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Sightseeing Overview
Given that Doha was little more than an oasis in the desert less than a century ago, the city is a little short on major tourist sites. The location on the balmy shores of the Arabian Gulf is perhaps its greatest attraction, which can best be appreciated by taking a stroll along the Corniche, the sweeping boulevard that skirts the waterfront.

There are a sprinkling of more cerebral tourist attractions including Doha Fort, the Ethnographic Museum and Qatar National Museum. For sheer relaxation Palm Tree Island, with its beaches and fun rides, is popular with local families and visiting tourists. More modern attractions include the jungle of impressive skyscrapers that are springing up all over the city as it follows Dubai’s blueprint for development.

Outside of the city there are a number of day trips, which those visitors staying more than a couple of days tend to opt for. These include dune-bashing trips around the sweeping desert sands or cruises on traditional wooden dhows that take passengers on a trip back through time.

Tourist Information
Qatar Tourist Authority
PO Box 24624
Tel: 441 1555.
Website: www.experienceqatar.com

Key Attractions:

Corniche
This exotic 7km (4 miles) walkway is the number one attraction in Doha. This is where business people come to get away from the office for a while, young lovers come to stroll and tourists flock to take in views of the city and enjoy what Arabian Gulf breezes there are on hot sunny days.

Free admission.

The Pearl
Doha's pearl shaped answer to Dubai's pioneering artificial islands is a massive island building program of its own. The Pearl is a hugely ambitious project to conjure up 32km (19 miles) of new coastline and create 985 acres of reclaimed land. The first homes are expected to be available at the end of 2008, with the whole project, which will see 40,000 homes built as well as leisure facilities, scheduled to be completed by 2010.

Website: www.thepearlqatar.com

Qatar National Museum
This recently expanded museum sheds light on the history of the city and how it got to where it is today. Highlights include traditional costumes, lavish jewelry and the maritime section that includes an old dhow. Oil and its impact on Qatar is also delved into. The palatial building itself is a fine example of Islamic architecture, dating from 1912.

Corniche
Tel: 444 2191.
Free admission.

Ethnographic Museum
The museum is housed in one of the most attractive structures in Doha, an old wind tower that dates back as far as 1935, an eternity in such a modern city. Designed to self-ventilate, this lovely old building evokes a Doha that existed before the discovery of oil and the rapid development of the emirate and its smattering of exhibits attempt to do the same.

Grand Hamad Street
Tel: 443 6008.
Free admission.

Doha Fort
‘Al Koot', as it is often referred to locally, is a sturdy old fort that was built along Moorish design. It is one of the city's few historical buildings and as such is worth visiting, with a modest display of art and crafts brightening up the interior. The courtyard is also a pleasant venue for relaxing by the fountain on a hot day. Currently being renovated, the fort can be subject to closures.

Jasim bin Mohammed Street
Tel: 441 2742.
Free admission.

Further Distractions:

Palm Tree Island
This is a great place to relax in Doha, an island given over to leisure just off the coast. Take a boat over and in five minutes the modern city has been replaced by a relaxed world of beaches, swimming pools and restaurants. As it is also largely pedestrianized, it is very popular as a safe oasis for families, both local and foreign.

Five-minute dhow trip from the jetty near the Sheraton Doha Hotel and Resort on the Corniche
Tel: 486 9151.
Admission charge.

Al Shaqab Stud
For horse lovers this is the city’s number one attraction, a chance to get right up close to Emir Sheik Hamad Bin Ali Al Thani’s famed horses. Tours include visits to the training grounds and stables, with often the chance to see one of the ultra expensive horses being taken for a trot around the expansive grounds.

Al Rayyan (on edge of the city)
Tel: 480 0348.
Website: www.alshaqabstud.com (under construction)
Admission charge.

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