Emirati Meal Experience in the Al Fahidi Historic District

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Duration: 1h 30m
Location: Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, Al Bastakiya, Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Dubai, United Arab Emirates


Category: Food & Drink

Highlights:
Traditional Arabic meal in one of the city’s oldest areas
Firsthand encounter with Emirati culture, customs & heritage
Beautiful courtyard setting in a historic wind tower house
Gracious Emirati host showcases Middle Eastern hospitality
Authentic dishes like savory stews, sweet ligamat & coffee

Inclusions:
Traditional Emirati meal at the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Cultural Understanding
Beverages
Live tour commentary provided in English

Description:

Step into a bygone era and interact with Emiratis firsthand as you enjoy an Arabic meal at the Sheik Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding in historic Al Fahidi. Sample traditional culinary delicacies at either breakfast or lunch as your host shares insight into local culture and heritage.

Just steps from Dubai's buzzing, cosmopolitan center is the historic district of Al Fahidi, the last wind tower quarter on the Arab side of the Gulf. Walk through the narrow residential lanes of the Al Bastakiya trading village within this district, passing by shops peddling elegant textiles and fragrant spices, shaded cafes, and charmingly restored merchant houses.

Enter the Sheik Mohammed Centre, which is housed in an Islamic wind tower house—these residences date from the 1890s and feature high, open towers designed to catch cool breezes and funnel them down into buildings, like an early form of air conditioning to offer respite from the scorching desert heat.

Take a seat in the cool courtyard beneath hanging oil lamps and delve into a discussion of the traditions and customs of the Persian Gulf with fellow travelers and your gracious host—high value is placed on hospitality throughout the Middle East. Sip on spice-rich Arabic coffee, sample savory fareeth stew, and nibble on ligamat, a donut-like yogurt dumpling topped with date syrup and sesame seeds. The feast continues with plenty of other dishes to introduce you to the complex flavors of traditional Emirati cuisine.