A Must-Visit: The Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi

After last year's spontaneous trip to Dubai, we decided to go back. Our previous trip was a splurge, and we ended up eating into our entertainment budget. This time around, we wanted to explore more of the free attractions. I still had a burning desire to check out the Ferris wheel, which I'd missed last time. As someone who loves anything to do with heights, I was determined to make it happen. So, we headed back to Dubai and then made our way to Abu Dhabi. Two things caught my eye - the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and the Presidential Palace, Qasr Al Watan. And I wanted to kick off my series of reviews about the UAE with the palace.

There's one good reason why: the palace was so mind-blowing that it instantly made it to my top list of personal must-sees. No amount of photos or videos can do it justice - you have to experience it for yourself. In fact, I think it's a cardinal sin to visit the UAE without stopping by. Qasr Al Watan reviewsBut first, a bit of background. You see, my family and I tend to take the scenic route, and that often leads to some pretty hairy situations. Our visit to the Presidential Palace was no exception.

This time around, we avoided the queues by buying all our UAE attraction tickets through Touristino. Surprisingly, it even worked out cheaper in some cases. The Qasr Al Watan ticket price was the same whether we bought it through Touristino or at the ticket counter, but we still went with Touristino because we could pay with our Russian Mir card via QR code and skip the long line for offline ticket purchase – and that was a major perk for us.

We opted for open-date tickets (you can visit any day). There are two time slots to choose from: prime time (13:00 to 16:00 – the most popular and crowded one) and non-prime time (10:00 to 13:00 and 16:00 to 17:00). Logically, we thought we'd go for prime time, but nope. The most interesting stuff happens in the evening when there are fewer people and it's cheaper. So, my first tip: don't rush to get into the Palace during prime time! The ideal time to visit is after 16:00. You'll get to see the Palace in daylight, and then the evening illumination kicks in, followed by an amazing evening show at 18:00 – and trust me, you won't want to miss it.

Qasr Al Watan reviews I spent the day before my visit to the crown prince reading reviews. Honestly, I was piecing together the information I needed - it's weird that no one's compiled everything into one place yet. So, everything I learned, I'm leaving here for future generations.Organizing my trip to Qasr Al Watan

Opening hours for the Palace - 10.00 to 17.00. The last group departs at 16.30.

The palace and its grounds are massive, so they load all the tourists onto buses and drive them to the main building. That's included in the ticket price. You won't be walking to the palace. The bus ride takes time, factor in around 20-25 minutes for check-in and the bus ride. So, it's a good idea to arrive early.

Dress code. I was surprised by how strict the dress code is in Abu Dhabi compared to Dubai. You've got to cover up, but only for women, it seems. The dress code at Qasr Al Watan is pretty relaxed, though - a long skirt or pants are fine, and you can leave your arms uncovered. I brought a scarf, but nobody batted an eye when I didn't wear it. It's a pretty laid-back vibe, considering it's a royal palace and not a mosque. Same goes for shoes - sandals and flip-flops are totally okay. My 10-year-old daughter even wore her Messi soccer jersey and shorts with sandals, and nobody said a word. For guys, the dress code is pretty loose, but it's probably best to avoid shorts, just to be safe.How long does it take to visit? It depends on how much you want to see. Some people can get through the whole place in 30 minutes, while others need a couple of hours. If you're a detail person, plan on spending at least an hour here. The visit is self-guided, so you can take your time.

Can you take photos? Yeah, pretty much anywhere. Unlike the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, there aren't any strict photo bans. The palace and its grounds are actually really photogenic, so bring your camera and snap away. Just dress the part for some atmospheric shots.

