Hit List: Sunset Island festival, Italian films, homegrown eats and more things to do this weekend in the UAE

Your weekend guide to the best things to do, see, experience and enjoy in the UAE

Sunset Island festival is taking place in Abu Dhabi this weekend. Courtesy Corona Sunset Island

Feel the sunset vibes

The sounds of Ibiza will take over Abu Dhabi’s Al Maya Island this weekend, as Sunset Island festival takes place on Friday and Saturday. DJ Jerry Ropero and DJ Paul Hamilton have both been flown in specially for the occasion, alongside the famous DJ Saif & Sound, who is among the other acts scheduled to perform. Sunset Island is part of a Global Music Festival Series that celebrates the transformational power of the sunset in some of the world’s most iconic beaches, mountains and cities, and will be held in Abu Dhabi for the first time. Guests can head to Griffin Stage after their relaxing day on the island, where they will be met with incredible fire dancers and international and local DJs. There will be beach sports taking place throughout the day, including volleyball and paddleboarding, as well as drumming classes. There will also be glitter artists on hand to help you get into the festival spirit.

From Dh125, 11am to 11pm Friday and Saturday, tickets are available at www.outout.com

Check out a foreign film

Catch a screening of They Call Me Jeeg by Gabriele Mainetti at Cinema Akil as part of Italian Film Week in the Emirates. Photo by Emanuela Scarpa

It's Italian Film Week in the Emirates and the Italian Cultural Institute in Abu Dhabi is screening a series of films in collaboration with Cinema Akil and Cinema Space. In Dubai, you can catch seven films until April 11: the 1916 silent film love story Tigre Real; 2015 superhero movie They Call Me Jeeg (pictured); the 2017 English-language film Nico, 1988, about the German singer-songwriter for The Velvet Underground; the 2001 comedy-drama One Man Up; the 2016 sport film Italian Race, which follows a young woman's attempt to save her family's rally racing business; the 2010 comedy Loose Cannons; and the 2017 drama Tenderness, which tells a story of an unexpected friendship. In Abu Dhabi, catch a screening of the 1914 film, Cabiria, set in Ancient Rome, by Giovanni Pastrone, which will be accompanied by Stefano Maccagno on piano; and Italian Race.

In Dubai: various timings, from Dh52.50, Cinema Akil, Warehouse 68, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, www.cinemaakil.com. In Abu Dhabi: Saturday, 7pm for ‘Cabiria’; Monday 7.30pm for ‘Italian Race’, free with registration, Cinema Space, Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, register at cinemaspace-abudhabi.splashthat.com

Fill up on global treats

Visit Urban Retreat and enjoy international foods including a delicious spread from West to West. Courtesy Urban Retreat

The fourth rotation of home-grown food concepts has arrived at Urban RetrEAT. Visit the new restaurants, which include: Krust, which serves grilled cheese sandwiches; Arabica Booza, with Syrian food and sweets; build-your-own-noodle-bowls at Asia; and contemporary French cuisine at Flipt Kitchen, where you can tuck into a venison steak with chocolate espresso blackberry sauce. Remaining at the venue for another round are popular spots Barzat Al Fareej, with home-made Emirati cuisine; Mexican food at Burro Blanco; grilled treats at Al Areesh; American comfort food at Revolution Kitchen; Sierra Leonean, Trinidadian and Jamaican cuisine at West to West Kitchen; and ice cream at Sukkar Dose.

Daily, 10am to 10pm, Saturday to Wednesday; 10am to midnight on Thursday and Friday, Urban Retreat, Yas Mall, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, www.urbanretreat.me

Work out to the Max

Max & Aegle is a new health and fitness venue in Dubai. Courtesy Max & Aegle

Max & Aegle is a newly launched health and fitness destination in Dubai that focuses on a holistic approach to wellness. The venue features a fitness area, with cardio, weight training and circuit training, as well as group exercise classes, HIIT, boxing, yoga and cycling. The club is open to women only on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10.30am to 1.30pm, when classes include BodyPump, barre, Pilates, RPM and yoga. There is an outdoor, Olympic-sized swimming pool, a 1,400-metre running track, a yoga lawn and more. Members also receive body composition analysis to help determine the best approach to attaining their fitness goals and optimal health.

Open daily, 6am to 11pm, Saturdays to Thursdays; open 7am to 9pm on Fridays, from Dh199 per day; from Dh833 per month, Meydan, Dubai, www.maxandaegle.com

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