Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. It is rather like an independent city-state and is considered the most modern and progressive emirate in the UAE. The city has been developing at an unbelievable pace in the tourist and trade sectors especially. Recently Dubai won the bid to host EXPO 2020, a Universal scale Registered Exposition approved by the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE), Paris. We are seeing a huge increase in the number of companies exporting to the UAE and opening offices in Dubai, so it’s no wonder we find ourselves with four hours in this incredible city! Dubai now rivals the likes of Las Vegas and New York for the moniker of ‘The city that never sleeps’ so no matter when you find yourself with free time on your hands the city will always be a hive of activity. With no shortage of oil in the Middle East you’ll be amazed by how low the price of petrol is here. Great news for visitors as taxi fares are much lower than in Europe or the U.S. Depending on when you visit Dubai we recommend taking a taxi to cover any distance more than a couple of minutes. The arid sub-tropical climate will see temperatures soar above 40 degrees in the summer and even in winter they rarely fall below 25 degrees. That’s why our four hours in Dubai guide is perfect as we start our tour at 6pm, by which time the scorching sun will have dropped below the horizon.

Take a taxi to the Dubai Mall – this in itself could keep you occupied for at least four hours, but we’re not here to shop (unless of course you want to) - we're here to kick off your sightseeing experience with the Burj Kalifa, at 828 meters and 160 floors this is the world’s tallest structure by a long shot, over 300 meters taller than its predecessor in Taipei.

The observation deck is on the 124th Floor and the views from up here are similar to the views you would expect to get if you flew over the city in a helicopter. The visitors' entrance is located on the lower ground floor of the Dubai Mall and it’s clearly sign posted. The tour is called ‘At The top’ but it actually isn’t! The observation deck is just over half way up the tower but, at 452m, it’s still the highest open deck in the world. Tickets are 125Dhs for timed entry or 400Dhs if you don’t want to wait. Tickets sell out several days in advance, so we would recommend booking online ahead of your visit. Take a deep breath and dare yourself to look down!

Back on solid ground it’s time to marvel at yet another desert miracle, the Dubai Fountain. At 270 meters long and capable of shooting 22,000 gallons of water 150m into the air, this is the world’s largest dancing fountain. The shows are spectacular and free to watch. They run every 30 minutes from 6pm until 10pm and are a definite must see, 1.5million lumens of projected light, classical, Arabic and world music combined with the most sophisticated digital technology creates an entrancing display.

If you’ve taken your time to make the most of the Burj Kalifa and the water show it will be about 8:30pm. Look for the open top bus stop outside of the Mall, although you might want to check at the information stand which exit you need to take as the mall is enormous and it’s easy to get lost in there!

The open top bus tour includes full commentary in English and is a great way to see some of the biggest feats of engineering in the city. Be amazed by ‘The Palm’ - the three largest artificial islands in the world are located just off the coast; a major urban development to add a significant amount of upscale beachfront property to the area. Each of the islands is shaped like a palm leaf, with a trunk connected to the mainland. Of the three planned developments, the Palm Jumeirah, at 5km square and near Dubai Marina, is the only one yet open. Next up, Dubai Marina - one of the newer areas of modern Dubai, and popular with both residents and tourists. It offers numerous features such as a phenomenal skyline, world class hotels, a fabulous beach, a mall, and two different walkways (The Walk and Marina Walk) with coffee shops, restaurants, and shops. Marina Walk is right on the "Marina Water", and there are many yachts there. If you want to get off the bus here and take a stroll around the marina there are plenty of places to grab a drink or a snack.

See if you can sport the iconic Burj al-Arab hotel in the distance. If you stayed on the bus, don’t waste your time getting off at the Burj Al-Arab, as whilst it might be the only 7-star hotel in the world, entry to the resort requires a reservation. Security staff enforce this at the gate, so unless you’re staying at the hotel, or have a reservation at one of the restaurants or bars, you won’t be permitted to get any closer than the gate.

The wonderful breeze on the top deck of the open bus will offer welcome relief from the heat of the city and you might want to stay on for the full two hour loop tour, but another way to keep cool and to discover the origins of Dubai is to get off and connect with the Dubai Creek cruise. Dubai Creek is the foundation from which Dubai grew - originally serving as a port for trading vessels plying to and from India, Africa and the Middle East. Today echoes of the old shipping culture remain and around the creek you can see some of the original buildings that served as customs houses and defensive structures.

By the time your cruise finishes you will have seen just a few of the many highlights that Dubai has to offer. It will be time to hop into a taxi and head back to your hotel.

For those of you wanting to experience the bizzare, head to Ski Dubai – here you can take the chairlift to the top of the indoor slope and ski or snowboard your way to the bottom. Real snow in the desert! But that’s not all… Ski Dubai is also home to the Penguin Encounter Centre, get up close and personal with some very cute Antarctic friends. A little bit of the South Pole in Desert…who would have ever imagined that?

We hope you’ve enjoyed your night on the town. Dubai is a city continually expanding, with every trip you take there will be something new and incredible to discover.

Don’t forget to let us know what your favourite city is.

…Happy travelling!