Downtown Dubai
Some sights you simply have to see from above, and in Dubai there is no higher place to stand. The Burj Khalifa rises more than half a mile into the sky, a tapering needle of glass and steel that holds the record as the tallest building in the world and sets the whole city beneath it in scale. From the street it seems to go on forever, catching the light at every hour, and the moment you tip your head back to find the spire is the moment you understand why the climb to the top is on almost every Dubai wish list.
Getting up there is half the fun. A high-speed lift carries you skyward in a matter of seconds to the observation decks, where floor-to-ceiling glass opens onto the city in every direction. At the Top, on levels 124 and 125, puts you among the clouds with the towers of Downtown spread below; for the very highest perch, At the Top SKY on level 148 lifts you higher still, with a quieter lounge and a private feel. Either way, the view is extraordinary: the grid of skyscrapers, the long line of the coast, the deep blue of the Gulf and the pale gold of the desert running off to the horizon.
Time your visit for sunset and you get two cities in one. The desert light softens and turns the towers to amber, the sun slips into the haze, and then, all at once, Dubai switches on and glitters from edge to edge. Far below at the foot of the tower, the Dubai Fountain comes to life on its lake, jets of water dancing in time to music, and the whole scene feels almost unreal. It is a genuine showstopper, and we arrange your tickets and timing so you arrive without the queues and catch the day turning to night at its very best.
