I Love Culture

With glass skyscrapers that reflect the bustle of daily life, magnificent buildings such as the Emirates Palace, its lively souqs, excellent restaurants and long stretches of white beaches lapped by the crystal clear waters of the Gulf, Abu Dhabi is a city of outstanding contrasts. The throbbing heart of the city lies 250 metres off-shore on an island linked to the mainland by the Al Maqtaa Bridge and Mussafah Bridge. Home to the respected Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation and the Al Hosn Palace museum, along with numerous venues for the arts, the wealthy city is the cultural as well as commercial hub of the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Sharjah, the not-so-obvious UAE destination for many, unjustly remains in the shadows of its glistening immediate neighbour of Dubai. In the meantime, few are aware Sharjah was named the Capital of Islamic Culture (2014) and Cultural Capital of the Arab World by UNESCO sixteen years prior. Sharjah's Heritage Area is home to multiple historic sites and museums, and the Emirate itself boasts recent, modern additions to its art and entertainment scenes enough to compensate for the strict "no-alcohol" regulations.