[slideshow]Architecture in the mall seems to draw its inspiration from the nearby Central Souk. Photo by Asyrique Thevendran/The Gazelle;Parts of the mall are still under construction. Photo by Asyrique Thevendran/The Gazelle;The rooftop gardens, accessible through a secluded door next to Nando's on the third floor, are one of the hidden gems of the mall. Photo by Asyrique Thevendran/The Gazelle;Nando's and other restaurants on the third floor have taken advantage of the rooftop gardens with outdoor eating areas. Photo by Asyrique Thevendran/The Gazelle;The main walk of the mall, lined with the usual assortment of brand stores. Photo by Asyrique Thevendran/The Gazelle[/slideshow]

Shopping malls in the UAE are destinations in themselves: large, well-designed venues with a wide range of restaurants, cafés and entertainment facilities.

The World Trade Centre Mall and Central Souk are often seen as the contemporary revival of a historic district in the heart of Abu Dhabi. One can find traditional dining experiences, artifacts and Arabic perfumes as well as a full range of modern shops and services.

Here are some things you can do at the WTC Mall with friends and family:

1.     Shopping: The mall offers a large range of clothing, shoe and accessory stores. The mall also features the first Middle Eastern branch of British department store House of Fraser, H&M, Bhs, Shoe Mart and U.S. Polo Assn. are also among the 160 different shops at WTC Mall. Currently, there are sales in various stores across the mall to make way for the new spring collections. These are definitely worth checking out.

2.     Dining: There is something for everyone at the WTC Mall. There are numerous small stalls dotted across the mall that sell chocolate kebabs, bubble tea and wraps. There are also several restaurants on the top floor such as P.F Chang’s, Fatburger, Nando’s and Studio Misr, which offer the option of dining in. The mall also has a health bar called Liquid Nutrition on the lower ground level that serves juices, smoothies and milkshakes made entirely from natural ingredients. But if you feel like being a little less healthy, you could head to Chocolate Bar or Tutti Frutti for some sinful pleasures.

3.     Study areas: A shopping mall is often not an ideal study space, but the WTC Mall has many quiet areas where you can catch up on readings and still manage to get out of Sama Tower. Cafés such as Costa Coffee, Starbucks Coffee and the Caribou Café all offer coffee, tea, free Wi-Fi, charging outlets and comfy seats that are ideal for a study space. Some also have outdoor seating with a view of the Corniche. If you like to be completely alone while studying, you can also check out the terrace gardens on the top floors. They have great seating, adequate lighting, plants and are very quiet.

4.     Services: This mall has its own currency exchange bureau, bank, tailor, hairdresser, optician, nail parlour and spa. It also has a Spinney’s, which is slightly smaller than the average department store but still has an impressive collection of fresh produce, baked goods and stationery.

5.     Opening soon: The mall opened for business in October 2013, and thus many shops are not yet fully operational. But there are some exciting new outlets that will be opening soon. Grand Cinemas, the largest cinema chain in the Middle East, is scheduled to open by the end of 2014. Several restaurants such as Shake Shack and Yogen Fruz are also expected to open in the near future.