Attractions in Doha Qatar
Things to do in Doha Qatar
Horse riding
Being home to beautiful Arabian horses, called 'Oryx', visitors are encouraged to visit the Shahaniya Oryx Farm. It is the best place to get first hand experience with horses that are at the pure-bred Arab Show and Al Shaqab Stud Farm.
Sports activities
Tourists entering Qatar can look forward to participating in several kinds of water sports and cruising activities, particularly sailing and scuba diving are the favourites among foreign visitors. Meanwhile, for the golf enthusiasts, there is the Doha Golf Club at the World Championship Golf Course designed by Peter Harradine.
Shopping
Doha has several amazing shopping complexes for shopaholics. You get to purchase almost anything from small stalls at the souqs to the City Centre Doha, one of the biggest shopping complexes in the Middle East. Souq Waqif could be the ideal place to shop for those seeking souvenirs or traditional handicraft items. This is also one of the oldest traditional markets in Barzan Tower in Doha.
The Gold Souq
The Doha Golf Souq brings intricate hand-made jewelry in small workshops, traditional cartouche, and pearls. For visitors who love gold, precious stones, silver or pearls, then Doha Gold Souq is the right place for shopping. Here little shops compete with each other in offering best prices and hand-made designs. A few shops you could consider visiting are Kingdom Gems and Jewelry, wherein beautiful hand-made designs are displayed, Noora Jewelry – wherein you can have Cartouche (a square rectangle of gold with your name written in latin on one side and in Arabic on the other). Walking inside the covered jewelry market, you could find Bani Yalah Gold and jewelry store offering a range of pearls with spectacular designs. Apart from all this, silver flasks, Aladdin style lamps, old coins and currency are all part of the variety available here.
Villagio Mall
Located amidst the Sport City and Hyatt Plaza at the Al Waab Street, Doha, Villagio is one of the best malls in Qatar. The ceilings here represent the sky, giving the feeling of being outdoors while indoors. Different areas of the mall represent different times of the day. Another unique aspect of this mall is the canal that runs through the center, complete with gondola. There are bridges across the canal, and comfortable chairs lining its sides for resting. There is also the 13 screen IMAX 3D cinemas now displaying superb 3D films and the normal type. Among the other attractions are ice-skating rink, food court, roller-coaster, restaurants and cafes, and the fast food joints.
As for shopping in the mall, there are more than 220 stores spread across 130,000 sqm of retail space, one of the largest in the country. There are several branded stores including the Boots, Virgin, Apple Computers, Carrefour, Topman, Oasis, Topshop, and more.
Eateries
Qatar has endless options food, most of which are excellent. For those of you who enjoy European cuisine, a hotel like the Marriott or the Ramada, offering excellent sushi could be the choice. However, only major hotels in town have the choice of having drinks with your meal. There is authentic Indian and Pakistani food outlets too, scattered across the city, ranging from family-oriented place to basic catering being undertaken for employees. For excellent Thai cuisine, visit Thai Twin (near the Doha Petrol Station and computer souqs) or Thai Snacks (at Marqab Street). Ofcourse, there is Middle Eastern cuisine everywhere and in several forms, including breads, kebabs, hummus and so on. Having food at a Souq is also a unique experience.