Best tips for traveling to Qatar: what you need to know

El World Soccer Championship has put the news on the front page Qatar, a very small country of the Arabian Peninsula which is one of the richest in the world for its oil and natural gas production.

With this sporting event, said country has opened itself to the world and has become an interesting destination to travel and know what it really is like, what are your customs and how its surprising evolution has been for less than a century.

In recent years Doha, Qatari capital, it has been a essential scale on many of the trips from Spain to Asian countries when flying with Qatar Airways, several times awarded as one of the best airlines in the world.

But due to its surprising characteristics, and the interest (and even controversy) aroused by the celebration of said championship, Qatar becomes an ideal destination for a multi-day getaway.

Here you have complete information with the best places to see and visit in Qatar.

Tips for traveling to Qatar and visiting Doha

If you are interested in planning your trip to Qatar, you will find the following tips very useful.

Where is Qatar and what is it like?

Qatar is a very small peninsula of the great Arabian Peninsula, with a land border only with Saudi Arabia, and that historically it was a desert with small coastal towns dedicated to fishing and pearl collecting.

With 2,9 million inhabitants, of which only less than 15 percent are originally Qataris, your visit will focus on the capital Doha, where 80 percent of the country's population lives.

How hot is it in Qatar?

As is obvious, the average temperature in the country is high; Although in January it is around 20 degrees, in summer it easily exceeds 40 degrees, so it is not the ideal time to visit this country.

In case it serves as a reference, I will tell you that I have traveled to Qatar, one during the month of April and the temperature reached 32 degrees, and also in October, with a temperature of 35 degrees.

What is the currency of Qatar and the exchange rate in euros?

La Qatar currency is qatari riyal, as well as the cultural, It is currently 0,26 euros for one riyal.

What is COVID control like in Qatar?

Currently, for travel to Qatar they require a PCR test made 72 hours before travel, although these requirements are changing.

In Qatar you can go everywhere without a mask, but to access all closed premises, such as restaurants, hotels, shops, museums or public transport, they will ask you for the verified barcode of the Ehteraz app that you must have downloaded to your mobile before traveling, and have verified it when arrive at Doha airport.

Is Qatar an expensive country to travel to?

Facing your tourism trip, you should know that compared to what you might think, Qatar is not an expensive country, so that, for example, eating in restaurants standard It costs like in Spain, transportation in the doha metro It is cheaper, and getting around in a taxi costs more or less the same.

How to get around Doha by Metro or taxi

In the visit Doha on your own you have several transportation alternatives at very good prices, and even free trams to move through certain areas such as Downtown or the Education City.

What the Metro is like in Doha

Una essential visit on your trip to Qatar is Metro from Doha, where the signs and public address system are in English as well as Arabic, and as a curiosity, its Red line It has been built by the Spanish company FCC.

To visit the city you can arrive by Metro to almost all places, including the airport, as it has three very modern lines.

As a curiosity, I will tell you that of the eight host stadiums of the Football World, seven of them have metro access.

How much does the Metro cost in Doha?

With regard to the Doha Metro prices, you should know that the card for ten trips costs 10 riyals, only 2,50 euros, and one trip costs two riyals, 0,50 euros.

In its very modern trains that operate without a driver, you will find three types of wagons: The standard; The Family, occupied mainly by women; and the wagon Gold, which has individual seats premium, and for whose use you have to pay a surcharge.

How to get around by taxi in Doha

At the outset I will tell you that take a taxi from the airport to a hotel in the center of Doha It can cost you about 80 riyals (21 euros).

Another alternative you have is to move in Uber cars, for which you can download the app which is in English and pay by card.

A short tour can cost you about 4 euros, and a longer one can cost up to 10 euros.

Another alternative you have for your visit is to hire the car service with driver, which, as an example, can cost you 240 riyals (65 euros) for four hours, a good solution if, for example, there are three or four people.

This private service allows you to move more quickly through the city and reach the different areas to visit, in addition to being able to get to know the neighborhoods more comfortably.

How much does it cost to eat in Qatar

Apart from the prestigious and refined restaurants in large hotels, for your visit to Doha you have numerous Arabic and international cuisine restaurants where you can eat at very affordable prices, between 20 and 30 euros.

Eating in a good Arabic-style food restaurant, where for example you can enjoy a grilled meat accompanied by rice, hummus and salad, can cost about 30 euros.

As a curiosity, keep in mind that drinking any fruit juice is very expensive, it can even cost you more than a menu.

And as for bars in special places, such as cafe on the 21st floor of the Antorcha Tower, I will tell you that a lemon with mint costs 8,50 euros.

Can tourists drink alcohol in Qatar?

As a Muslim country that it is, You can't drink alcohol in Qatar., But Tourists can drink it in hotels who have special license to serve it.

In this regard, I will tell you that a double beer will cost you about 5 euros.