Visit Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Dubai

Located at the entrance to the island of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is a must-see whether you are staying in the capital or in the neighbouring city of Dubai. It is, along with the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, one of the most important and impressive monuments in the Emirates and is considered one of the most modern mosques in the world.

If you want to know what options you have to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, come with me and I'll tell you about it.

The best option

Abu Dhabi Day Trip from Dubai with Mosque Sheik Zayed Tickets

An excursion from Dubai where you will visit the mosque

You will go to Abu Dhabi with a professional guide and visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque while learning all about the Arab world. This six-hour activity will allow you to enjoy the tour and one of the most important architectural and religious monuments in the Emirates.

From £48 at Hellotickets

This is the most convenient and economical option if you are based in Dubai. This tour includes transfer to and from Abu Dhabi and the company of a professional guide. For about 6 hours, you will have the opportunity to learn about the history of this mosque and the architectural and aesthetic features of its more than 20,000 square metres.

Recommended if... you are sightseeing in Dubai but don't want to miss a visit to one of the most famous temples in the UAE and the world.

Although entry to the mosque is free, if you are visiting Dubai, the best way to visit the mosque is to book a tour. This will save you all the logistics of getting to and from Abu Dhabi and avoid the hassle of getting in. In addition, you will be guided by an expert who will help you to enrich the experience and give you an in-depth tour. Here are some other options of guided tours from Dubai to visit the mosque:

• Abu Dhabi tour with entrance tickets to Sheik Zayed Mosque, Qasr Al Watan Palace and Etihad Tower: this tour will take you to the most important sights of Abu Dhabi. It takes about 10 hours, so you'll need the whole day. You will travel in a small group of about 17 people with a specialised guide in an exclusive vehicle to the capital of the Emirates.

On arrival you'll visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the Qasr al Watan Presidential Palace and the Etihad Towers, an impressive complex of five skyscrapers. In the meantime, your guide will be telling you interesting facts and taking you to the places where you can take the best photos. The price of this activity is around €80.

• Abu Dhabi tour with tickets to the Sheik Zayed Mosque and the Louvre Museum: this 9-hour tour will take you to visit the mosque and the Louvre Museum, which opened its doors to the Arab world in 2017 and is now one of the most visited museums in the region. Of course, you'll be accompanied at all times by a professional guide so you won't miss a thing and won't have to worry about anything.

The Sheikh Zayed Mosque is one of the most important mosques in the world, for its beauty and its more than 20,000 square metres of surface area. And the Louvre Museum, a world-renowned art museum, has been based in the UAE for a few years now, where you can see everything from classic works by Gauguin to ancient sculptures discovered in Jordan. The price of this tour is about €90.

Entry to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is free, so there is no need to book. When you arrive at the site, security and dress checks will be carried out at the same area where you will enter and you will be given your tickets.

It is one of the most visited monuments in the Emirates, so the influx of people is constant. Avoid going on Friday afternoons, and if you can, go early in the morning, preferably on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is open to visitors, both worshippers and non-worshippers, every day of the week. The only exception is that on Friday mornings visits are restricted to Muslims only, as this is the holy day in the religion of Islam. Opening hours are as follows:

• Every day except Friday: 9:00 am to 10:00 pm.
• Friday: from 16:30 to 22:00 hours.
• During the month of Ramadan it is only open from Saturday to Thursday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

The opening hours make it very easy to visit, but if you are in Dubai in July or if you are in Dubai in August and visiting Abu Dhabi, I strongly recommend that you go either early in the morning or when the sun starts to set.

If your accommodation is in Dubai and you have a rental car, it's easy to get to the mosque. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are only 130 km apart and the two cities are connected by a wide motorway with up to 7 lanes, which takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. In any case, visiting this mosque is in itself one of the reasons why going to Abu Dhabi is one of the best excursions you can do from Dubai.

You can also choose to take a bus. The journey takes about 2 hours and takes you to the central bus station in Abu Dhabi at a cost of 25 dirhams ( approximately6.50 euros ). Personally, if you are going to Abu Dhabi from Dubai, I would choose the option of taking a car or even a taxi if several of you are travelling to share the cost. When you arrive in Abu Dhabi, finding a parking space will not be difficult, as the Sheikh Zayed Mosque has a large car park, which is free of charge.

If you are already in the city of Abu Dhabi, the best options for getting there are:

• By taxi or car: From the city centre a taxi can cost between 8 and 10 euros depending on traffic.
• Bus: Routes 44, 54 and 163 have the closest bus stops and the fare is 3 dirhams, just under one euro. Bear in mind that with traffic and traffic lights it can take around 1 hour to get from the centre of Abu Dhabi.

If you're using Google Maps to get to Sheikh Zayed, bear in mind that there are three mosques of that name in Abu Dhabi. You will need to search for "Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque"

As you travel from Dubai to Abu Dhabi you will want to make the most of your visit. Here are the best tours to Abu Dhabi from Dubai.

Official guided tours are available and are also free of charge. These guided tours are exclusively in English (at least as of today). If this is not an impediment for you, it is an option to consider. There are many details and architectural curiosities in the building and with a guide you won't miss any of them. Guided tours are available at the following times:

• Sunday to Thursday: at 10:00, 11:00 and 17:00.
• Fridays: 17:00 and 19:00 hours.
• Saturdays: at 10:00, 11:00, 14:00, 17:00 and 19:00.

