Abu Dhabi Photo Gallery
Above the City

Etihad Towers has an observation deck on the 74th floor of its 2nd tower. The ticket is a pricey 85 dirhams but it includes 50 dirhams to spend at the restaurant, so head up during lunch time to enjoy the views and a meal.
Looking west, the city sprawls out amidst the desert landscape. Reclaimed islands nearby will reshape the look in a few years' time.
More skyscrapers have risen to the northeast. It is not as dense as Dubai, but the skyline has reached a respectable size.
Heritage Village and Marina Mall are within walking distance on a cooler day. The buildings under construction in the distance look familiar, offering great sea views.
The floor was not busy with plenty of chairs to enjoy your 50 dirhams of food, but the windows were very dirty. I guess without rain, the sand can still do quite a lot of damage.
Not particularly satisfied with the dirty view, I headed to the Aloft hotel in the suburbs for its open-deck lounge. It is not particularly high and you can barely make out the skyline here, but it faces the weirdly-shaped Capital Gate.