Sheikh Mohammed's palace is one of Dubai's most talked-about landmarks, even if you can only admire it from the outside. This is a private royal residence, so visitors are not allowed inside and access around the grounds is tightly controlled for security and privacy.
Updated for 2026: Dubai is easier than ever to explore independently, but private royal sites are still best treated as quick photo stops from public roads. Pair this one with nearby neighborhoods or a broader city drive rather than planning a full day around it.
You probably won't see the sheikh himself, but you will spot his portraits all over the city.
On the left is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; on the right is Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Photo by Aleksey Nasedkin
You can't visit the palace itself, but the area around it is famous for peacocks. They wander near the manicured lawns and are easily the most memorable part of a stop here, flashing emerald and blue in the sun.
The road leading to Sheikh Mohammed's palace is marked by a grand arch topped with Arabian horses. It's a fitting detail: Sheikh Mohammed is closely associated with horse racing and breeding, one of his best-known passions.
Didn't spot the sheikh? No problem - Dubai has plenty more to offer.
- The city that never sleeps: an evening tour of Dubai with the Burj Khalifa observation deck, the dancing fountains, Burj Al Arab, Atlantis, Palm Jumeirah, and even a yacht cruise.
- Craving something wilder? Head into the dunes in a 4x4, visit a Bedouin-style camp, and spend the night in the desert for a mix of adrenaline and old-school romance.
- A seaplane flight is one of the best ways to grasp Dubai's scale - and to come back with unbeatable photos.
You can also plan your Dubai trip yourself by choosing the places you want to visit on the interactive city map. In the end, you'll get a personal guide that can be synced with the free Ever.Travel mobile app - a handy way to organize a trip to the UAE.
Or skip the planning and start with one of these ready-made self-guided routes around Dubai:
