Find your zen: 20 peaceful things to do this summer in Dubai
A zen-like summer in Dubai
If you’ve lived through a few summers in Dubai, you’ll know the city feels a little different. The roads are less busy, it’s easier to get a table at your favourite spot and there’s more time to get around the city and check out the places you’ve been meaning to visit all year. From quiet cafés and art galleries to spa days and low-key spots around the city, here are 20 ways to embrace the quieter, zen side of Dubai this summer.
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TODA
The Farm
Seva Experience
Banyan Tree Dubai
eugene eugene indoor
Amara Spa
Emirates Bio Farm
Kite Beach
Akari Wellness
Bab Al Shams
Hatta Dam
Spice Souk
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Nikki Beach
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Talise Spa at Madinat Jumeirah
Meliá Desert Palm
Paus
Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood
TODA
Art can be therapeutic in many ways. If you’re looking for a mental reset this summer in Dubai, head to TODA and step into a world of art. Being surrounded by creativity has a way of quieting the mind and nurturing the soul.
Where: Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Al Sufouh 1
Contact: (04) 277 4044 | @todadubai
The Farm
One of the best things about summer in Dubai is having time to revisit places you haven’t been to in a while. Still one of the prettiest places to eat in the city, The Farm is surrounded by lush greenery and calm waterways. If you’re craving fresh air and a more nature-filled setting, this is where you’ll find it.
Location: Al Barari
Times: Daily 7:30am–10:30pm
Contact: (0)4 392 5660. @thefarmdubai
Also read
Your A-Z guide to wellness in the UAE
Seva Experience
If wellness is your vibe this summer, this is the place to be. With yoga, sound healing, meditation and more on offer, Seva Yoga Studio creates the perfect space to reset, with classes for all levels including Kundalini, Vinyasa, Power, Ashtanga and Hatha. After your practice, relax in Seva Café’s lush garden or enjoy plant-based, gluten-free meals at SEVA Table – the first fully plant-based café in the Middle East.
Where: Villa 5 1/B, Street 27B, Jumeirah 1, Jumeirah Beach Road
When: 9am to 10pm – check full schedule at sevaexperience.com
Contact: @sevaexperience
Banyan Tree Dubai
No list of peaceful spots in Dubai is complete without Banyan Tree. Set along a private stretch of beach overlooking the Arabian Gulf, it’s a refined beachfront spot with stunning sea views and a sense of quiet luxury. Wellness is at the heart of it, with sunrise yoga, sound healing and spa treatments, alongside more active options if you prefer a bit of movement.
Where: Banyan Tree Dubai, Bluewaters Island
Cost: Eid stay offer from Dhs1,500 per night, including breakfast and dinner, 20% off dining, Dhs300 spa credit, room upgrade, early check-in and late check-out (subject to availability)
Contact: @banyantreedxb
Eugène Eugène
If you’re looking for a peaceful lunch spot this summer in Dubai, Eugène Eugène is worth adding to your list. French vibes meet botanical interiors at this stunning greenhouse-inspired venue. It’s part café, part concept space, with hanging plants, natural light and plates that look as good as the surroundings.
Location: Mall of the Emirates, Kempinski Hotel – Sheikh Zayed Rd – Al Barsha – Al Barsha 1 – Dubai
Times: Daily 12pm-11.30pm
Contact: (0)4 379 8963. @eugeneeugenedubai
Amara Spa
A spa day is always a good idea, especially during summer in Dubai. Amara Spa at Park Hyatt Dubai is a leafy, quietly beautiful retreat tucked within serene courtyard surroundings. Choose whatever feels right in the moment – a massage, body scrub or facial – and let the experience do the rest. Afterwards, head to the pool for a nourishing meal and some sunshine.
Where: Amara Spa, Park Hyatt Dubai
When: Daily, 9am to 10pm
Cost: Spa Pool Pass from Dhs200 on weekdays and Dhs250 on weekends, fully redeemable on food and beverage. Includes access to the pool, gym, steam and sauna.
Contact: @parkhyattdubai
Emirates Bio Farm
If you’re in Dubai, think of this as a little road trip somewhere a little different from the usual scene. Set among the red dunes of Al Shuwaib, Emirates Bio Farm is the UAE’s largest privately owned organic farm – a relaxed escape where you can walk the fields, meet the animals and enjoy fresh, seasonal produce straight from the source.
Where: Al Shiwaib, Al Ain
Contact: emiratesbiofarm.com
Kite Beach
Sneakers on, headphones in, and you’re set. Whether you’re heading out for a run or simply looking for a change of scenery, Kite Beach is one of those places we keep coming back to. The atmosphere is lively, but somehow it still feels laid-back. The sea views never get old, and there’s no shortage of smoothie spots, cafés and easy-going food stops along the way. Walk, jog, people-watch or grab a bite – it’s an easy way to switch gears for a few hours.
Akari Wellness
One of Dubai’s newest wellness spots, Akari Wellness features Red Light Therapy, a treatment we’re seeing everywhere and already a standout on their menu. This high-tech session helps improve skin tone and collagen, reduce inflammation and joint pain, speed up muscle recovery, boost circulation and energy, support hormonal balance, and even enhance sleep and mood. While you’re there, swing by the Brain Bar for a drink packed with adaptogens, botanicals, and superfoods to round off your recovery.
