Doha itinerary: the best guide for your first visit

Doha was the first place I visited in the Middle East. I opted for a visit to the capital of Qatar because I had a layover there on my way to Kenya and Qatar Airways offers a great stopover program. In this blog post I will share the best Doha itinerary when you visit for the first time. This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.

Are you looking for help with planning your trip? Check out these helpful resources:

What should I visit in Doha?

Souq Waqif

The Souq Waqif is the old part of town. It’s a traditional market where you can find clothes, food, souvenirs, among other things. There are also a lot of restaurants. You can try traditional Qatari dishes in local restaurants, or you can opt for other cuisines. The food scene in Doha is great. They have a lot of options!

The Souq is the perfect spot for a leisurely stroll. Just get lost in the narrow streets, admire the stunning architecture, and do some shopping. Besides the Souq Waqif, Doha is a modern city. So everything else will have skyscrapers, impeccable infrastructure, and state-of-the-art new facilities. I loved the difference between this old part of town and the ultra modern side of Doha.

Falcon Waqif

Right next to Souq Waqif you can find the Falcon Waqif. The falcon is the national bird of Qatar. I learned that a lot of people have falcons in Qatar and that this is a sign of wealth. They even have a falcon hospital in the Souq to take care of injured falcons.

Falconry is a big deal in Qatar. It is a tradition from the Bedouin tribes where falcons were trained to hunt birds that were used for food.

If you go to the Falcon Waqif you can find a lot of falcon shops and training places. You will even see men sitting outside with a falcon on their arm. I approached one of them and I asked him if I could take a picture of him and the bird. He said yes and then asked me if I wanted to hold the falcon. Of course I said yes.

I went into his shop, he instructed me what to do and once I was holding the bird he took pictures and videos of me with the falcon. It was such an amazing experience! He was super friendly, took so many pictures, and he made sure I had this nice souvenir and memory from my trip to Qatar. I highly recommend you explore the Falcon Waqif when you’re in Doha.

Palace Guard Camels at Amiri Diwan

This is such a cool activity! Every day around 8-9am and 4-5pm the guards walk on camels in front of the palace where the Emir of Qatar lives. If at Buckingham Palace in London you can see the change of guards in Doha you can see the guards on camels.

The parade is free for the public, you just have to walk by when they are outside. It’s a great way to experience the local culture. The Amiri Diwan is close to Souq Waqif, so when you’re in the area make sure you do this too.

The guards and the camels come quite close to the sidewalk, so you’ll be able to see the action up close. One of my favorite memories from Doha!

Katara Cultural Village

Katara Cultural Village is a collection of museums, galleries, and outdoor art. There is also a mosque, an amphitheater, and a street that has a lot of shops. This street is called 21 High Street and it even has outdoor air conditioning so you are comfortable as you walk from shop to shop. You read that right! Outdoor air conditioning!

Doha gets super hot, especially during the summer, so this is amazing. When I was there at the end of October there was a heatwave with temperatures around 40C/104F and high humidity. Being able to cool down a bit on this street felt incredible.

Mina District

Mina District is the most colorful neighborhood in Doha. All houses are painted in pastel colors and a good number of them have murals painted on them. The entire place is super instagrammable.

You can walk around, take pictures, and marvel at the beauty of this place. There are also plenty of restaurants and cafes if you want to grab a bite.

The neighborhood is by the water and there are places where you can get amazing views of the water and of Doha. Mina District has a different vibe compared to the other parts of the capital city of Qatar and I loved it.

Doha Mountains by Ugo Rondinone

The Doha Mountains are a colorful sculpture made by Ugo Rondinone. It’s basically three towers made of big stones that are painted in bright colors. The work of art is at 974 Beach in Doha. You can walk on the beach or on the waterfront promenade. There are also benches where you can sit down and enjoy the view.

the author in front of a colorful sculpture in doha

Admission is free. There aren’t a lot of people coming here. When I went there was just a family that left a few minutes after I arrived. Then I had the place to myself for at least 15-20 minutes. I could take all the pictures I wanted. It’s such a great spot! Plus, you’ll get a really nice view of Doha Corniche.

You can find a very similar sculpture, also made by Ugo Rondinone, right outside of Vegas.

National Museum of Qatar

A visit to the National Museum of Qatar is a great way to learn more about Qatar’s rich history. There are a lot of exhibits that will show you how Qatar evolved over the years into what it is today.

The museum’s unique exterior shape is also worth noting. The architecture is stunning. The building is a work of art in itself.

Villaggio Mall

Villagio Mall is a shopping center that was built to resemble Venice. It has an indoor canal and you can take gondola rides along the mall. There are bridges that resemble the ones in Venice. And there are decorations and light projections to make you feel like you’re in Italy.

The mall is quite large and it has a lot of shops. Everything from regular brands to luxury brands. It also has plenty of cafes and restaurants if you get hungry and need to refuel. It’s a great place to shop and pretend like you’re in Venice.

