If you read my previous post, you’ll know I arrived in Dubai absolutely exhausted. With such a busy schedule, I had no time to rest… and yes, nothing changed. I was just as tired in Abu Dhabi too.

I visited Abu Dhabi during the same holiday, it’s only about 90 minutes from Dubai, so I thought, why not? Like all our trips, this one was booked with Two Continents. And no, this isn’t sponsored – I just genuinely think they go above and beyond to keep their customers happy.

But back to Abu Dhabi, it was such a lovely surprise. Completely different from Dubai. There aren’t as many towering skyscrapers, and everything feels a bit more… normal (in the best possible way). Less flashy, more relaxed. Honestly, it was a nice change of pace.

In the morning, we were picked up by our driver, Kamil- what a lovely person! It was so nice to chat in Polish, and he made us feel really welcome from the start. On the way, we picked up another Polish lady who was our guide for the day… and unfortunately, I can’t remember her name (I know, terrible 😅).

Our first stop was the breathtaking Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It’s one of the largest mosques in the world, with stunning white marble, beautiful floral designs, and massive chandeliers that make you feel like you’ve walked into a palace rather than a place of worship. It’s incredibly peaceful and absolutely beautiful-definitely one of those places that makes you stop and just go… Wow.

Like in every Muslim country, to enter the mosque I had to dress appropriately, which basically meant transforming into a very modest, slightly overheated version of myself. Hair covered, arms covered, ankles covered… honestly, the only thing visible was my face (and even that felt negotiable at some point 😄). Fashion? Gone. Mystery? Maximum:)

After about two hours, and approximately one million photos later,we finally left. No matter how I describe it here, nothing will truly do it justice. You simply have to see it with your own eyes to understand what I mean.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi is one of the biggest and most beautiful mosques in the world. It was commissioned by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, with construction beginning in 1996 and completed in 2007. The mosque blends different Islamic architectural styles with modern building techniques. It’s famous for its white marble, huge domes, intricate patterns, and its massive chandelier and carpet. Today, it stands as an important symbol of culture, faith, and unity in the UAE.

Just take a look at the photos and decide for yourself whether you like it or not, the choice is yours 😊

The presidential palace in Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Watan, is basically where serious government business meets “wow, this place is fancy.” It’s not actually where the president lives, t’s more like the UAE’s ultimate meeting room, just with massive domes, shiny chandeliers, and enough marble to make your kitchen countertop jealous. Important meetings, state visits, and big decisions all happen here… probably with really good coffee.

It was finished around 2017 and used quietly for official business at first, no tourists, no selfies, just suits and serious conversations. Then in 2019, the UAE decided, “You know what? Let’s show this off,” and opened it to the public. Since then, people can walk through and admire the architecture, learn about the country’s history, and try not to feel underdressed. Even now, while visitors wander around going “wow,” it’s still being used for real government work behind the scenes.

At Qasr Al Watan, there was marble everywhere, marble here, marble there, marble literally everywhere. It felt like every surface had been polished to perfection. There were so many impressive rooms open to the public, and you could see with your own eyes what a real presidential palace looks like. And even though Abu Dhabi already feels incredibly rich and impressive, the palace is on a completely different level, if not ten levels higher.

Sadly, we didn’t get invited for afternoon tea or coffee by the president… but I’m sure our invitation just got lost in the mail. Maybe next time.

After a couple of hours exploring, we finally left the palace and made our way to the car park. By that point, we had officially reached peak exhaustion- more than tired, more than hungry, and absolutely ready to go back to the hotel and get some sleep.

Now let me ask you something: do you think that was the end of the day? Of course not.

On the way back to the hotel, we had a small accident on the motorway. A driver in a Mercedes didn’t notice us in front and bumped into the back of our bus. Luckily, nothing serious happened, but it was definitely a bit scary- especially since it was the last thing we expected after such a long day.

But that… is probably a story for another evening 😊