Where: One Central, Precinct Building 2, The Offices 2, One Central, Ground floor, Dubai
When: Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm
Cost: Dhs400 per session
Contact: @akariwellness
Bab Al Shams
A desert escape that feels worlds away but sits just outside the city, Bab Al Shams is one of the best desert retreats in Dubai to enjoy this Eid Al Fitr. The spa and hammam are at the heart of its wellness offering, where treatments are paired with stillness, guided yoga, and meditation sessions. You can cool off in the infinity pool, or spend your time between nourishing rituals and laid-back dining. With everything from refined restaurants to outdoor experiences through ROAM Dubai, Bab Al Shams keeps things rooted in both calm and culture, a place to fully reset.
Where: Bab Al Shams, Al Marmoom Desert, Dubai
Contact: (04) 809 6100 | @babalshamshotel
Hatta Dam
Just outside the city, Hatta Dam is one of Dubai’s most picture-perfect spots and one of the best free things to do in Dubai. Mountains, calm waters, and wide-open space set the scene for a day of kayaking, hiking, or a picnic with a view – a laid-back adventure and a scenic escape from the city.
Where: Hatta Dam, Dubai
Spice Souk
If you’re looking for a complete change of vibe, head to the Spice Souk. Located in Deira, this traditional market is filled with saffron, cardamom, dried fruit and loose-leaf teas, with spices stacked high along narrow lanes rich in colour and scent. It’s one of Dubai’s most atmospheric spots — lively and historic, with old-school charm and the feel of a traditional stroll right in the heart of the city.
Where: Deira, adjacent to Gold Souk, along Baniyas Street, near Al Ras / Old Souk Abra Station.
When: Daily from 10am to 10pm
Karma Yoga
Unwind with this meditative Yin yoga class at Karma Yoga, where poses are held for 3-5 minutes to stretch connective tissues, improve flexibility, and release tension. Candlelight sets the mood, creating the perfect environment to let go and reconnect with your body and mind.
Where: Marina Plaza, 33rd Floor, Dubai Marina, Dubai
When: Daily classes – check schedule at karmayogadubai.com
Cost: Starting from Dhs250
Contact: @karmayogadubai
Nikki Beach Resort & Spa
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is step away completely. No schedule, no rush – just a full day of doing very little, properly. Start with a spa treatment, enjoy a nourishing meal, then sink into a sunbed by the beach with the sound of waves and warm sunshine all around. For a day like this, head to Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai, where you can enjoy the full experience.
Where: Nikki Beach Resort & Spa, Pearl Jumeira, Dubai
Cost: Dhs499 includes a massage treatment, full access to pool & beach, an ice bath session, and a two-course lunch at Café Nikki.
Contact: @nikkibeachresortdubai
AVANTCHA Tea
Tea has been used as medicine for centuries, and it’s easy to see why. A sip of herbal tea can lift your energy, soothe tension, quiet the mind, and release stress, while supporting digestion, relaxation, and focus. For tea lovers, Avantcha Tea is a must-visit. Their menu spans matcha, black, green, yellow, and herbal teas from around the world. Each variety has its own benefits, and the team will help you choose the best one for your needs. Combined with the beautifully designed space, it’s perfect for a mindful tea break and a little reset for body and mind.
Contact: @avantchatea_me
Talise Spa
The hammam at Talise Spa inside Madinat Jumeirah is one of the best ones in the city – unhurried, properly traditional, and ideal if you’re looking for a reset this summer in Dubai. It follows the classic sequence: steam room to open everything up, black soap cleanse, kessa scrub to take the summer off your skin, then a body mask, hair cleanse and hydrating oils to finish. You’ll leave looking like a different person. In a good way. Book ahead.
Where: Talise Spa, Madinat Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim St
When: Daily 11am to 9pm
Cost: Dhs1000 for 60 minutes
Contact: @talisespa
Meliá Desert Palm
Go all out for a full wellness day or weekend at Meliá Desert Palm, a modern sanctuary just 20 minutes from Dubai. Enjoy massages, body scrubs, guided meditation, yoga, sound healing, and Pilates, or get active with horseback riding across the scenic polo fields surrounded by greenery. The resort’s spacious design creates a serene, rejuvenating setting. Top it off with fine dining overlooking the grounds – perfect for a complete wellness reset.
Where: Meliá Desert Palm, Al Awir Road, Warisan, Dubai
Contact: @meliadesertpalm
Paus
If your idea of a peaceful spot is rooted in wellness and community, Paus is one to visit. Paus is a two-storey wellness villa that feels like its own little world. The space brings together movement, treatments, a café, a garden and wellness studios — with yoga as one of the classes on offer – all under one roof.
Where: Villa 12, Al Reef Villas, Al Wasl Road, Umm Suqeim 2, Dubai
When: Daily, 7am to 10pm
Contact: (04) 266 5329 | @pausclub
Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood
Step back in time at Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, one of the oldest areas in Dubai. Wander through narrow lanes, wind towers and traditional buildings, and get a feel for life before the modern city.
Where: Al Souq Al Kabeer, Al Fahidi
Images: Archive/Instagram
