Dubai

After a year’s delay because of the pandemic, Expo 2020, a multibillion-dollar six-month fair expected to draw 25 million visits, will make its long-awaited debut in Dubai this October. Almost 200 pavilions created by countries around the world will showcase their respective cultures and achievements. (Italy’s exhibition, for example, will feature a 3-D-printed replica of Michelangelo’s David, and Singapore will emphasize the country’s commitment to sustainability with lush indoor hanging gardens.) Elsewhere, the otherworldly Museum of the Future, an exhibition space housed within a ringlike steel edifice aglow with Arabic calligraphy, nears completion. Thrill seekers will love Ain Dubai, the world’s tallest ferris wheel, and the new John Wick roller coaster at the Hollywood-inspired theme park Motiongate Dubai. New luxury hotels like SLS Dubai, which boasts infinity pools on the top of the 75-story tower, and St. Regis Dubai, the Palm—connected from the man-made island it is located on to the city’s sights via its own monorail station—provide a break from the action. And the 795-room Atlantis, The Royal will open later this year, with restaurants from celebrity chefs Ariana Bundy and José Andrés. —Sarah Khan