This rare vestige of pre-oil times was built in 1955 as the summer retreat of Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the father of current ruler Sheikh Mohammed. The traditional two-storey gypsum-and-coral structure sports a palm-frond roof, a wind tower and window shutters carved from East African timber. The rug-lined majlis (reception room) is decorated with rifles, daggers, coffee pots, radios and clocks and offers a glimpse into royal leisure living. The palm garden features a traditional falaj irrigation system.
Majlis Ghorfat Um Al Sheef
Dubai
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
4.19 MILES
The Burj Al Arab's graceful silhouette – meant to evoke the sail of a dhow (a traditional wooden cargo vessel) – is to Dubai what the Eiffel Tower is to…
2.83 MILES
The Burj Khalifa is a stunning feat of architecture and engineering, with two observation decks on the 124th and 148th floors and a restaurant-bar on the…
4.56 MILES
One of Dubai’s most attractive developments, Madinat Jumeirah is a contemporary interpretation of a traditional Arab village, complete with a souq (market…
7.08 MILES
All that glitters is gold (and occasionally silver) along this covered arcade where dozens of shops overflow with every kind of jewelry imaginable, from…
1.94 MILES
This long, pristine stretch of white sand, a little way north of Jumeirah Public Beach, is a major draw for sporty types, with a range of activities on…
-
15.55 MILES
Sharjah's heritage and arts areas are anchored by one of the region's most dynamic art museums, a treat for committed art-lovers and casual visitors alike…
9.07 MILES
Housed in an air-conditioned hangar the size of 28 football fields, IMG Worlds of Adventure is the world’s largest indoor theme park. The US$1 billion…
6.75 MILES
The city's main historical museum charts Dubai's turbo-evolution from fishing and pearling village to global centre of commerce, finance and tourism. It…
Nearby Dubai attractions
1.03 MILES
A green oasis in the centre of the city, this pretty park hugs the new Dubai Canal (which has diminished its size somewhat) and comes with a jogging track…
2. Sheikh Zayed Bridge Waterfall
1.51 MILES
This illuminated and motion-operated waterfall cascades down both sides of Sheikh Zayed Bridge, stopping only for passing vessels. It's an impressive…
1.94 MILES
This long, pristine stretch of white sand, a little way north of Jumeirah Public Beach, is a major draw for sporty types, with a range of activities on…
2.32 MILES
If you can build a ski slope in the desert, why not a rainforest too? The Green Planet is an indoor tropical paradise intended to 'edutain' about…
2.42 MILES
Fancy a nighttime swim with the twinkling Burj Al Arab as a backdrop? Since 2017, you can legally take a post-sunset dip along a 125m stretch of beach…
2.46 MILES
This high-tech indoor theme park is squarely aimed at serious gamers. Tickets buy access to 18 attractions, including a head-spinning VR experience, 3D…
2.47 MILES
More than a dozen hot shots of the international street-art scene, including Aiko, Blek Le Rat, ROA and Nick Walker, have turned new urban-style quarter…
2.66 MILES
One of Dubai's oldest parks, pocket-sized Al Khazzan has been given a total reboot and is now entirely solar-powered, giving it the right to the title to…