avenue, is billed by Visit Dubai as the city’s leading creative district for art, design, performance and culture. Both keep you indoors through most of the morning.

Downtown sits on the Red Line at Dubai Mall/Burj Khalifa, according to the Khaleej Times station list. For a quieter evening view of the skyline, the RTA’s Dubai Water Canal heritage abra makes a 45-minute round trip from Sheikh Zayed Road marine station at AED 25 a person, with at least six passengers needed.

Skip the Museum of the Future for now: it is temporarily closed, and Gulf News reported new experiences due in the first quarter of 2027. Is the Burj Khalifa worth it? helps you choose an observation slot.

Day 4: how do you spend a day in Sharjah?

Take the Dubai Ferry from Al Ghubaiba to the Sharjah Aquarium, then spend the day on Sharjah’s museums: the Aquarium, Al Hisn fort and the Museum of Islamic Civilization all open 8am to 8pm from Saturday to Thursday. Avoid Friday mornings, and remember that Sharjah bans alcohol.

The RTA’s Dubai Ferry route FR5 links Al Ghubaiba marine station in Bur Dubai with Sharjah Aquarium marine station; check sailing times in the RTA app. The Sharjah Aquarium, opened in 2008 in the Al Khan area beside the Sharjah Maritime Museum, holds a main-tank feed at 10am from Saturday to Thursday.

In the Heart of Sharjah, Al Hisn, built in 1823, was the ruling Al Qasimi family’s residence and government headquarters. The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization displays more than 5,000 pieces from across the Islamic world in themed galleries. All three open only from 4pm to 8pm on Fridays, and shorter Ramadan hours apply.

The FCDO says Sharjah prohibits alcohol, including possession, so leave any duty-free in Dubai. Dress conservatively; what to wear in the UAE covers the norms, and best day trips from Dubai compares Sharjah with other options.

Day 5: how do you reach Hatta without a car?

Catch the RTA’s Hatta Express, route H02, from the Dubai Mall Bus Station; it runs every two hours from 7am and costs AED 25. In Hatta, the H04 hop-on hop-off bus links the dam, the heritage village and the Wadi Hub for AED 2 a stop. Kayak on the dam in cooler months.

The RTA timetable lists the Hatta Express from 7am to 7pm daily, and Visit Hatta’s visitor guide puts the ride at around 1.5 hours and the drive at about 90 minutes. The H04 loop runs every 30 minutes from 7am to 9pm, stopping at Hatta Wadi Hub, Hatta Hill Park, Hatta Dam and the Heritage Village.

Hatta Kayak rents single kayaks to adults aged 16 and over, plus water bikes and small boats on the dam, and Hatta Wadi Hub opens from 9am to 7pm daily with mountain-bike hire. Visit Hatta says activities close temporarily in rain for safety and reopen once dry.

Take the 7am bus to make the most of the day, and plan around one of the later departures back. In summer, treat Hatta as a morning-only outing, or swap it for an indoor day in Dubai.

Day 6: can you visit Abu Dhabi by train from Dubai?

Yes. Etihad Rail began Abu Dhabi to Dubai passenger services on 30 September 2026 from Al Yalayis Station, which a footbridge links to Jumeirah Golf Estates on the Red Line. Trains reach Mohamed Bin Zayed City in about 57 minutes; from there, take a taxi to the Grand Mosque and the Louvre.

Gulf News reported 10 daily services at launch, with fares from AED 29 in Comfort Class and AED 89 in First Class. Visit Abu Dhabi gives the journey as 57 minutes and places the Abu Dhabi station opposite Dalma Mall in Mohamed Bin Zayed City, next to Musaffah Bus Station, so plan a taxi onward.

Entry to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is free; Visit Abu Dhabi suggests registering in advance, and the main prayer hall closes to visitors from 12pm to 3pm on Fridays. The Louvre Abu Dhabi generally opens from 10am, takes two to three hours and closes on Mondays. For more, see things to do in Abu Dhabi.

Jumeirah Golf Estates is on the Red Line towards Expo 2020, according to the Khaleej Times station list, so you can stop at Expo City Dubai on the way back; its visitor page says the site is reached by Dubai Metro, and Al Wasl Plaza is free.

Day 7: how do you spend a last day on the coast and in the desert?

Spend a slow morning around Dubai Marina and JBR, using the tram and the Marina water taxi, or ride the Dubai Ferry to Palm Jumeirah and Atlantis. Rest at midday, then join a desert evening with an operator approved by the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. In season, Global Village is the alternative.

The RTA’s Marina water taxi stops at Marina Terrace, Marina Walk, Dubai Marina Mall and Marina Promenade from AED 7, and its timetable lists a Dubai Ferry round trip from Dubai Marina Mall to Palm Jumeirah and Atlantis. Swim only at lifeguarded beaches flying safe flags, the FCDO advises, because rip currents can occur at any beach.

The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve describes dune drives on predefined routes to a Bedouin-style camp for dinner, plus camel rides, falconry, sandboarding and overnight camps under the stars. If you would rather stay in town, Global Village opens from 4pm daily until May 2027, with entry from AED 25 on weekdays.

How do you adapt a week for heat, rain and Ramadan?

From May to October, drop Hatta and the desert, start each day early and keep middays indoors. On wet days, swap a day trip for museums, since Hatta’s activities and desert tours pause in rain. In Ramadan, follow the daytime rules in public and expect shorter museum hours in Sharjah.

The WMO normals for Dubai average 40.6°C highs in July and nights near 29°C in August, while February and March bring about four rain days each. The FCDO warns that heavy rain can cause flooding and that desert trips are dangerous without a properly equipped 4x4.

In Ramadan, the FCDO asks visitors not to eat, drink, smoke or chew gum in public in daytime, including in a car. Sharjah’s museums cut their hours, with Al Hisn opening 9am to 2pm and closing on Fridays. For dates, see best time to visit Dubai and Ramadan travel planning.

What should you book ahead for a week in Dubai?

Book the Burj Khalifa slot, the desert evening and any Hatta kayak hire ahead, and register for the Grand Mosque visit. Buy Etihad Rail tickets once your Abu Dhabi day is fixed. Keep everything refundable while the FCDO warns of possible flight cancellations and periodic airspace closures.

Compare tours on operator, pick-up area, inclusions and cancellation cut-off; GetYourGuide vs Viator vs Klook explains the platforms. For desert evenings, look for operators the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve has approved.

For the transfer at each end, see the DXB transfer guide and the DXB lounge guide; for a car on the Hatta day, renting a car in the UAE.

• Which days should I avoid? Tuesday for Jameel Arts Centre, Monday for the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Friday mornings in Sharjah, and Friday 12pm to 3pm for the Grand Mosque’s prayer hall.
• Where should I stay? Bur Dubai or Downtown; see where to stay in Dubai and Dubai hotels.
• When should I go? November to March; see best time to visit Dubai.
• Where should I eat? Around the Creek and in Downtown; see Dubai eats.