10 Incredible Cities That Have Changed Beyond Recognition

MeridianScout Updated: 2025-08-18

Dubai, UAE: The 1980s vs. today

Dubai, a city that defies the boundaries of the imagination, has undergone a staggering transformation over the decades. In the 1980s, it was a modest trading hub, a gateway for commerce and exchange. Today, it stands as a global icon of luxury and ambition, with its skyline pierced by audacious architectural marvels that reach for the heavens. Explore the traditional souks, where the scents of spices and the hum of haggling fill the air, and then immerse yourself in the ultra-modern malls, where opulence and innovation converge in a dazzling display. From man-made islands that defy the natural landscape to indoor ski resorts that challenge the limits of the desert climate, Dubai promises an extraordinary journey through the realms of human ingenuity and ambition. This city seamlessly blends the past and the future, where the echoes of its trading heritage resonate alongside the futuristic visions that have transformed it into a global destination. Dubai's relentless pursuit of the extraordinary has captured the imagination of the world, drawing visitors from near and far to witness the collision of the old and the new, the traditional and the cutting-edge.