Discovering Doha: The Ultimate Guide to Qatar’s Captivating Capital
On my recent visit to Doha, the capital city of Qatar, I discovered one of the Middle East’s most up-and-coming destinations. Home to some of the region’s most glamorous luxury hotels as well as a cultural identity that prides itself on authentic Qatari heritage, Doha presents a charming contrast between new and old, making it a perfect destination for travellers seeking culture and history.
During a whirlwind three days en route to Sri Lanka, I explored as much of this modern city as I could and came away awed by the sheer amount Doha has to offer the modern traveller. Easy to navigate and brimming with attractions, Doha is an ideal place as a main destination, as a stopover or as part of a multi-centre holiday.
At a Glimpse
The capital of Qatar, Doha is a modern metropolis whose skyscraper-clustered cityscape shimmers beneath the Arabian sun, home to masterpieces of contemporary architecture such as the sci-fi-worthy Tornado Tower and the curiously modelled Doha Tower. Emerging from relative obscurity onto the global stage, this ever-developing city is a place where Qatari heritage and the modern world converge, opening a portal between the old world and the new.
Doha sits on the eastern flank of Qatar, a monarchic peninsular country which resembles a thumb jutting into the glistening waters of the Arabian Gulf. A financial powerhouse of the Middle East, the city has flourished from its humble origins as a sleepy pearling and fishing hub to become a key economic player in the Arab world as oil-rich Qatar has blossomed over the past decades.
Best Time to Visit Doha
The best time to visit the Qatari capital for cooler, more bearable temperatures is between the winter months of December and February, when you may even require a jumper in the evenings. In the summer, the thermometer climbs to scorching heights, making it difficult to be out of the shade for long periods of time. During Ramadan, the city becomes something of a ghost town during the day as locals adhere to strict fasting, though after sundown the city comes alive as people emerge onto the streets to celebrate together and indulge in iftars (elaborate fast-breaking feasts) across Doha’s restaurants.
Getting to Doha
For my visit to Doha, I flew with Qatar Airways, widely regarded as one of the world’s finest airlines because of its exceptional service, top-notch business suite and supreme onboard comfort. Travellers can fly with Qatar Airways to Doha from London Heathrow, with the flight duration averaging at around seven hours. Other airlines that fly to Doha from the United Kingdom include British Airways, who also fly direct from London Heathrow, and Emirates, who stopover in Dubai from London Heathrow on the way to Doha.
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