15 essentials: what to see and visit in Qatar in 1 or 2 days

If there is a very surprising and peculiar destination in the world, it is Qatar.

Currently it has gained a lot of prominence as it is the headquarters of the Soccer World Championship, and that is why a lot has been said about this country in recent times, not always well.

But if you are a regular reader of Travel Guides, you already know that we think that the best way to know what a country is like and have an opinion about it is by traveling to see it.

Specifically, the city of Doha, Qatari capital, is a common scale in intercontinental flights from Spain to Asian countries with Qatar Airways.

This should not surprise you because you surely know that it is one of the best airline companies in the world, as testified by the numerous awards it has won in recent years.

Although in one stopover in Doha You can have a first approach to the country, as we detail in this article, the truth is that it is very interesting to deepen your knowledge about it, which requires a trip with a stay of at least three or four days.

Best places to see and visit in Qatar

If that is your case, in this article we are going to detail which are the best sites that you should visit during your trip to Qatar.

Since it is a very small country, which geographically is a large desert, Your visit should focus on its capital Doha and its surroundings, including a 4×4 excursion to the desert.

Doha Corniche

The heart of your Doha visit will be the promenade known as The Corniche, Where is he current Royal Palace, and behind which the souk is located.

From The Corniche you have the most famous skyline of Doha, with views of the spectacular skyscrapers of the financial district known as West bay.

And this image with the close-up of the dhow, traditional wooden boats that were used for fishing and pearl collecting, and that are now used as tourists for walks in this maritime area.

A notable corner is the sculpture known as La Perla, in homage to the traditional economic activity of this region of the Arabian Gulf.

Best viewpoints of Doha skyscrapers

In addition to the port area where the aforementioned traditional boats are located, there are two other places with viewpoints From where see the West Bay financial district.

Specifically from the outside terrace of the Islamic Art Museum, an interesting visit to make where you can see a large collection of objects of crafts and decorative arts of 14 centuries of history of the Islamic world.

But better views You can see them from the small hill located at the end of the promenade with palm trees that extends from the aforementioned museum, a park very popular with Qatari families on holidays and where some food truck.

This hill is an ideal place for see the skyline of the skyscrapers at dusk, and in addition to taking a walk, you can reach it aboard one of the golf carts They take you free from the parking lot of the aforementioned Islamic museum.

Royal Guard camel ride in front of the Royal Palace of Qatar

A curiosity for you Doha visit is that at some times of the day, specifically, around 5 in the afternoon, you can see the Royal Guard walking with the dromedaries on the esplanade located in front of the Royal Palace and the port of La Corniche.

The image of the royal guards on camels with the background of the skyscrapers of the financial district is one of the most contrasting in this country.

Souk Souq Waquif in Doha

And the place where you can see the most traditional image of an Arab country as it is Qatar, is without a doubt the Souk Souq Waquif, an essential visit on any trip to Doha.

This great souk begins to come to life in the middle of the afternoon, and is the result of a complete renovation that was carried out after the fire suffered in 2003.

In it, all the buildings from before 1950 were preserved and the different areas were organized by types of businesses.

En Souq Waquif You can walk through exterior pedestrian streets with terraces of bars and restaurants, and you can get lost in the interior passages where clothing, food, spice shops are concentrated...

To highlight the area where they sell birds, and if you are very curious, you can also visit the competition falcons hospital, the second largest in the world, well you should know that the falcon is a national animal in Qatar.

Among the numerous restaurants in the souk, out of curiosity you can visit the Persian restaurant La Parisa, which will catch your attention for its splendid interior decoration.

The price of food in this restaurant is between 40 and 50 euros.

West Bay financial district in Doha

In addition to seeing his skyline from The Corniche, it is worth visiting the West Bay financial district, with its large and very modern skyscrapers, headquarters of large companies and five-star hotels.

There you can see the building Sheraton Hotel, which was the first to be built in this area, which began to be developed from the year 2000 on what was then desert land reclaimed from the sea.

Downtown Msheireb in Doha

Another area visit in Doha is Downtown Msheireb, the oldest commercial district in Qatar.

It is the first pedestrian neighborhood created in the country, where the first schools, the first bank and the first pharmacies were located.

It is also the first place where electricity arrived in 1971.

It is a residential and office area where you will only be able to see people after five in the afternoon.

It has been built taking care of sustainability, and in the Downtown All buildings incorporate solar panels, garbage is transported through underground channels, and you can see it on a free tram that makes a circular route.

I warn you that it will catch your attention to see that the stops are closed glass enclosures with air conditioning inside.

