Tour of Central Abu Dhabi Heritage village & Qasr al Hosn

Meet Abu Dhabi’s Heritage Village, a family-friendly spot to experience the traditional way of life in the desert. The village is an immersive time capsule, with an old-world souk (market), mosque and camp modelled on life in pre-modern UAE.

Located on the Marina Mall Island close to the city centre, the traditional oasis village offers a glimpse at Abu Dhabi’s past. Here you can shop, discover artefacts and watch artisans make pottery, blow glass and weave fabric on a loom.

The village is also home to the Emirates Heritage Club, which hosts workshops for traditional crafts. You can watch craftsmen demonstrate traditional skills such as metalwork, pottery, weaving and spinning yarn. They may even let you try your hand at their trade too.

Don’t forget to check out the village’s little spice shop, which offers a range of dried herbs, handmade soaps and plenty of souvenirs to take home to family and friends.

Qasr al-Hosn, also known as the White Fort (originally not white in colour but painted bright white during 1976–1983 renovations) or Old Fort,[5] was constructed in 1761 as a conical watchtower to defend the only freshwater well in Abu Dhabi island.[2] The tower was later expanded into a small fort in 1793 by the then ruler, Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan, and became the permanent residence of the ruling Sheikh.[2] The tower took its present shape after a major extension in the late 1930s, aided by revenues received for granting the first oil license in Abu Dhabi.[6] It remained the emir's palace (hence the name Qasr al-Hosn, meaning Palace fort) and seat of government until 1966.[2] The fort has been developed several times and is now partially open to the public.[7][8]