Dubai Frame

The Dubai Frame is exactly what its name promises: two towers joined at the top by a bridge, forming a giant gilded picture frame about 150 metres tall and more than 90 metres wide in Zabeel Park. It opened on 1 January 2018 after a long design process that began with an international competition, and it was conceived to frame two versions of the city at once, the older districts to the north and the modern skyline to the south.

A visit follows a set route. It begins on the mezzanine with the Old Dubai gallery, a multimedia exhibition on how the city grew from a fishing and trading settlement. A fast lift then climbs the equivalent of 48 floors in about 75 seconds to the Sky Deck, the enclosed bridge at the top. One side looks towards Deira, Karama and Umm Hurair, the other along Sheikh Zayed Road to Downtown Dubai and Burj Khalifa. Sections of glass floor let you look straight down to the ground, which is the moment most visitors remember. On the way back down, a swirling tunnel with sound and light effects leads into the Future Dubai gallery, which imagines the city decades from now.

It is a good choice for families and first-time visitors because it explains the city's growth in a compact, easy visit of around an hour to 90 minutes. Standard and VIP tickets are sold online, and buying ahead saves time at the gate. Late afternoon is a good time to go: you can see both halves of the city in daylight and stay to watch the lights come on. Midday in summer can feel hazy, which softens the view.

The entrance is at Gate 4 of Zabeel Park. Al Jafiliya Metro station on the Red Line is the closest stop, and there is parking at the park. The lifts make the whole route accessible, and the operator lists a dedicated service for people of determination. The free Dubai Municipality contact line, 800 900, answers questions around the clock.

Zabeel Park itself is worth a stroll if the weather is mild, and the frame sits between the old and new cities, so it combines well with an afternoon in Karama or an evening in Downtown Dubai.