Doha

Qatar · 6 sights · guided virtual tour

Welcome to Doha, the capital, largest city and financial heart of Qatar. It lies on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, and more than 80 per cent of Qatar's people live in Doha and its suburbs. The city was founded in the 1820s as an offshoot of Al Bidda and became the official capital in 1971, when Qatar gained independence from being a British protectorate. Since then it has hosted major events, from the 2006 Asian Games to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Let's begin on the waterfront.

Sights

1. Museum of Islamic Art ▶ Listen

   At one end of the Corniche rises the Museum of Islamic Art, designed by the architect I. M. Pei. Following his wishes, it was built on its own island off an artificial peninsula, near the traditional dhow harbour. A park wraps around the eastern and southern sides, and two bridges link the museum to the mainland, while the harbour laps against its other facades, a nod to Qatar's seafaring past. In 2022 it became the first museum in the Middle East to be certified carbon-neutral.

2. Souq Waqif ▶ Listen

   

   Welcome to Souq Waqif, the standing market, where you can browse traditional garments, spices, handicrafts and souvenirs, then settle into a restaurant or shisha lounge. The original building is an example of traditional Qatari architecture from the late 19th or early 20th century. Here is a surprising detail: the souq once stood right on the shore, so that boats could reach it from Doha Bay. Land reclamation for the Corniche in the late 1950s and early 1960s pushed the coastline about 335 metres further north.

3. National Museum of Qatar ▶ Listen

   Before you is the National Museum of Qatar, opened in 2019 in a striking building by the French architect Jean Nouvel. His inspiration was the desert rose, a crystal found in Qatar. The site also includes the palace of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani, described as the heart of Qatari national identity. Inside, a loop of eleven galleries leads you from the natural history of the desert and the Gulf, through Bedouin life, to the discovery of oil.

4. The Pearl-Qatar ▶ Listen

   

   Out in the sea lies The Pearl, an artificial island of nearly 4 square kilometres. It created 32 kilometres of new coastline, and it was the first land in Qatar that foreign nationals could own outright. When the project was revealed in 2004 it was expected to cost 2.5 billion dollars, but by the time it was completed the figure had grown to about 15 billion. The island is divided into 12 districts, each with its own architectural style, drawing on Arabic, Mediterranean and European themes.

5. Katara Cultural Village ▶ Listen

   

   Welcome to Katara Cultural Village, on the coast between West Bay and The Pearl. It was built on reclaimed land and opened in 2010 to host arts and cultural events. It was designed to look like a traditional Qatari village, with low, sand-coloured, flat-roofed buildings, shaded alleys and courtyards. Behind those walls are galleries, theatres, concert halls and a cinema. When you need a break, head to Katara Beach, 1.5 kilometres long, for a swim or a spin on a pedal boat.

6. Doha Corniche ▶ Listen

   

   Let's finish with a walk along the Doha Corniche, a waterfront promenade that curves for seven kilometres around the crescent-shaped Doha Bay. It links the modern business district of Al Dafna in the north with the historic parts of old Doha in the south. This green stretch of open space is where the city comes together: it is the main stage for national celebrations such as the Qatar National Day Parade and National Sports Day, and it has become a symbol of Doha's modernisation.

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