With tax-free salaries and a reputation for offering a luxurious lifestyle, Dubai is a city where the streets are said to be paved with gold.
That idiom is soon to be turned into reality as the UAE city is set to open a literal gold street.
Part of the new Dubai Gold District, the street will be “constructed using gold”, although what that actually entails remains a mystery (Euronews Travel has reached out to the real estate developer behind the project for further details).
The Dubai Gold District was announced by the Dubai Media Office on 27 January. The opening date for the Gold Street is yet to be announced.
What is the Dubai Gold District?
The Dubai Gold District is a rebrand of the city’s current Gold Souk. The area, which is located in Deira, is home to around 1,000 retailers who sell gold and jewellery.
According to the Dubai Media Office, the UAE is the world’s second-largest physical gold trading destination, having exported $53.41 billion (€44.6 billion) worth of gold in 2024-2025.
The Gold Souk is a popular tourist attraction in the city’s Old Town, and can be found alongside other marketplaces dedicated to spices, perfumes and antiques.
“Gold is deeply woven into the cultural and commercial fabric of Dubai, symbolising our heritage, prosperity, and enduring spirit of enterprise,” Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said.
“Through this landmark destination, we not only celebrate that legacy but also reimagine it for a new era shaped by creativity and sustainability.”
Dubai's attention-grabbing tourist attractions
Dubai is no stranger to headline-grabbing tourist attractions, which include Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, Ain Dubai, the world’s largest observation wheel, and Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest dive pool.
In 2024, a climate-controlled street where it ‘rains’ every 30 minutes opened on the Heart of Europe, an island off the coast of the emirate. It is part of The World Islands, a man-made archipelago that is meant to resemble a world map.
The city has also announced a ‘future loop’, a 2km-long air-conditioned bridge to connect areas and buildings including the Dubai World Trade Centre, the Museum of the Future, Emirates Towers and the Dubai International Financial Centre as well as metro stations nearby.
It is hoped that the project will make the city walkable year-round, even as temperatures soar up to 45°C in the summer months.
Outside of Dubai, the emirate of Fujairah recently unveiled a musical road. Grooves on the asphalt produce tyre vibrations that resemble Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony as cars pass over them.