With just one week to go until December 25, if you haven’t started your Christmas shopping yet then now is the time.
Luckily, there are plenty of festive markets to visit across Dubai offering everything from carolling to food stalls and more.
These enchanting winter wonderlands are also the perfect place to pick up those few remaining gifts, and even better entry is completely free at most of them.
So head along to one of these fabulous Christmas spots today and get yourself in that festive mood.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…
Dubai Festival City Mall Festive Market
Who said Santa used a sleigh with reindeer? We’ve got word that the man in the big red suit and his elves will be flying into Dubai Festival City Mall on Thursday December 6 via helicopter, and he’s coming to celebrate Christmas at the mall’s huge Festive Market. Taking place until Christmas Day from 3pm onwards, Festival Bay will have a “larger-than-life” Christmas tree, holiday carolling, festive-themed IMAGINE shows and even the first snowfall to be seen in Dubai this year. Expect plenty of food stalls to get your holiday grub from, too.
Free. Thu Dec 6-Tue Dec 25. Santa visits: Sun-Thu 3pm-10pm; Fri-Sat 4pm-11pm. Festive market: Daily, 5.30pm onwards. Festival Bay, Dubai Festival City Mall www.dubaifestivalcitymall.com.
Habtoor Palace
The hotel is hosting a festive market from Tuesday December 4 to Friday December 21, and it’ll be brimming with dazzling decorations. The enchanting winter wonderland will feature holiday carols inside Habtoor Palace’s beautiful Versailles Garden, with fun rides for kids and plenty of festive foodie treats. It runs daily from 3pm until midnight, and Santa himself will be coming along each evening at 6pm. Then at 7pm until 11pm, there will be a live band.
Free. Tue Dec 4-Fri Dec 21, 3pm-midnight. Habtoor Palace, Al Habtoor City (04 275 1542).
La Farine
Visit La Farine’s festive market for seasonal cakes, hot chocolate, strawberry fondue, homemade waffles, and gift hampers to take home. We do love a party bag.
Free. Dec 4-26, 10am-10pm. JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, Business Bay (04 414 3000).
By Time Out
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