Radwani House in Downtown Doha

At Downtown Doha you have the opportunity to visit the Radwani House, an old mansion that has been converted into a museum that shows what a traditional house in Qatar.

On the free visit you will tour various rooms and rooms decorated with traditional furniture.

Qatar National Museum

One of the best ways to start your visit to Doha is by going to the Qatar National Museum, an impressive building of contemporary architecture where through multimedia presentations and the exhibition of traditional objects you can learn about the history of this small country.

Here you will have answers to many curiosities that one of the richest countries in the world suggests, and you will learn about its rapid development.

Here you have extensive information about the National Museum of Qatar and curiosities of history the country.

Katara, cultural and arts center in Doha

another visit essential on your trip to Qatar es Katara, a place that emulates the architecture of a traditional town and is home to various cultural and art activities.

To highlight the two mosques inspired by others Istanbul y Jerusalem, and one of those that will undoubtedly catch your attention golden minaret tower and external to the mosque.

It also has a large Greek-inspired amphitheater covered in traventine marble and with capacity for 5000 spectators, where dance and classical music events are held.

In front of the amphitheater you will see a beach area where the contrast between the wooden huts and the front with skyscrapers of a nearby neighborhood will catch your attention.

And as a curiosity, in the shopping center with Parisian architecture located next to Katara You can sit on an outdoor terrace enjoying the air conditioning that comes from grilles located on the floor.

The Pearl in Doha

To see the best example of residential architecture which has been built for now in Doha, you must go to the island known as La Perla, an area with canals and leisure ports with large yachts.

Its name comes from the fact that it is an island where pearls were traditionally collected.

At the entrance to this residential area you will pass under a large arch and reach Porto Arabia., where there are Italian-style residential buildings, a hotel, shops and restaurants.

And above all you must reach the area of Qanat Quartier, neighborhood with Venetian style houses where there is no shortage of channels and emulation of the Rialto bridge.

Lusail in Doha

On the outskirts of the city of Doha is lusail, a place occupied by a small town where the founder of Qatar lived, which was abandoned until 2000 when an urban development project began to be designed and launched in 2010.

It is worth approaching visit Lusail because there you can see one of the Qatar's most spectacular skyscrapers, Katara TowerIn addition stadium host of the final of the Soccer World Championship.

Located on the seashore, its surprising design emulates the shape of two crossed swords, one icon image in Qatar which represents honor.

Another skyscraper that will catch your attention is the Marble building, whose structure looks like a Lego.

En lusail you also have the area Marina Food Arena where there are numerous food trucks where to buy food takeaways.

Place Vendome in Lusail in Qatar

And of course you should also visit the Place Vendome shopping center, an impressive French-style complex with an area of ​​more than one million square meters.

Villaggio shopping center in Doha

If you're looking for mall Amazing, Resort It should be a must-see that will take you to other surprising places such as Las Vegas.

Indeed, the interior design of this shopping center is similar to that of the Venice hotel in Las Vegas, with canals and decoration that emulate the city of Venice.

En Resort you will find an exclusive area of luxury brand stores with French style, and also a restaurant area around a large ice rink, all between canals and Venice-type gondolas.

321 Sports Museum in Doha

Next to this shopping center you can see the Califa Stadium, the first to be built in Qatar, which has been remodeled twice, and which hosts matches for the Spanish team.

Attached to the stadium there is a tower where the Sports Museum 321, which is not only dedicated to remembering the best moments and protagonists in the world of football, but also in other sports.

The room where the different Olympic torches from the different countries are grouped is striking. Olympics celebrated, including the one in Barcelona.

But yes, we miss the lack of images of great Spanish athletes. It can't be that there isn't a photo of Nadal or Indurain!

Torch Tower in Doha

In front of Califa Stadium there is another of the Qatar icon buildings, Torch Tower, which emulates an Olympic torch.

With great night lighting, from the cafe located on the 21st floor you have a great panoramic view of the aforementioned stadium and the surrounding area.

Education City in Doha

If you are interested in culture, you should also come to Education City, university and cultural complex which you can also reach in Metro in just 20 minutes from the center.

There you must enter the building Qatar National Library where more than a million books are preserved, most in Arabic and English.

The arrangement of the different book shelves on terraces with three levels is curious.

In this university area with eight faculties, which you can visit on a free tram very frequently, you should also visit its impressive mosque.

With a very modern architectural design that emulates a canteen used in the desert, this mosque and Islamic study center has two minarets that point to Mecca.

The mosque's huge prayer hall can accommodate 1.800 people.