Dubai dazzles with its opulence and infinite buildings. However, behind the tallest skyscrapers of Dubai lies a story that goes beyond luxury and exclusivity, a city with history that deserves to be known and that few can enjoy in the most authentic way.
For this reason, Lonely Planet, the travel specialty site, proposed a way to travel to the “authentic Dubai,” as they state, where spaces are explored that do not include impressive amusement parks or malls with the most exclusive brands in the world. According to the publication, there are three key places to explore this magical city without tourists and to know the deeper culture.
Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, the ideal place to learn about the culture of Dubai.
At the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, one can get an up-close look at the culture, attire, and local customs with a question-and-answer session where the most interesting topics can be discussed. Within this tour, a visit to the Diwan Mosque can be made to learn about prayer rituals and symbols.
To closely follow the details of this intriguing story, impressive and representative dinners are organized on the site, such as the celebration of Eid al-Fitr (the festival that breaks the fasting of Ramadan), which includes dishes like machboos (rice and lamb cooked with fragrant clove and cardamom) and fareed (a stew of boiled meat with vegetables and thick layers of bread).
Al Fahidi Historic, another journey into the deep history of Dubai.
Al Fahidi Historic is one of the most picturesque and emblematic shopping centers in historic Dubai, where visitors can get lost in its streets and discover beautiful cafes, museums, and art galleries. There are also some hotels for those who prefer to stay in this enclave located across the Dubai Creek (Khawr Dubayy), near the spice souk and just a short walk from the textile souk.
To follow the path of the most authentic Dubai, Alserkal Avenue occupies one of the most important places for lovers of this type of tour. This site is located in an old marble factory whose huge shops today house the most important contemporary art of the United Arab Emirates.
Dubai Creek by abra, one of the perfect tours.
Para seguir disfrutando de la Dubái profunda, los expertos de Lonely Planet recomiendan también cruzar el Dubái Creek en un abra, el tradicional barco de madera equipado con un motor y provisto de un banco central para sentarse. Desde este maravilloso paseo se puede percibir la ciudad de una manera distinta, observando los contrastes de los edificios más modernos con los más tradicionales.
Para concluir con la travesía de Dubái visto desde otro sitio, los zocos son una de las buenas formas de descubrir la esencia de los Emiratos Árabes. En los zocos de Bur Dubai y Deira se puede pasear y pulir el arte del regateo. En estos lugares se pueden conseguir joyas en oro de 24 quilates hasta hierbas aromáticas como el cardamomo y azafrán iraníes y tiras de mentol. El mercado más antiguo de Dubái tiene una zona llamada el Zoco textil, donde se pueden comprar tejidos a precios razonables y después llevarlos a un sastre para que los corte y confeccione una prenda a medida.
