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Abu Dhabi is known for beautiful weather and year-round sunshine but the city can be just as beautiful when the sun goes down. City lights glisten and icons across the skyline glow and present a whole new perspective. Once place to take in incredible nighttime sights is Abu Dhabi Corniche.
Start your evening journey along the Corniche at Qasr Al Watan. Here you'll witness the Palace come to life in a spectacular light and sound show which illuminates the whole facade with mesmerising patterns, something to be seen to be believed!
A short walk away is the Founder's Memorial which is popular with tourists throughout the day but becomes something special at night. The depiction of the UAE's founder, Sheikh Zayed, is suspended in a starry display. You'll have worked up an appetite during your short walk along the Corniche so why not head into one of the area's most-loved restaurants such as The Terrace.
The Founder's Memorial
Stop 2
This unique cultural attraction celebrates the life, legacy and values of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the UAE, known as the Father of the Nation. This memorial offers locals and international travellers a unique way to immerse themselves in the history and culture of the UAE, with experiences designed to reveal aspects of the country’s broader social, cultural and environmental heritage, from art to stories, exhibitions and more.
Spread over 3.3 hectares of beautifully landscaped public space boasting indigenous flora, the memorial features a Sanctuary Garden including seating areas and a traditional falaj (ancient irrigation system), a Heritage Garden rich with medicinal desert plants, and an elevated walkway offering captivating views of the Arabian Gulf, the city’s dazzling skyline, and the centrepiece of The Founder’s Memorial, The Constellation.
This incredible and monumental public artwork features a three-dimensional portrait of Sheikh Zayed designed by artist Ralph Helmick. Housed in a 30-metre-high pavilion, The Constellation contains 1,327 geometric shapes suspended on 1,110 cables to create a series of evolving personal encounters with Sheikh Zayed’s image. By night, the suspended shapes shine like stars, a reminder of Sheikh Zayed’s role as a guiding light for the UAE and its people. This celestial display evokes the timelessness of Sheikh Zayed’s vision, which continues to guide the UAE along a path to progress and prosperity. The suspended shapes constitute five different types of regular, convex polyhedrons known as ‘platonic solids’, which are renowned for their mathematical beauty and symmetry. The Constellation is one of the largest art installations of its kind in the world and is unique in its use of abstract portraiture on this scale. This mesmerising piece can be viewed from multiple vantage points around the memorial.
Abu Dhabi Corniche
Stop 3
Recommended Time: 2 hours
Abu Dhabi’s Corniche Road stretches across an impressive eight kilometres of manicured waterfront that includes children’s play areas, separate cycle and pedestrian pathways, cafés and restaurants, and the stunning, lifeguarded Corniche Beach. If you’re looking to soak up Abu Dhabi’s famous year-round sunshine, this immaculate beach is one of the best places to do it.
Qasr Al Watan
Recommended Time: 2 hours
Qasr Al Watan is a working Presidential palace in Abu Dhabi and a majestic cultural landmark that invites you to discover the rich legacy of knowledge and tradition that has shaped the UAE's journey. More than just a traditional palace, Qasr Al Watan boosts cultural understanding of the nation and emphasises its incredible history. The palace stands as an icon of Abu Dhabi's skyline with a design exquisitely crafted to tribute to its Arabian heritage and artistry. You will feel the grandeur as you enter the grounds. The structure and open halls echo its significance in Emirati culture.
The palace in Abu Dhabi has one of the city's most impressive and unmissable attractions, the family-friendly Palace In Motion event. Be astounded by the spectacular light and sound show that celebrates the UAE's journey in three breathtaking acts that unfold in front of the main palace every 30 minutes after sundown, with the final entry taken 30 minutes before showtime. Timings are subject to change.