Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is the capital and the largest emirate, calmer than Dubai and richer in culture. Its best-known landmark is the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, opened in 2007 with 82 white domes and a marble courtyard inlaid with flowers, one of the largest mosques in the world.

On Saadiyat Island stands Louvre Abu Dhabi, opened in November 2017 beneath a 180-metre dome by the architect Jean Nouvel, which lets the light fall through like sun through palm fronds. In the city centre, Qasr Al Watan, the presidential palace, opens its halls and library to visitors, and the Corniche has a public beach and kilometres of gardens.

About two hours' drive south begin the dunes of Liwa, among the highest in the Empty Quarter, home to Qasr Al Sarab, a resort that shows the desert at its most refined: camel rides, falconry displays and a sky full of stars.

Two nights in the city are enough for the mosque, the Louvre and Qasr Al Watan; we add one or two nights in the desert for anyone who wants silence after the cities.