Souk Madinat

Last Friday, I arrived in Dubai: ready to start a new chapter. This city is so vibrant. The food, hospitality and the weather are amazing and give me so much energy! Our apartment is very centrally located, next to the Dubai Mall (the biggest mall in the world) and the Burj Khalifa (the highest tower in the world).

One of the first things I visited in Dubai, was the Souk Madinat (Arabian heritage market). It offers over 75 shops, galleries and dining outlets, with views over the water. Please make sure you make a reservation if you would like to enjoy the terrace outside.

If visiting at night which I think is the nicest, the Souk comes alive with a variety of exciting music acts and plenty of activity. It's enchanting, like a fairytale and gives you an Arabian Night feeling. Just like every other market, don’t forget to haggle with vendors to ensure you pay the best price.

The Madinat Jumeirah is 48 hectares and the entire complex is built around a lagoon. The network of waterways makes it possible to sail through it with a traditional 'Abra'. If you stay at one of the 4 hotels at the complex, you can use the water taxi for free. If you do not stay in the hotels, you can take a cruise for a fee.

If you want to see the Burj Arab (7 star hotel) and make some pictures, the Souk is the best place to go to. This becaue the hotel is located on a private beach and you can only enter with a reservation.

The Souk Madinat is open 7 days a week, standard stores opening hours from 10 AM to 10 PM. Opening times for bars and restaurants vary by venue. If you go to the Souk by car: the first two hours are for free and the following hour is 15 AED (4 dirham is 1 EUR, so this is around 3/4 EUR ).

Fun fact: there are some clubs at the Madinat Jumeirah complex and at the Souk is a Belgian Beer cafe! https://belgianbeercafejumeirah.com/