Dubai Old Town: Street Food Walking Tour & Abra Ride

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/20

Duration3h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Wander historic Dubai alleys, ride an abra & savor street food

You’ll taste fresh falafel and shawarma right where locals eat them, ride an abra across Dubai Creek with city views all around you, explore bustling souks filled with spices and gold shops, and hear stories from your guide about life in Old Dubai. There’s laughter over sweet kunafa and time to just watch people living their everyday lives—a real glimpse beneath the surface.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Dubai Old Town and Markets

Visit Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood
See Dubai Museum fortress
Visit Dubai Hindu Temple
Shop at Textile Souk
Explore Al Souq Al Kabeer district
Take traditional Abra boat ride
Shop at Spice Souk
Shop at Gold Souk

The Experience

The first thing that hit me was the smell—cardamom and charcoal drifting through the narrow lanes of Al Fahidi. Our guide, Ahmed, waved us over to a tiny café where old men sipped tea and argued softly in Arabic. I tried to follow along but mostly just watched their hands moving in the air. The walls here are all sand-colored, chipped in places, and you can feel how old this part of Dubai is compared to the glass towers across the creek. We ducked into a courtyard for our first bite: hot falafel wrapped in paper. Crunchy outside, soft inside. I burned my tongue a little but didn’t care.

We wandered past the Dubai Museum—Ahmed pointed out bullet holes from some forgotten skirmish (I didn’t expect that). At Temple Lane, incense hung thick around the Hindu temple doorways. There was this moment where a shopkeeper handed me a date stuffed with chocolate and just grinned; no words needed. The Textile Souk was chaos—colors everywhere, people haggling over scarves and cushions. I tried bargaining for a shawl and probably paid too much, but it felt like part of the whole day trip Dubai old town vibe.

The best part? Crossing Dubai Creek on an abra boat. It’s noisy—engines sputtering, water slapping against wood—and everyone squished together on wooden benches. The city looks different from out there: gold domes on one side, glass on the other. Once we landed in Deira, the Spice Souk hit me with every smell at once—cumin, dried lemons, something floral I couldn’t name. Some guy tried to sell me “magic saffron” (still not sure what that means). Then we ended up at the Gold Souk where everything just glitters so much it almost hurts your eyes.

Lunch was chicken mandi—tender rice and meat with this smoky flavor I can’t describe right—and sweet kunafa for dessert. Ahmed poured us mint tea and told stories about his grandfather working these same streets decades ago. I still think about that view from the boat crossing back as dusk started creeping in—not dramatic or anything, just quietly beautiful. If you want to see what’s left of old Dubai under all that new shine… well, this is it.

What’s included

Your day includes guided walks through Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood and souks with plenty of stops for street food tastings like falafel, shawarma and kunafa plus Arabic tea or juice along the way.
there’s also bottled water provided.
you’ll cross Dubai Creek by traditional abra boat.
your professional licensed guide shares stories throughout.
all areas are wheelchair accessible so everyone can join comfortably.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by F H Tourism