Seven hours from London, nestling on the Persian Gulf, lies sun-soaked Dubai. In every respect, Dubai is a city that combines modern sophistication and cosmopolitan culture with the simplicity of a bygone era and the Islamic traditions of Arabia. This diversity is probably reflected best in its architecture - old houses and Bedouin campsites are juxtaposed with air-conditioned shopping malls and of course, amazing hotels.
Dubai also embraces a wide variety of scenery and attractions in a very small area. In a single day, you can take in rugged mountains, see gazelle jumping over sand dunes, visit beautiful sandy beaches and lush green parks before shopping in souks and designer boutiques, and then dining under the stars at an oasis.
With The Dubai World Cup - the richest horse race in the world - as well as the Dubai Tennis Open and Dubai Desert Golf Classic, not to mention water sports, 4x4 dune racing, falconry and camel riding, it's also a perfect destination for sports lovers. If you don't like sport, then how about an eco-safari?
It is this sort of variety that led Dubai to be listed amongst the best Worldwide Cities in the recent Condé Nast Reader's Travel Awards.
