Travel Guide for a Self-Guided Tour of Doha - Backpack and Snorkel Qatar Purple Travel Guide
Today, we will explore some of the highlights of Doha in Qatar: the Museum of Islamic Art, the Corniche, and Souq Waqif. We provide detailed information and the best things to see and we show lots of photos so you know what you can expect.
As today is your first full day in Qatar, and you may be jet-lagged, we are taking it our time to visit the three above mentioned highlights of Doha.
1) Museum of Islamic Art
2) Corniche
3) Pearl Monument
4) Desert Rose Restaurant
Souq Waqif
5) Bird Souq
6) Camel Pen
7) Falcon Souq
8) Golden Thumb Statue
9) Gold Souq
A) Parisa Souq Waqif
Here at Backpack and Snorkel Travel Guides, we typically promote self-guided walking tours.
But we realize that not everybody likes to walk by themselves in a foreign city. So, just in case that you rather go with ab guide: NO PROBLEM! Please see the tours below.
Table of contents
Museum of Islamic Art in Doha
Opened in 2008 and located on an artificial peninsula on the southern end of the Corniche, the 480,000 sqft (45000 m2) museum is one of the top attractions in Doha.
The building’s impressive architecture inside and outside is complemented with beautiful views of the southern end of Doha Bay with Doha’s wonderful skyline.
The museum is located directly north of MIA Park, which ensures a tranquil atmosphere aways from the hustle and bustle of Doha.
After its renovation and reopening in 2022, the museum houses Islamic Art including books, ceramics, glassware, jewelry, metal work, textiles, and woodwork from three continents dating from the 7th - 20th century on three floors.
Part of the collection are several historically and religiously important Quranic manuscripts.
Reserve 2-3h or more for this museum.
At the time of writing, admission is QAR100 per adult. Our recommendation is to buy the Silver One Pass for QAR99 that gives you free access to the Museum of Islamic Art and the National Museum of Qatar tomorrow.
Unfortunately, the website that used to sell One Passes is down for some time now, potentially signaling upcoming changes. So, make sure to ask for One Pass or other discount passes when you buy your admission tickets at the register.
After your visit, you can either walk towards the Corniche, or spend some time in MIA Park. MIA Park comprises all the grassy area including the waterfront promenade that you can see after you get out of the museum.
Corniche in Doha
The Corniche is a 4.3-mile (7 km) waterfront promenade along Doha Bay between the Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel in the north and the Museum of Islamic Art in the south.
While you walk along the Corniche to your next destination, you will have various views of Doha’s beautiful skyline to your left (south), but also to your right (north) across the bay. And, of course, take a closer look at the Dhows that are moored here.
Pearl Monument in Doha
The Pearl Monument is a fountain in the shape of a giant oyster holding a huge pearl. It commemorates Qatar’s history of pearl harvesting and trading, which was Qatar’s main industry before the oil and gas drilling.
The monument is a good photo spot during the day and especially at night when it is beautifully lit up.
Now cross the busy Al Corniche street to the south and walk towards Souq Waqif. If you are following this walking tour, then it should be around lunch time.
There are several restaurants at Souq Waqif and it should not be difficult to find a restaurant that suits your taste.
One restaurant that we liked as it offers a variety of dishes that taste really good is Desert Rose Restaurant.
Desert Rose Restaurant at Souq Waqif in Doha
We really liked this restaurant and its wide selection of Qatari and Arabian dishes as well as pasta, pizza, hamburger, etc. dishes. You can choose to sit outside or inside in the nicely decorated air-conditioned dining room. The service was very good and the food tasted very good too.
And, of course, they accept credit cards (Visa and Mastercard).
Souq Waqif in Doha
Souq Waqif is a marketplace (souq) where you can buy traditional textiles and clothing, spices, handicrafts, souvenirs, pets and falcons and accessories for hunting.
It consists of buildings that were mostly built in the late 19th to early 20th century. When it was built, it was directly adjacent to Doha Bay, but over time part of the bay was artificially filled, moving the waterfront farther north.
