I just walked into one of the most stunning mosques in the world.

But as a Christian, I couldn’t help asking myself:
Am I even allowed here?

This is the story of my visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi — from almost getting in the wrong taxi, to walking through an underground mall, to quietly filming B-roll in what might be the most beautiful building I’ve ever seen.

Almost Getting in the Wrong Cab

My morning starts in Dubai, standing outside my Airbnb, phone in hand, trying to catch a ride to Abu Dhabi using the Careem app.

I see a taxi, the driver waves, and I hop in.

“I’m going to Abu Dhabi. The Grand Mosque.”
“Which one?”
“The Grand Mosque.”

We start talking, and something feels off. The driver doesn’t seem to know about my app booking or the destination that should already be in his system.

I ask him:

“Did you see the Careem app? Did I hail you through the app?”

He looks confused. I check my phone again.

Wrong car.

He’s a regular cab, not my Careem driver. Meanwhile, the meter is already on, and there’s a hold on my credit card in the app.

Awkward.

We talk it through, and I decide to stick with him anyway. We settle on 200 AED for the ride to Abu Dhabi, similar to what the app would have cost. He takes credit card, so I stay put.

Lesson learned:

Always double-check the license plate.
If the driver asks where you’re going, he’s probably not your app driver — they already know.

The Drive to Abu Dhabi: Sand, Highways, and Quiet

The drive from Dubai Marina to Abu Dhabi takes about an hour to an hour and a half.

Dubai’s highways are massive — six, seven, sometimes even eight lanes across. As an American, it’s one of the few times I’ve thought, “Yeah, the U.S. could learn something from this.”

Out the window:

Endless desert sand stretching into the distance
Massive highway interchanges
Glimpses of royal estates, fenced and guarded

My driver doesn’t speak much English, so we don’t talk much. I hit that classic travel dilemma: force small talk or stare out the window? Today, the window wins.

First Glimpse of the Grand Mosque

As we turn off the highway, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque appears in the distance — bright white domes and minarets, standing out against the beige desert.

Even from the car, it’s breathtaking.

When we arrive, the meter comes out to about 250 AED, and I add a tip, bringing it to around 270 AED — roughly $60 USD for the hour-long ride. For a direct, comfortable trip from Dubai to one of the most beautiful mosques in the world, I’m calling that a fair deal.

I step out of the cab, look up at the mosque, and feel that mix of awe and nerves hit all at once.

“Am I Even Allowed Here?”

Walking toward the mosque, the nerves start to kick in more seriously.

I’m a Christian.
I’m American.
This is one of the most important mosques in the region.

Am I allowed here?
Am I going to accidentally do something disrespectful?
What will my Christian friends and family think when they see me visiting a mosque?

I’d read that the Grand Mosque is open to visitors of all faiths during visiting hours, and that it’s often called one of the most beautiful buildings on Earth. And that’s why I came.

I genuinely believe you can learn from, appreciate, and find moments of peace in places of worship — even if they’re not your own tradition. So after thinking it through, I decided I was okay with being here, and wanted to experience it respectfully.

The Underground Entrance: Mall, Registration, and Security

From the outside, you might expect to walk straight up to big doors. But for visitors, the entrance is actually through an underground complex.

I ask a security guard for directions.

“This way is only for worshippers.”
“Visitors go down there.”

I follow the signs and step into… an air-conditioned mall.

Shops. Food. Coffee. Bright lights.
It feels surreal — a modern underground complex sitting beneath this iconic mosque.

I follow the signs to registration, fill out the required details, and then head through security.

This is where things get interesting as a vlogger.

They do not allow my external microphone.
They do allow my GoPro — but with a lot of questions.

The staff holds onto my microphone at the visitor center, and I’ll have to pick it up on the way out. They tell me:

I can film B-roll
I cannot talk into the camera while inside

No spoken commentary. No walk-and-talk vlogging. Just visuals.

I’m already nervous about being here. Now add security checks, questions about gear, and special rules — it’s a lot. But I understand it. This is a functioning place of worship first, a tourist attraction second.

Walking Into the Most Beautiful Building I’ve Ever Seen

Once through security, it’s a long walk through polished corridors that eventually open up into the mosque complex itself.

And then, there it is.

White marble everywhere.
Reflective pools.
Intricate floral inlays in the floors and walls.
Massive domes and archways.

I’m only allowed to film B-roll, so I quietly move through the walkways, courtyards, and viewing areas, capturing shots and storing my real-time reactions in my head instead of on audio.

Being here as a non-Muslim visitor feels… humbling.

You follow the rules.
You stay in the designated visitor areas.
You move with the flow of the crowd.
You lower your voice.
You try not to get in the way of worshippers.

And you just absorb the place.

The scale, the symmetry, the detail — it really does feel like one of the most beautiful buildings on the planet.

Food Court Under the Mosque: Shawarma and Reflection

After exploring and filming as much B-roll as I could, I made my way back down into the underground food court.

I stopped at a place called Marroush and grabbed what was essentially a fresh chicken pita sandwich.

Price: around 39 AED — roughly $10 USD
Quality: excellent
Entertainment: free — they sliced the meat fresh right in front of me

I sat down, unwrapped my late breakfast/early lunch, and just took a moment to decompress.

There’s something wild about eating a casual pita sandwich under one of the most photographed mosques in the world — like the sacred and the everyday are stacked on top of each other.

Heading to the Presidential Palace

With my microphone reclaimed and my appetite satisfied, it was time to move on.

Next stop: the Presidential Palace (Qasr Al Watan) in Abu Dhabi.

I grabbed a taxi from outside the mosque and headed off to the next landmark — but the Grand Mosque was already burned into my mind as one of those places I’ll never forget.

So… Was I Allowed Here?

Short answer: yes.

Was I allowed to visit as a Christian? Yes.
Was I allowed to film? Technically, yes — as long as I followed the rules.
Was I nervous the entire time? Absolutely.
Was it worth it? A thousand times, yes.

This place is unlike anything else on the planet. It’s not just a building. It’s a work of art, a place of worship, and a reminder of how powerful architecture, faith, and design can be when they come together.

As I rode away in the taxi, I realized something simple but important:

I just crossed one of the most beautiful buildings in the world off my bucket list.
And I’ll never forget it.

Google Maps Links

📍 Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi
📍 Dubai Marina (Starting Point)
📍 Qasr Al Watan – Presidential Palace, Abu Dhabi

🎥 Watch the Full Video

Want to see how it feels to walk into the Grand Mosque as a nervous Christian visitor, navigate the underground entrance, and capture B-roll inside one of the world’s most stunning religious sites?

🎥 Watch the full vlog: “Nervous Christian at the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi” on YouTube.

Thanks for coming along — and as always…
Travel Far.

Nervous Christian at the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi