This nicely restored, rambling palace was the residence of Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's founding father, from 1937 to 1966. There's frankly little to see inside, but the low-rise cinnamon-coloured compound, divided into private, guest and official quarters by courtyards and landscaped with cacti, magnolia trees and palms, is pleasant to wander around. You can step inside the majlis (reception room) where Zayed received guests and snap a photo of the Land Rover he used to visit the desert Bedouin.
Al Ain Palace Museum
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
10.91 MILES
This jagged 1240m-high limestone mountain rears out of the plain south of Al Ain. Its arid crags are home to red foxes, feral cats and the rock hyrax,…
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2.82 MILES
Al Ain's remarkable zoo is the region's largest and most acclaimed; its spacious enclosures, inhabited by indigenous and exotic species, are impressively…
0.23 MILES
This tranquil world of wide paths meandering past walled date-palm gardens, right in the centre of Al Ain, is a welcome respite from the city hubbub. The…
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4.91 MILES
Dusty, noisy, pungent and chaotic: Al Ain's famous camel market is a full immersion in traditional Arab culture. All sorts of camels are holed up in pens,…
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0.47 MILES
Surrounded by a lush park, this squat fort was constructed in the 1890s as the summer residence of Sheikh Zayed I (1836–1909) and expanded by the British…
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2.25 MILES
This carefully restored fort was the birthplace of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, current president of the UAE. A stylised falaj marks the entrance…
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5.76 MILES
These remarkable vestiges of a settlement and tombs dating back some 5000 years to the Umm Al Nar period open up a window on early life in the region. On…
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2.01 MILES
Buraimi has a large and interesting fort, with decorations that give it a Saharan flourish in comparison with the austere exteriors of Omani interior…
Nearby attractions
0.23 MILES
This tranquil world of wide paths meandering past walled date-palm gardens, right in the centre of Al Ain, is a welcome respite from the city hubbub. The…
0.47 MILES
Surrounded by a lush park, this squat fort was constructed in the 1890s as the summer residence of Sheikh Zayed I (1836–1909) and expanded by the British…
0.78 MILES
Al Ain's main museum was closed to undergo a major restoration in late 2018 with reopening stated for 2020 at the earliest. Before its closure, this…
2.01 MILES
Buraimi has a large and interesting fort, with decorations that give it a Saharan flourish in comparison with the austere exteriors of Omani interior…
2.2 MILES
This large, sprawling castle has been attractively restored and now makes a good photo opportunity in the centre of town. The interior is largely taken up…
2.23 MILES
The market opposite Hela Castle sells barasti – plaited palm fronds traditionally used for roofing and fencing – while just along the road, a lively souq…
2.25 MILES
This carefully restored fort was the birthplace of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, current president of the UAE. A stylised falaj marks the entrance…
2.82 MILES
Al Ain's remarkable zoo is the region's largest and most acclaimed; its spacious enclosures, inhabited by indigenous and exotic species, are impressively…