Neighbourhood guide
The Corniche and Al Hosn
The old heart at Qasr Al Hosn, the Cultural Foundation, the World Trade Center souk, the Corniche.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Darthjipsu · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsDowntown Abu Dhabi grew up around Qasr Al Hosn, whose watchtower dates from the 1760s. Around the fort now stand the Cultural Foundation and the House of Artisans; a few blocks north, the Corniche runs along the sea, with its gated beach and the St. Regis in Nation Towers.
Sights
Qasr Al Hosn, the Cultural Foundation, the House of Artisans, the Corniche and its beach, and Nation Riviera Beach Club.
Eating and drinking
Erth on the Al Hosn site (one MICHELIN star); Villa Toscana and Catch at the St. Regis; Al Mrzab on Airport Road; The St. Regis Bar.
Staying
The St. Regis Abu Dhabi.
Where the city began.
Our advice: see the fort in the afternoon, then walk to the Corniche for sunset.
Why it's on our list
- Sights
- Eating and drinking
- Staying
What’s nearby
Distances from The Corniche and Al Hosn are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 12 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Key sights
- Qasr Al Hosn850 mWalk 10 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 7 min
- The Corniche1.5 kmWalk 19 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 9 min
- The Galleria4.5 kmCycle 23 minCar or taxi 14 min
- Qasr Al Watan4.9 kmCycle 25 minCar or taxi 14 min
- Louvre Abu Dhabi7.4 kmCycle 37 minCar or taxi 19 min
- The Grand Mosque15 kmCar or taxi 32 min
- Ferrari World27 kmCar or taxi 51 min
- Zayed International Airport30 kmCar or taxi 57 min
Location
The map comes from Google Maps, which sets its own cookies once it loads.
More in depth
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