Middle East

A region reinvented

The Middle East is home to some of the fastest-changing cities on the planet, none more so than Dubai, which has grown from a trading and pearling port into a global hub for business, transit and leisure travel in a few short decades.

City breaks with desert on the doorstep

SafiriFlow's Middle East programme centres on the United Arab Emirates, where a short city break can combine skyline views, souks and beach clubs with a half-day excursion into the dunes beyond the city limits. It works well as a stopover on longer journeys to Africa or Asia, or as a short break in its own right.

When to visit

The Gulf's summer, from roughly June to September, is intensely hot and humid, which makes the cooler, drier months from November to March the most comfortable time to explore the city on foot or spend time outdoors.