In the 1990s, the souq fell into disrepair, much of it was destroyed in a fire in 2003. After extensive restoration efforts, which included bulldozing all buildings that were built after 1950, and restoring older buildings in traditional style, Souq Waqif reopened in 2008.
Our recommendation is to just walk around and immerse yourself in the life here. Walk into the narrow hallways that are lined with stalls on either side and take a look at the merchandise.
You will find that only a minority of customers are tourists.
Take it slow, you will spend the rest of the day here.
Here is some guidance on things to check out:
Bird Souq in Souq Waqif in Doha
If you have eaten lunch at the Desert Rose Restaurant, then you will likely get to the Bird Souq first, as it is located only a few feet away.
In this part of the souq you will see lots of stores selling exotic birds, but also other types of pets.
Even if you are not in favor of seeing caged animal vendors, there are plenty of stores and stalls that sell other products in narrow interior hallways and exterior walkways and plazas.
Camel Pen in Souq Waqif in Doha
The Camel Pen houses various camels during the day and at night. You can walk up to the fence that encloses the pen to get a better look. No admission is charged.
Falcon Souq in Souq Waqif in Doha
Falcons are the national birds of Qatar.
Falconry is a historical tradition in the Arab world. More than 5,000 years ago, nomads in Iran used falcons to hunt for fresh meat. This tradition and art to train falcons to hunt was brought to Qatar by Bedouins.
Today, falcon owners in Qatar take special care of their falcons and hold pride in them as they symbolize courage and pride.
Depending on their type (breed) and training, falcons can be valued between QAR 30,000 to over 1 million QAR!
Places like the Falcon Souq sell falcons of various breeds and training levels, and lots of accessories for training and hunting. There is also a falcon hospital at the Falcon Souq.
Golden Thumb Statue in Souq Waqif in Doha
The central position at the top of Al Souq Street at the heart of the bustling restaurant area of Souq Waqif was selected by Qatar Museums as the location for the Golden Thumb Statue.
The Pouce, or Golden Thumb in English, is an artwork of César Baldaccini (1921-1998) who was born of Italian parents in Marseilles, France. Baldaccini was a key figure in the French 1960s art movement Noveau Réalisme, emphasizing the use of everyday objects over traditional art materials.
The original cast of the Baldaccini’s own thumb was first produced for an exhibition in 1965 in Paris. He then made a series of increasingly larger versions of the thumb and eventually this became the most well-known of his creations.
At night, the polished bronze sculpture reflects and complements the glow of the street lighting and, during the day, its bright sun reflection make it easily visible from a distance.
Gold Souq in Souq Waqif in Doha
If you a looking for gold jewelry or if you just want to do some window shopping for anything gold, look no further. The Gold Souq has you covered.
Even if you not after are gold, but other precious metals like platinum, silver or gems, you will likely find what you are looking at the Gold Souq.
The stores of the Gold Souq are spread over several streets and while many stores offer similar products at similar prices, some set themselves apart with extra intricate designs and the option to customize your gold jewelry.
Apparently, lots of people look for customized jewelry that has their name written in Arabic.
Dinner at Parisa Souq Waqif in Doha
The restaurant Parisa Souq Waqif is renowned for its beautifully decorated Arabic interior. You will see Arabic designs everywhere from the entrance to the dining rooms all the way to the restrooms. We loved it.
We also liked the taste and quantity of the food they serve and the selection of dishes.
It is important to note that you need to reserve a table in order to dine here.
Their website asks that you make a reservation via WhatsApp (+974 5591 7702), but they never answered my request.
I showed up at 6:30pm when they open and get a table at 8:30pm, but you should not count on it.
You can try the reservation request on their second website or call them at the number provided there.
At the time of writing, the opening hours are:
- Mondays – Wednesdays and Sundays: 6:30pm - 10:30pm
- Thursdays – Saturdays: 12:30pm - 3:30pm, 6:30pm - 10:30pm
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