The FIFA World Cup may be over, but going beyond the glossy stadiums and commercial complexes that sprang up for the mega event, the Qatari capital has much to offer to first-time visitors. From a buzzing sustainable downtown, captivating museums for a deep dive into history in a city now reputed as a prime cultural destination in the Middle East and new beaches lining the shoreline, Doha has put in place something for everybody.
Museum hopping
In a city that is home to a plethora of museums that are educational yet entertaining, the one that should top your list is the Museum of Islamic Art, which was refurbished recently. Located on an island in the Corniche area, this iconic museum stands out because of its unique architecture and the sheer fact that it is home to one of the largest collections of Islamic art. Once you are done admiring the magnificent ornate chandelier that catches your eye as soon as you enter, wander around the mix of permanent and temporary galleries spread over four levels.
Each gallery is dedicated to a region or empire and includes textiles, coins, and jewellery that range from 7th-century Ottoman manuscripts to 16th-century textiles. There’s a cafe on the ground level and IDAM, a restaurant on the top floor by chef Alain Ducasse.
If you’re a football or sports fan, then a visit to the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum has to be part of the itinerary. The design of the cylindrical glass building, which lies encased in the Olympic rings in blue, yellow, green, white and red, is stunning. Once inside, explore the seven galleries that range from the history of sports across the world, the Olympics and a gallery that features about 90 famous athletes including cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. Don’t skip the interesting FIFA gallery that showcases how Doha geared up for the mega event. The most fascinating is the Activation Zone where among other physical activities you can pedal a hand cycle, paddle a boat, or push a jeep out of sand to test your stamina, core, upper strength body and more.
Designed by some of the world’s top architects, each museum building in Doha is unique. But it is the National Museum of Qatar, which is shaped like a beautiful desert rose, which literally takes one’s breath away. The ‘desert rose’ is a rock formed when minerals crystallise. Before walking in, stand outside for a few minutes and take in the intricate facade that looks as if different pieces of cantilevered disks have been placed together precariously. As you roam around, the different galleries move from the past to the present and then get a peek into how this nation envisages its future.
The first gallery talks about how Qatar was formed geologically more than 700 million years ago while the others feature its natural environments, archaeology, the people’s lives in the desert, the pearl industry, the transformational discovery of oil and more. The oldest artefact is a 400 million-year-old fossilised fish. Don’t miss the special exhibition by Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist named ‘Your Brain to Me, My Brain to You.’ The stunning installation with 12,000 LED lights keeps changing colours as one navigates between them.
Doha’s Downtown
Ever thought there would be a city centre in Doha, on the lines of those in European cities? In fact, Doha is home to the world’s first sustainable downtown area that’s lined with hotels, shops, restaurants, museums and offices. The sustainability comes from green features like rainwater harvesting to shady overhangs that make it cooler and contemporary.
Lying close to Souq Waqif, which is more than two centuries old, it is easy to walk around here to get a sense of the place but if temperatures are sizzling, then hop on to the tram that takes about 18 minutes to complete a 2 km long loop. There are four houses here that double up as museums. For example, Bin Jelmood talks of slavery in the Gulf region while Company House showcases how oil was discovered. Or just enjoy some shopping.
Beach hopping
Dip your toes into the warm sands of three new beaches that the city introduced last year — West Bay Beach, B12 Beach Club, and Doha Sands. Water babies are going to love these beach clubs that are family-friendly. There are loungers, a children’s play area, beach volleyball and some really great food at B 12 Beach Club and it’s a place where you can let your hair down.
Doha may have arrived on the global map with the FIFA World Cup, but for first-time visitors it offers diverse experiences compared to destinations such as Dubai and Oman as it combines the old with the new.