Tales of the Past: Tracing Dubai’s origins in Deira

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Tales of the Past: Tracing Dubai’s origins in Deira

(22 reviews)
Dubai audio tour: Tales of the Past: Tracing Dubai’s origins in Deira
This is a 1.2mi walking tour
It takes an average of 60 mins to complete.
Dubai
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$5.99
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About the Tour

Travel back in time across Dubai’s historic waterway and into its bustling souks. You’ll enjoy a breezy ride on a traditional boat called an abra, breathe in the aromatic delights of the Spice Souk, and then weave your way through the picturesque alleyways of Deira. Along the way, there are museums dedicated to poets and women in the UAE, as well as a school that helped shape Dubai’s leaders. This neighbourhood was once the centre of Dubai’s pearl trade and has played a key role in the city’s culture and economy. The Gold Souk, where you’ll arrive at the end of the tour, illustrates this perfectly.

Please be sure to bring along 1 dirham to pay for the abra across Dubai Creek. It’s also important to start the tour’s audio before you board the abra.

Categories
Business And Commerce Neighbourhoods Maritime Heritage Markets

Tour Producer

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Visit Dubai

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Preview Location

Location 5

Dubai Spice Souk

This is the entrance to the Spice Souk. You probably smelt it before you saw it.

Stop here for a moment while we explain the history of this especially fragrant market, and point you in the direction of the treasures within.

The Spice Souk might not look that old, but ... Read More
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Major Landmarks

  • Dubai Spice Souk

  • Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili

  • Women's Museum Bait al Banat

  • Dubai Gold Souk

Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.
  1. Start location
    Al Souq Al Kabeer - Al Fahidi - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
  2. Total distance
    2km
  3. Final location
    25.26587887, 55.29727209
  4. Distance back to start location
    420.77m

Directions to Starting Point

This tour starts at the Bur Dubai Abra Station at the intersections of 3A Street and 34th Street.

The closest metro station is Al Ghubaiba on the Green Line, which is about a five-minute walk away. Bur Dubai Abra Station can also be reached from Al Ras Metro Station, which is about a ten-minute walk from the abra station.

Abras from the Bur Dubai station to the Old Souk station operate every day from 5am to midnight.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

The Spice Souk, Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili, Al Ahmadiya School, Al Bait Al Qadeem Emirati Heritage Restaurant, Dubai Women’s Museum

Best time of day

The Spice Souk, near the start of this tour, is open from 10am from Saturday to Thursday, and from 4pm on Friday.

The Gold Souk, at the end of this hour-long tour, is open from 9:30am until 9:30pm every day.

If you’d like to visit the Dubai Women’s Museum, it is closed on Fridays and open from 10am to 6pm for the rest of the week. The Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili is also closed on Fridays and Saturdays, and is only open from 8am to 2pm for the rest of the week.

Precautions

Large parts of this tour are shaded, but there are stretches where you’ll be exposed to the sun. Carry a water bottle and wear sunscreen.

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“This app has become my go-to app for audio tours. I pretty much use it for every trip and it works wonderfully. I highly recommend VoiceMap for travelers to truly experience cities.”
App Store Review
“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”
Google Play Store

Questions and Reviews

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