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Doha

Once little more than a minuscule pearl fishing village, Doha (Arabic: الدوحة ad-Dawḥa), Qatar's capital, with more people than the rest of Qatar combined, has emerged to become one of the pearls of the Middle East. It is one of the most rapidly-developing cities on the Persian Gulf, akin to the development seen in nearby Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and is aiming to become a centre of international trade and travel.

See
31
Do
19
Eat
40
Drink
1
Buy
16

9 places match

  1. See

    Al Bidda Park

    Rumeila Park

    Formerly known as Rumeila Park, this is opposite the Corniche with an outdoor theatre, art gallery, water features, children’s play area and skateboard/rollerblading half-pipe. There is a metro station, several shops, a third-wave coffee shop, and public toilets.

  2. See

    Fanar Qatar Islamic Cultural Center

    Easily spotted from the Corniche with its distinctive spiral minaret, the center aims to educate non-Muslims about Islam by offering free Arabic classes as well as art and calligraphy exhibits. The center conducts bi-weekly tours of local mosques followed by a traditional dinner (abayas provided for women, registration required), and also hosts weekly coffee mornings with presentations on Qatari culture and lifestyle (registration required).

    Daily 08:00-12:00, 16:00-20:00Free

  3. Buy

    Jarir Bookstore (Salwa)

    Sells Arabic and English language books, and a good selection of international magazines and newspapers. Also has a Costa coffee bar. There is a second branch near Education City, on Al Rayyan Al Jadeed Rd.

    Sat-Thu 09:00-22:00; Fri 16:00-22:00

  4. See

    MIA Park

    This modern park was built on reclaimed land and affords great views of the West Bay skyline. Visitors can rent bicycles or paddleboats, and enjoy coffee or ice cream at a small café. At the end of the promenade is the monumental sculpture '7' by American sculptor Richard Serra. During the winter the MIA Park Bazaar is held on the first Saturday of every month, offering an eclectic mix of food, arts, crafts, books, and souvenirs.

    Oct-May: Wed-Mon 10:30-23:30, Jun-Sep: Wed-Mon 18:00-00:00, closed 1 Jul - 2nd day of EidFree

  5. Eat

    Mega Mart

    Very popular with western expats as it imports a lot of products from America and Europe, but can be quite expensive. Also has a Costa Coffee nearby, as well as many smaller shops stocking cards, electronics and perfumes.

    Daily 08:00-23:00, closed Fri 11:30-12:30

  6. See

    Museum of Islamic Arts

    Doha's flagship museum. Housed in a building designed by I.M. Pei, the museum hosts artefacts from Muslim dynasties all over Asia, Africa and Europe. Also present are items from the Al-Thani dynasty, as well as art from all parts of the Middle East. Gloriously air conditioned, there is also a cafe and gift shop. The permanent exhibition is on the 2nd and 3rd floors, with temporary exhibitions on the ground floor. Free wi-fi in the museum building, dress appropriately. An hourly shuttle service provides free transportation between MIA and Mathaf W-Su 11:00-17:00; driving time between the two museums is 25-35 minutes.

    S Mon Wed 10:30-17:30; Thu Sat 12:00-20:00; Fri 14:00-20:00Free

  7. Drink

    PappaRoti

    This branch of the popular Malaysian café chain offers a good selection of coffee and teas, along with special roti buns.

    Daily 12:00-00:00

  8. Do Not mapped

    Sheesha

    A typical Middle Eastern activity in the afternoons is to find a sheesha cafe and smoke some fruit-flavoured tobacco. One of the best places in Doha is Ras-Naswa at the non-Sheraton end of the Corniche. It's in a picturesque old-style building reminiscent, in colour and texture if not grandeur, of the red Mughal structures in India. Ras-Naswa has a nice outdoor garden and serves decent Middle Eastern food.

  9. See

    Firestation Artist in Residence

    Has an art supply store and cafe on site.

    Sat-Thu 09:00-19:00; Fri 11:00-19:00Free