Desert safari

If you would like to experience some desert adventures, then a desert safari where you go dune bashing, camel riding, and sandboarding on sand dunes might be up your alley. There are desert safaris being offered every day multiple times per day. They also include photo stops at Qatar’s inland sea.

Hamad International Airport

Yes, I added the airport on the list of things you need to see in Doha. That’s because the airport has a botanical garden in the terminal! You need to explore it. It’s close to the North part of the terminal. If you’re on the South side, just take the airport train and you’ll get there in about 5 minutes.

The garden is such a peaceful oasis. You can walk, sit down on benches, or sit down on some of the lawns. I even saw someone meditating there. It’s absolutely beautiful. There are also sounds of birds chirping, which makes the entire experience even better. It’s the perfect place to relax a bit during your layover.

Where should I stay in Doha?

4 star hotels

The hotels in Doha are really nice and affordable and there are plenty of options. If you visit Doha through Qatar Airways’ stopover program, then you can access some amazing deals for 4 and 5 star hotels. I stayed at Embassy Suites by Hilton Doha Old Town and I paid about $150 for 4 nights. I think that’s a really good deal.

5 star luxury hotels

If you want a more luxurious option then here are some great options: The Chedi Katara Hotel, Souq Al Wakra Hotel, Mandarin Oriental Doha.

What should I eat in Doha?

Karak

Karak is Qatar’s famous tea that is made with black tea, milk, sugar, and spices like cardamom, cinnamon, or cloves. It is similar to chai, but it has a milder spice profile.

It tastes great, but it is really sweet, so a small cup is probably enough if you want to sample this local beverage. There are places in Doha that only serve karak and there is always a line, so you can imagine it’s a very popular drink. I got mine at Tea Time in Souq Waqif.

Kunefe

In Souq Waqif there is a desert place that apparently sells the best Kunefe in Qatar. It’s called Al Aker Sweets. Besides kunefe they also serve a variety of other sweets such as baklava.

The kunefe comes in two varieties: soft and crunchy. I tried the crunchy one. It was tasty and not too sweet. I also sampled some of their other sweets and they were all delicious.

The servers were very friendly, spoke English, and they recommended what I should try.

They have tables outside, but not inside. Make sure you catch a spot in the shade, otherwise it will be too hot to eat outside.

Hummus

I love hummus. I had it every day in Doha for brunch, alongside grilled haloumi cheese with vegetables, and a glass of mango juice. So good! I had it at Damasca One restaurant in Souq Waqif. It’s a Syrian restaurant, it has plenty of seats, the food is great, and the staff is very attentive.

Indian food

There is a large Indian population in Qatar, so there are plenty of very good Indian restaurants. Bukhara Caravan (mid-budget restaurant) and Jamavar (fine dining restaurant) are both great choices if you’re craving Indian food.

FAQs about Doha

What is the best time for a trip to Doha?

I think the best time to visit is November – March. The temperatures are milder during this period, usually below 30 degrees Celsius / 86 F. I visited in late October and it was still really hot. There was a heatwave during one of the days I was there and the temperature reached 40+C/104+F. It was also really humid. It was hard for me to handle this heat. I can’t even imagine what’s it like during the summer months.

How to get cell phone data when visiting from abroad?

The cheapest and most convenient way to get data while visiting from abroad is to buy an eSIM. An eSIM is a digital SIM that lets you activate a data plan from a provider without having to use a physical SIM card. They are super easy to use.

I use Nomad eSIM (use code IOAN43TM for 25% off your first purchase). You can go to their website, select the country you’re traveling to, select how many GB of data you want, and how many days you want the eSIM to be active for. After you pay you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to activate the eSIM.

You can activate it on your phone and the process takes under 1 minute. Once the eSIM is activated you don’t have to do anything else. When you’re at your destination you will automatically get data.

Do people speak English in Doha?

Yes, people speak English in Doha. It’s easy to communicate in English everywhere in Doha.

Do I need cash?

I didn’t use cash at all when I visited, I paid for everything with a credit card. But it’s always recommended to carry some cash with you so you can tip tour guides.

Pro tip: always get cash from an ATM in the airport instead of going to an exchange place. Your bank will always have better exchange rates when taking out cash in a foreign currency from an ATM.

How many days do I need in Doha?

I think 3 days are enough to see the main attractions in Doha since it’s not such a large city. If you want to explore fewer attractions, then a short visit during a long layover is enough.

How can I get around Doha?

Doha is not a very walkable city since attractions are quite far from one another. And it gets really hot, so you don’t want to walk too much in the sun anyway.

I found Ubers and taxis to be very affordable, so that’s what I did during my trip to get around Doha. Plus, they are really convenient.

Doha does have a subway system, so you can also use this public transport option if you don’t want to use a car all the time.