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Qatar is a small Gulf nation, but it will soon welcome a massive influx of football fans from around the world during the biggest football festival on the planet. Besides watching the matches, visitors can also experience other activities when visiting Qatar.
Visit the world's largest museum of Islamic art.
The Qatar Museum of Islamic Art, the world's largest, is known as the Middle Eastern cultural museum in Qatar. The museum covers an area of 48,000 square meters.2Built on an artificial peninsula overlooking the southern part of Doha Bay, it is considered a jewel of Qatar.
Besides its precious artifacts, this is also home to a collection of 21,000 books, including 2,000 rare editions in both Arabic and English.
The museum's architecture is influenced by ancient Islamic architecture but also incorporates modern elements related to geometric patterns. Creamy white limestone is the main material of the museum, intended to highlight the different shades of the day.
The designer of this museum is the Chinese-American architect Ioeh Ming Pie, who was 90 years old when he built it. To design the museum, he spent more than six months traveling to various Muslim countries to learn about their culture, history, architecture, and reading historical texts related to Islam to find inspiration.
Discover Katara Cultural Village
Located on the eastern coast of Doha, this cultural village integrates historical features and inspires art and culture in Qatar. The village includes an open-air lecture hall, theater, cinema, auditorium, handicraft market, book stalls, a beach, and, notably, a diverse range of international cuisine.
National Museum of Qatar
Designed by Jean Nouvel, the museum features a giant desert rose structure that celebrates Qatar's history and culture. The building, designed with models of a series of protruding discs – or rose petals – sits in a prominent location within a newly developed residential area, connecting it to other cultural landmarks including the IMPei Museum of Islamic Art.
The view inside the museum.
The building's striking design is inspired by the desert rose – formed from the crystallization of crystals beneath the surface of a salt pool, found in the saline lands of the desert, which form a network of flat plates resembling rose petals.
With a floor area of 52,000 m²2The museum complex includes the Palace of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al-Thani and the central square, which has been renovated and expanded.
The fairytale Persian market of Souq Waqif
Souq Waqif, also known as the "Qatar Standing Market," is the first and oldest market in Doha, Qatar. Despite the passage of centuries, this Persian market retains its ancient charm and fairytale-like atmosphere.
Souq Waqif is the first and oldest central market in the Qatari capital. Visitors can find a wide variety of goods here, from clothing, scarves, spices, perfumes, to diamonds and essential oils. Notably, the vendors at the market are mostly men.
Markets are not only places for socializing and trading, but also places where ethnic cultures intersect and clearly reflect the cultural identity of the Muslim people. Visiting the Souq Waqif market is like stepping into a world from the fairy tales of "One Thousand and One Nights," filled with fascinating and mysterious things.
Relax and enjoy a vacation at luxury hotels.
Your trip will be even more fulfilling when staying at luxury hotels in Qatar. Impeccable service, modern amenities, and a luxurious atmosphere are what travelers will experience. Furthermore, these high-end hotels are conveniently located near the city center, making transportation easy.
Enjoy Qatari cuisine.
Although Qatar is famous for its Arabic and Middle Eastern cuisine, restaurants and hotels also serve other dishes from around the world, such as Mediterranean, Indian, French, and some neighboring countries. However, local cuisine is something visitors should not miss when they come here.
Qatari cuisine is quite diverse and rich.
