Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi's skyline is all gleaming glass and construction cranes, but the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the thing that actually stops you in your tracks. It's enormous: white marble, gold leaf, one of the world's largest chandeliers hanging over hand-knotted carpets. It's open to visitors outside prayer times (modest dress required, abayas provided for women). The new cruise terminal at Port Zayed is well designed, with a wooden lattice roof inspired by dhow boats. The Corniche waterfront runs for several kilometres and has a decent beach. Heritage Village recreates traditional Emirati life and is free to enter. Taxis from the port are cheap and plentiful. The souks are more sanitised than what you'd find in Marrakech, but the spice and carpet sections are still worth wandering through. Temperatures run extreme in summer (regularly above 40°C), so plan outdoor time for mornings. Arabic coffee and dates are offered as standard hospitality; take them, it's rude not to.