The guided tour lasts approximately one hour and is very enjoyable. If you choose to do it, come at least 30 minutes before the tour starts. If you want a tip, the best time to do this tour is at 17:00 hours, as you will enter with the mosque illuminated by the sun and on the way out you will be able to see the sunset and if you stay a little while, the spectacular night illumination of the place.

It's definitely worth it if English is not a problem for you. If not, you can always find an outside guide who speaks English.

Like most mosques, this one also has a dress code:

• Men: They must wear long trousers and shirts that are not strapless.
• Women: They must be fully covered from the waist down (long skirts are allowed, but no tights) and unlike men, they must wear both arms and hair covered.

I recommend that you arrive prepared and properly dressed to save time. If you are not dressed according to the rules, in the car park itself there is a unit where you can borrow suitable clothes and change. However, you will be required to leave your ID card or driving licence as a deposit. Passports are not accepted in this case.

There are no restrictions on access to the mosque that affect gender or beliefs. However, you should be aware of the rules of the site and respect them throughout your visit. The entrance and exit are different for men and women and you will have to go through a security and clothing check.

Rules of Conduct at the Sheikh Zayed Mosque

Once inside, you are free to move around the mosque, but you must follow the rules of conduct:

• No displays of affection inside the mosque (kissing, hugging or even holding hands are not allowed).
• Women are not allowed to remove their headscarves at any time, not even to take a photo.
• Photography and video are allowed, but not of Muslim women without explicit permission.

They are very strict in this regard and there are several guards on duty to ensure that these rules are followed.

Yes, there is no reason why children should not enjoy the visit. The sheer size of the mosque and its eye-catching decorations are sure to capture the attention of the little ones.

However, if you go in summer or on very hot days, make sure they are well hydrated. But do so before entering, as water is not allowed in the mosque to avoid damaging the architectural elements. This advice applies to children as well as adults, of course.

The 22,000 square metres of the grand mosque can accommodate up to 7,000 worshippers in its prayer hall and up to 40,000 people in total, to give you an idea of the size of the monument. The whole complex can be enjoyed from the outside and from the inside. Both perspectives are worthwhile and catch the attention of any visitor.

• From the outside: Built in white marble with gold detailing, it looks spectacular in the intense Abu Dhabi sunlight. Its many domes, a total of 82, of varying sizes, stand out. The largest, which you can easily see in the centre of the building, is 85 metres high and just over 30 metres wide. All of them are flanked by four 107-metre-high minarets. There is a road around the monument that I recommend you drive along to admire the mosque in all its splendour from different angles.
• From inside: When you enter the interior, the first thing you will see is a pool of clear water that reflects the striking columns around it and makes for a beautiful photograph. There are a total of 1096 columns between which is a corridor that gives access to the inner courtyard and provides welcome shade.
• The inner courtyard is one of the most famous sights of the mosque. At its corners rise the 107-metre minarets and below them a beautiful floor of marble and semi-precious stones. We cross the courtyard and before entering the interior we must take off our shoes. Inside is the main hall which, in my opinion, is the most spectacular part of the visit. Not only are the views astonishing, but also the figures. The room is covered with white marble imported from Italy. On the ceiling are 10 chandeliers decorated with Swarovski crystals and under our feet is a carpet that holds the world record for being the largest in the world at 5627 square metres.

For all these reasons, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is considered one of the most important and beautiful mosques in the world. A must-see if you choose the United Arab Emirates as your holiday destination.

If you opt for the guided tour option it will take you 1 hour. Since access is free and you are free to move around the site, I recommend that you take some extra time to admire the mosque on your own in addition to the guided tour.

Parking is easy, but passing through security and dress checks will take a few minutes. So the guided option will take between 1.5 and 2 hours depending on how long you go on your own. If you go on your own, you will need a minimum of an hour and a half to see the whole thing properly.

• Remember Dubai' s dress code as it also applies to this mosque: Men should wear long trousers and a non-strapless shirt. Women should be fully covered, including a headscarf.
• Come prepared with the appropriate clothing to save time when entering the mosque.
• If you are not wearing appropriate clothing, remember to bring your ID card or driving licence to leave as a deposit so that you can be provided with appropriate clothing.
• Respect the rules of conduct at all times, as there are a number of staff on duty. Do not shout or show affection (kissing, hugging, shaking hands, etc.) inside the mosque.
• You can take photographs of the place, but make sure that your photos do not show local women without their permission.
• Hydrate well before entering, as liquids cannot be brought inside.
• Remember that Friday is the day of rest in Arab culture so it is only open in the evenings. If you can, I recommend going on Wednesdays or Thursdays, as these are the days with the least amount of visitors.
• Avoid the hottest hours as much as possible.
• There are hardly any cafés and restaurants around the mosque, but there is a café inside the mosque, as well as toilets and a souvenir shop.

My advice: don't think about whether Abu Dhabi or Dubai is better, if you have time and are going to spend 4 days or more in Dubai, travel to the neighbouring city to visit this architectural marvel.