Why Doha? Planning a quick holiday in fascinating Doha is now easier than ever thanks to Qatar Airways’ straightforward and affordable stopover program, whether your goal is to visit world-class museums, learn more about the local culture, or spend a day exploring the desert. This is a city that left me absolutely bewildered by the unrestrained architectural wonders and the shockingly (to me anyhow) extensive and inventive cultural offerings available. All the information you need to arrange a stopover in Qatar’s capital city is included here, along with a useful list of things to do in Doha.
DOHA CITY GUIDE
Schedule a city tour in Doha.
See FIFA 2022 for the first time.
Go to the Qatar National Museum.
Lose yourself in Souq Waqif
Savor Qatari food.
Take in the scenery at the Islamic Arts Museum.
Admire the National Library of Qatar
Wander around The Pearl-Qatar
Discover the cultural village of Katara.
Take the Dhow cruise.
Schedule a city tour in Doha.
Fast-paced and completely modern, Doha is an intriguing city that definitely needs a guide to navigate (the traffic in Doha is, let me say this, not for the faint of heart) and fully comprehend the numerous facets of culture that have shaped it into what it is today.
See FIFA 2022 for the first time.
The National Museum of Qatar, one of Doha’s newest buildings, is a true architectural wonder. Adjacent to the old 20th-century palace of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani, the previous emir of Qatar, is the most recent addition, which was designed by Jean Nouvel and opened in 2019.
The museum pays homage to Qatari culture, and its desert rose-like qualities undoubtedly contribute to its captivating appeal. With themes ranging from the history of the Persian Gulf to Bedouin customs, from tribal conflicts to the new oil-age Qatari state, it is divided into three interconnected spaces. All three areas heavily rely on audiovisual, lights-and-sounds immersive experiences, as well as cutting-edge technology and museology.
Lose yourself in Souq Waqif
With certain early 1900s characteristics that almost seem out of place in comparison to the futuristic towers around, Souq Waqif maintains its old-world charm despite being extensively refurbished in 2006 in the typical Qatari architectural style. Situated in the geographic center of Doha, it is a bustling trading center for food, spices, gold, pearls, textiles, and handicrafts that is active day and night.
Fun fact: the souq was originally immediately attached to the shoreline so that ships coming from the Persian Gulf could unload at the market.
Taste Qatari cuisine
Qatari food is very flavorful and has major influences from all throughout the Middle East. Naturally, lamb, dates, and seafood are main foods here, and the national meal is machbūs, which is also called kabsa in other Arab countries and is made with rice, slow-cooked meat, and vegetables. Among the eateries I visited and highly recommend are the following:
MIA Park Café for views of the waterfront
For authentic Syrian cuisine in a friendly environment: Damasca One
The greatest desserts in Doha can be found at Al Aker in Souq Waqif.
For the freshest seafood, visit Souq Waqif’s Al Bandar.
Jones the Grocer for brunch in Australia
Walima, for upscale Qataris with a view
Take in the scenery at the Islamic Arts Museum.
Doha’s roaring skyline and West Bay’s dhow harbor are wonderfully framed by the museum’s location at the tip of a reclaimed island along the Corniche, as well as the accompanying photos, sometimes referred to as the “shot.” Another famous building in Doha was created by renowned architect I.M. Pei, who is also responsible for the Bank of China skyscraper in Hong Kong and the small pyramid you may have seen at the Louvre in Paris.
One of the most extensive Islamic arts centers in the world, the Museum of Islamic Arts is also the first of its type to showcase 14 centuries of Islamic art in the Persian Gulf Arab States, including manuscripts, woodwork, textiles, and other historical relics.
Admire the National Library of Qatar
If you are interested in design, innovative architecture, and Qatari history, you should definitely visit the Qatar National Library, the final of Doha’s architectural wonders. Situated in Education City, close to Doha city center, the structure is a diamond in the desert, designed by Rem Koolhaas, whose work is mostly recognized for its deconstructivism approach. The library’s extensive collection of rare manuscripts and documents in Arabic and European languages is housed in the bottom levels of the structure, which appear to grow out of the earth.
Wander around The Pearl-Qatar
Back when Qatar was one of Asia’s leading pearl dealers, the 14-square-kilometer man-made island in the West Bay was used as a pearl-diving location, hence the name. The man-made wonder is shaped like a pearl inside a shell. Due to its freehold ownership and distinguished Mediterranean charm (it even boasts a full-fledged imitation of Italy in Qanat), it is now home to Doha’s largest marina and a booming expat community. Some tourist guides even go so far as to call it the “Arabian Riviera.”
Discover the cultural village of Katara.
Discover the Katara Cultural Village while exploring in Doha.
The primary cultural monument in Doha bears the name that Qatar was known by before the 18th century. In addition to two large and magnificent mosques—the Gold Mosque and the Katara Mosque, which is renowned for its technicolor Persian facade and for being the creation of the first female architect in the world with a focus on mosques—there are numerous small art galleries, a huge outdoor Greek-style amphitheater, and shopping malls (including Galeries Lafayette) on the premises.
Take the Dhow cruise.
Take a dhow cruise in Doha on the Persian Gulf on a classic wooden, single-sail Qatari vessel and see all of the above sites (the Corniche, the Doha skyline, the waterfront museums) from a new angle. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to discover more about Qatar’s long history of maritime exploration and its ties to the Gulf!
