Al Fahidi Fort in Dubai — Review & Photo, Tourist Information

Al Fahidi Fortress in Dubai is a labyrinth city built in the likeness of ancient Arab settlements. You can wander through the narrow streets and spacious squares with mosques there. Al Fahidi Fort is an open air museum and it gives a feeling of how the local people have lived in the past.

📷 About Al Fahidi historical district

Oil fields were discovered in the Arab Emirates in the 1950s. However, the real rise of the UAE began in the 1970s after the increase in world oil prices. During the era of petrodollars, Dubai has become a huge modern metropolis in the middle of the desert.

Before the country’s prosperity, the local inhabitants made their money by fishing and pearl hunting. People lived in simple shelters made of sand and shells.

There is no luxury in this beige town, only narrow streets where even daylight doesn’t penetrate sometimes.

The deeper into the labyrinths of Al Fahidi quarter we went, the less people we saw. Most of the time of our stroll we spent in complete solitude. Sometimes it seemed that the whole town was empty.

Although it was not scary to get lost in the fortress. Every new corner was safe and quiet. We even could imagine for a second how things used to be here years ago.

Finally we met the only one alive creature – the white and black cat. Oh my… He was so weak and hungry! We gave him a slice of pizza for dinner) And later more thin cats came from around.

Honestly, everything in Al Fahidi district looks like a movie scenery and not a real old Arab town. Nowadays, only a small piece of the ancient wall remains in quarter. This wall protected this historic district from attacks two centuries ago.

You have a chance to stay in Al Fahidi neighbourhood for the night to feel the unique ambience of the historic city. All that you need to do is book the cozy and soulful Orient Hotel. To be honest, I haven’t seen a more peaceful and calm hotel with a real Arabic authenticity in noisy Dubai.

Another traditional XVA Art Hotel is available for guests. This accommodation offers magnificent rooms with handmade oriental carpets on the floor. I like it so much, in this hotel I feel a real deep immersion in the culture of the region.

There are also restaurants in the Al Fahidi area where you can taste delicious traditional seafood dishes that are so popular in the UAE. Fishing has been a major trade for centuries. Here’s an example of the dishes and prices on the menu of the Secret Garden restaurant:

• Lentils with shrimps – AED 22;
• Mussels with cheese – AED 25;
• Scallops – AED 22;
• Tuna salad – AED 35;
• Lobster with cheese – AED 95;
• Biryani fish-shrimp – AED 45;
• Shark fish – AED 35.

Inside the walls of Al Fahidi fort is the famous National Museum of Dubai. It shows how and what the citizens of Dubai lived many years ago, what kind of work they did, what clothes they wore and what they ate, etc. Admission to the museum costs just AED 3.

The Dubai Museum highlights the maritime traditions of Dubai. Dubai’s early economy based on sea trade, fishing, pearl diving and dhow construction are brought to the fore. Life size figures of the early inhabitants and implements that convey their way of life are displayed for posterity. The museum is really interesting for both adults and children.

Sometimes I think we probably could never have understood Dubai without visiting Al Fahidi historical district.

🚖 How to get to Al Fahidi fort

The fortress is located on the shore of Dubai Creek, not far from the Gold souq. The best way to get there is to take the metro to Al Fahidi station. Then you have to walk 7-10 minutes along a street.

The second way is to take the bus #C7. There is a bus stop right at the entrance to the fort. I advise you to plan your route in advance and check the schedule through the official app Wojhati of Dubai transport. The app can be downloaded from Google Play or AppStore.

And one more option to get to Al Fahidi from Deira district by ferry. The ticket costs only AED1. The walk from the jetty to the fort takes no more than 10 minutes.

🚩 Al Fahidi neighbourhood on the map of Dubai

I marked Al Fahidi Fort on this map with a red sign with the letter “M” (museum).

Al Fahidi Fortress in Dubai is on the list of free sights, so anyone can visit it at any time. It is an excellent representation of the historical heritage of the UAE.