Museum of Islamic Art
I. M. Pei’s landmark on its own island at the end of the Corniche, holding one of the world’s great collections of Islamic art. The single most essential stop in Doha.
Qatar
Doha
Doha is the Gulf capital that rewards curiosity: a city of world-class museums, a lantern-lit old souq and a waterfront that glows after dark, with the desert and the sea a short drive away.
In a single generation it has built an extraordinary cultural line-up. The Museum of Islamic Art, by I. M. Pei, stands on its own island at the end of the Corniche; Jean Nouvel’s National Museum of Qatar unfolds like a desert rose around a restored royal palace; and the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum sits beside the national stadium. In between, Souq Waqif keeps the old trading life alive with spice stalls, falcon shops and cafés open late into the night, Msheireb’s heritage houses tell the stories behind the skyline for free, and Katara Cultural Village mixes galleries, mosques and a beach. Beyond the city lie the dunes of the inland sea and the UNESCO-listed ruins of Al Zubarah. This guide books the tickets worth booking, points you to the free sights that matter most and matches you to the right hotel, from a Msheireb splurge to a heritage stay in the souq.
Don't miss
Museum of Islamic Art
I. M. Pei’s landmark on its own island at the end of the Corniche, holding one of the world’s great collections of Islamic art. The single most essential stop in Doha.
National Museum of Qatar
Jean Nouvel’s desert-rose building wraps around a restored royal palace and tells Qatar’s story from geology and the Bedouin to pearling and oil. Doha’s most striking museum.
Souq Waqif
Doha’s old market quarter of mud-plastered lanes, spice stalls, falcon shops and cafés that stay busy late into the night. Free, atmospheric and the heart of every visit.
Katara Cultural Village
A seaside cultural village of galleries, a Greek-style amphitheatre, tiled mosques, pigeon towers and a public beach between West Bay and The Pearl. Free to wander.
Things to do in Doha
National Museum of Qatar
Jean Nouvel’s desert-rose building wraps around a restored royal palace and tells Qatar’s story from geology and the Bedouin to pearling and oil. Doha’s most striking museum.
FreeSouq Waqif
Doha’s old market quarter of mud-plastered lanes, spice stalls, falcon shops and cafés that stay busy late into the night. Free, atmospheric and the heart of every visit.
2-3 hoursDetails →
3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum
A big, interactive museum of sport beside Khalifa International Stadium, from the ancient Olympics to Qatar’s World Cup, with hands-on games at the end. The best family museum in town.
Full Day Desert Safari to the Inland Sea
A full day in the dunes of southern Qatar with dune bashing, sandboarding, a camel ride and the inland sea, where the sand meets the water. The classic Qatar adventure.
Al Zubarah Fort and North Qatar Private Tour
A private half-day tour to Al Zubarah Fort, Qatar’s UNESCO World Heritage Site on the north-west coast, with a guide, pickup and the empty landscapes of the north.
Doha Private Night City Tour
A private evening tour of the lit-up city: the Corniche, Souq Waqif, the Museum of Islamic Art, The Pearl, Katara and the towers of West Bay, with pickup included.
FreeKatara Cultural Village
A seaside cultural village of galleries, a Greek-style amphitheatre, tiled mosques, pigeon towers and a public beach between West Bay and The Pearl. Free to wander.
2-3 hoursDetails →
Msheireb Museums
Four restored heritage houses in Msheireb Downtown that tell the human story of Qatar, from family life and early oil workers to the history of slavery. Free and moving.
2 hoursDetails →
FreeDoha Corniche
A 7 km palm-lined promenade curving around Doha Bay, from the Museum of Islamic Art to the West Bay towers, with dhows, public art and the city’s best skyline views.
1-2 hoursDetails →
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
$$$$Mandarin Oriental, Doha
Msheireb Downtown
An intimate luxury hotel in the heart of Msheireb Downtown, with a rooftop bar, a celebrated spa and nine places to eat and drink, a short walk from Souq Waqif. The Doha splurge.
Check rates →
$$$Sheraton Grand Doha Resort and Convention Hotel
West Bay and Corniche
The pyramid at the end of the Corniche: a landmark resort hotel with a private beach, pools, a lagoon and nine restaurants and bars, all rooms with balconies. Best for beach and families.
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$$$Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels by Tivoli
Souq Waqif
A collection of small heritage hotels scattered through the lanes of Souq Waqif, with a pool, a hammam spa and the market on your doorstep. The most atmospheric stay in Doha.
Check rates →
$$Alwadi Hotel Doha - MGallery
Msheireb Downtown
A design-led MGallery hotel on the edge of Msheireb, steps from Souq Waqif and the metro, with a rooftop lounge, a pool and a Lebanese seafood restaurant. The smart mid-range pick.
Check rates →
$Premier Inn Doha Education City
Education City
A reliable budget hotel in Education City with a pool, a gym, free parking and family rooms, close to the Qatar National Library and the tram. The value pick.
Check rates →Doha guides
First Time in Doha: What to Book, How to Get Around & How Many Days
The practical primer for a first visit to Doha: the tickets worth booking, the museum closing days that catch people out, the metro and taxis, and how to fit the museums, the souq and the desert into three or four days.
Where to Stay in Doha: Msheireb, Souq Waqif, West Bay or Education City
How to choose your base in Doha, from a luxury hotel on Barahat Msheireb to a heritage stay inside the souq, a beach resort on the Corniche and a budget base in Education City.