Sorry, kid was taking the shotEntrance fees. In January 2026, off-peak tickets cost 63 AED ($17.2) for adults and 30 AED ($8.2) for kids aged 4-18. Kids under 4 get in for free. I've gotta say, it's not often you see such a price difference between adult and kid tickets in the UAE, so it's nice to save some cash at Qasr Al Watan My take: if you can, it's worth buying electronic tickets. Most attractions in the UAE have huge queues, one for buying physical tickets and one for entry. Buying online skips the queue, and since Qasr Al Watan uses barcode scanning, you don't even need to print out your tickets like you do for the Ferris wheel, for example. It's a real time-saver.

Special notes. The palace is still in use, hosting delegations, so it's a good idea to check their website before visiting to see if it's closed on a specific day.

How we ended up lost

We stayed at the Sheraton hotel in Abu Dhabi. It's in a great location, right near the waterfront, and has its own beach. But getting to the Palace or the Mosque is a whole different story - it's about an hour's drive. We took a taxi to the Palace and it cost us around 60 dirhams ($16.3), which is almost the price of a single adult ticket. So we decided to take the bus instead (there's a stop right near the hotel). The Dubai Nol cards don't work in Abu Dhabi, you need to buy new ones, load them up, and then use them as usual. The buses are big, comfy, and air-conditioned. You need to tap your card in and out at the entrance. For one person, the trip from the hotel to the Palace cost us around 6 dirhams (kids don't need to pay), which is a tenth of the price of a taxi. I spent the whole journey gazing out the window at Abu Dhabi and before I knew it, the time had flown by.

We got off at the right stop, saw the sign for the Palace, and headed in that direction. We saw this grand building behind a high wall and the sound of a helicopter. I thought, 'Oh great, some delegation has arrived and we've wasted our time.' We watched as the helicopter landed behind the wall, but we couldn't find the entrance. A staff member walked by and my husband asked him how to get in, and he showed us to go around the wall. Nothing seemed suspicious. Everything looked nice, there were guards, lots of tourists, and a beautiful garden... But the Palace itself was a letdown. On the photos it was white, but this one was made of brick. I thought, 'Okay, the Palace must be around here somewhere.'

We walked inside, and the concierge let us in. Everything was stunning and awe-inspiring, but we had no idea where to start. My husband asked the guard, and that's when we found out that this wasn't a palace, but rather the Emirates Palace hotel It's just a hotel where someone showed up on a helicopter! This is the Emirates Palace hotel. Meanwhile, the sun was setting. It was already 4 pm, and we sprinted to the real palace, which is right next to this hotel, to catch the last train, since the last group was let in at 4:30 pm.

What is the Qasr Al Watan palace?

Somehow, we made it to the last entry. The navigation was super intuitive, and there were people everywhere telling us where to go. They checked our electronic tickets on our phones quickly. Then, there was a security check (kind of like at the airport). Buses arrive every 3-4 minutes, pick up tourists, and take them to the palace building (about a 10-minute ride). If you need to use the restroom, you can do it inside the palace grounds, but the ones near the entrance were closed.

And then, the real Middle Eastern fairy tale begins.

Right next to the main entrance is an arch where the president welcomes his guests. We arrived while it was still light out, and the territory is massive and impressive. Everything is made of marble, and it's all very grand. People immediately started taking photos, but the real beauty begins at sunset.

The palace isn't fully open to the public. Essentially, everyone walks through this massive hall, taking a peek into some rooms that are cordoned off with ribbons. There are a few exhibitions you can actually enter.Visitors get ushered into a press conference room. As someone who's often been to these kinds of events, I'd say it's nice, but not mind-blowing.

Then there were a few more rooms.

You can pick up a map at the entrance to help you navigate, but we just followed along without a guided tour.The memory hall is open to visitors, featuring ancient Arabic books, including different versions of the Quran.

What really caught my eye was the gift room where presidents of other countries present their gifts. That's something I could spend hours looking at – handmade items, ceramics, watches, weapons, orders, and Korans. Everything is unique and incredibly beautiful.

In the center, there's an exhibition showcasing the UAE's achievements in the space sector.

The library with its semi-circular, floor-to-ceiling shelves is also open to the public. Behind the curtains, there are a few more rooms, including a banquet hall and a reception room for VIP guests. One of the rooms features the world's largest Swarovski crystal chandelier, adorned with 350,000 crystals.

The palace is not just opulent, but also stylish. In 2020, the Presidential Palace, Kasr Al-Watan, was nominated for the World Travel Awards as the Middle East's Leading Cultural Tourist Attraction.

It's designed in three colors - white, symbolizing traditional Arabic clothing, beige (sand), and blue (the sky).

The ceilings are massive, I'd struggle to guess their height - it's definitely over 15 meters. Normally, I'm not a fan of all this luxurious fuss, but here it's seriously impressive. Everything's been done with taste and an Eastern flair - it's not just over-the-top opulence, it's genuinely something special. I've built a house from scratch, so I've been scrutinizing the details - the mosaic on the walls, the flooring, how the tiles have been laid. And let me tell you, the standard of work is top-notch! My husband even said that if our tile layer told him we'd had a lot of cuts, he'd show him the photos from the palace :)

I'm telling you, visiting the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi will blow your mind and change your perception of what luxury really means - and it's still top-notch. They've got comfy chairs and sofas for when you need a break from walking around the palace. But honestly, my neck was killing me from looking up at all the grandeur. Even the bathrooms in the palace are fancy (and free)! Our tour of the palace took around 1 hour and 20 minutes. Typically, after the tour, they'll guide you to the gift shop, where everything is, of course, super pricey. There's also a small café at the exit with prices straight out of a Yudashkin catalog - you can grab a bite while you wait for the main event. The evening show

At some point, they ask all the visitors of the Palace to step outside for a show. Meanwhile, the Palace and all the surrounding structures are beautifully lit up. It's a great opportunity to take photos with minimal people in the background, or you can just stroll around and enjoy the palm trees and fountains.

The evening show starts at 6 PM, and it's honestly the highlight of the day. They've set up a special viewing area with benches, and you can even watch from the ground. The evening show at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi It's basically like the Dubai Fountain Show, but on a much grander scale. The palace itself is transformed into a massive screen, and they project an epic historical show that tells the story of the UAE's history and achievements. I swear, at one point I was just bawling my eyes out. I'm a total sucker for emotional moments, and I always get choked up at the theater when the whole cast comes out on stage. It's just magic to me! I cry at synchronized swimming competitions too - I guess it's just the sheer amount of hard work that goes into it that gets me. I don't know, it's hard to explain. Even at the Dubai Fountain Show, I was a mess - it's just so massive and impressive. And of course, I lost it again here. One guy was so captivated by the show that he didn't even notice his phone was recording him instead of the palace!

The show itself lasts around 15 minutes. But it's not just the palace that's lit up - there are these massive 3D installations, the building's like dancing, it's this one crazy optical illusion that's seriously impressive, even for the most skeptical folks who've seen it all. And trust me, no video can capture those emotions - you've got to see it with your own eyes.Getting down to business

I'd definitely recommend visiting the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi. It's not expensive, but the emotional value is way higher. Try to go in the late afternoon or early morning when it's not scorching hot, and walk there if you can, so you can take your time and not get rushed. But if you can, go in the evening to catch the show, which runs every day. 4 pm's a great time to visit - there aren't many people, and it's not too hot. You'll get to see the palace in both daylight and evening light.

By the way, there's a bus from Dubai to Abu Dhabi that takes about 1 hour 50 minutes and costs a bit over 30 dirhams per person. Honestly, I think it's worth coming here from Dubai just for these two attractions that aren't in Dubai - the Presidential Palace and Sheikh Zayed Mosque. You can visit both in one day and head back to Dubai or book a room for the night - Abu Dhabi feels like it's got a lower price point.

I'll write about the mosque in my next review, including the time they tried to turn me away and what happened in the end.