Open left menu dokha. The most interesting and beautiful places in Doha
The capital of Qatar, Doha, or Ad Dhowra as it is known locally, is located on the rocky eastern coast of the Qatar Peninsula. - an Arab country with rich history, and reverently preserving Islamic traditions.
Located in a hot climate where the air temperature reaches + 50 degrees Celsius, the capital of Qatar - Doha - is located in a picturesque corner. It was founded not so long ago - in 1897. The old quarters in the usual Arabic style still attract history buffs. They border on new ultra-modern buildings that fascinate with their beauty, play with mirrored windows, glow in dark time day with colorful lights.
But still, the sights of the “old city” are captivating with their mystery and unusualness. The capital of Qatar was founded by the first emir of Al Thani, who chose a rather attractive location for it, next to the beach and the eight-kilometer seaside esplanade surrounding the capital.
Doha - business center of Qatar
Doha, the capital of Qatar, this small state, is truly the country's largest business center. The country's authorities understand that it is impossible to establish any kind of production here due to the severity of the climatic conditions, so all the efforts of the authorities are aimed at recreating the country of big business.
Doha is like a large construction site on which shopping and entertainment centers, offices and beautiful villas, wonderful artificial islands are being built. This is the pearl island. Businessmen, corporations, billionaires and politicians move their work offices here. The capital of Qatar welcomes guests in a friendly manner popular actors, athletes and tourists.
The tourism business in the country is developing at an accelerated pace, which reduces the risk of the state going bankrupt if oil and pearl production ceases. The country has not made money from pearl divers for a long time, but Natural resources may end. Therefore, Qatar, including the capital Doha, invests all funds in itself, in the development and construction of hotels, expensive villas, in the construction of cultural and business centers. Today Doha is one of the dynamically developing cities in the world.
Holidays in Qatar
Recognized as a famous landmark of the capital National Museum Qatar, which is located in the former palace of Abdullah Bin Mohammed. There is a two-level aquarium equipped here, where the inhabitants of coastal zones are represented. The other part of the museum is given over to the sheikh’s private collection, where you can view interesting exhibits related to the history and ethnography of the country.
Doha is famous for its mosques. One of them is the Al Ahmed Mosque - the most beautiful architectural structure, characterized by luxurious decoration.
Guests of the capital enjoy visiting the ancient fortress, which was the main residence of the first persons of the state.
The Ethnographic Museum is located in an ordinary Qatari house, and the Museum of Islamic Art will be of interest to all tourists interested in the history of the state.
Holidays in Qatar are more suitable for lovers of a hot climate. The capital of Qatar is one of the friendliest places on the planet, the locals are welcoming both in the streets of the city and in the market. Doha has found a worthy place among the world's resorts.
Doha (الدوحة) is the capital and The largest city Arab state of Qatar (قطر), located on the coast of the Persian Gulf. More than 500 thousand people live here, which is about 50% of the country’s population (together with the suburbs, almost 800 thousand people live here). All photographs were taken in June of this year. Some of them are not sharp, since they were taken through the bus window. But general idea about this amazing city that appeared in its modern form literally before the eyes of the current generation in the Arabian desert, I hope I can convey it.
This region has long been famous for the pearls mined here (which were mined here long before oil and gas were discovered in our time). Monument to the pearl shell on the main city embankment.
Doha was founded in 1850, originally called Al Bida. In 1883, the battle of Sheikh Kassim’s troops against the Turkish army took place here. The Ottoman troops were defeated. In 1916, Doha became the capital of the British protectorate of Qatar, and in 1971 - the capital of an independent state. In 1973, Qatar University was opened in Doha, in 1975 - the Qatar National Museum, in 1996 - the Arabic satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera began broadcasting. The silhouette of the modern business center of the Qatari capital is impressive!
Doha is the cultural center of the country. There are several museums in the city, National Library, National University.
The Museum of Islamic Art (متحف الفن الإسلامي) is a museum designed by the architect Bei Yuming. The interior design of the museum's galleries was developed by the team of architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. The museum houses a collection of Islamic art dating back to the late 1980s, which also includes manuscripts, textiles and ceramics. It is one of the most comprehensive collections of Islamic artefacts in the world, with items found or originating from Spain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, India and Central Asia.
Souq Waqif (سوق واقف) is a renovated old Arab market, which is popular not only because there are restaurants and places where you can smoke hookah, but also because they sell a variety of souvenirs and products self made, and there is also a small art Gallery. At the same time, there is no fuss and crush typical for such places. In narrow aisles, vendors sell spices and nuts, and just beyond them you can buy rabbits, birds, kittens and puppies.
FANAR - Islamic Cultural Center with the largest mosque in the country.
A mosque in honor of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, a famous theologian and founder of the Wahhabi movement.
Like these ones modern buildings can be seen in the city surrounded by a desert landscape.
National Convention Center.
The Great Mosque, the Clock Tower and the entrance to the Emir's Palace.
The Palace of the Emir of Qatar from the Corniche.
Part of the business center.
Qatar National Theatre.
Business center from the Corniche embankment.
Modern buildings in Doha.
Palm trees and fountains in front of the Museum of Islamic Art.
Fishing and pleasure boats.
Such beauty now grows in the once lifeless desert.
Embankment.
Katara - opened in 2010, the so-called cultural village - a space where a large number of exhibition halls, restaurants and shops. Tourists come here with pleasure.
Doha from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Doha.
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Doha is the modern Middle East. The capital of Qatar is home to approximately half of the country's total population, and almost all of them are very rich or at least prosperous. Previously, pearls were mined off the local shores of the Persian Gulf, but then huge oil deposits were discovered here, and today every resident of the country receives their share of the profit from this.
Tourists come to Doha to see amazing city, in which skyscrapers and modern rhythm lives coexist with ancient Arabic traditions. Here you can visit luxurious shopping centers and amusement parks, and also see how the Bedouins live. But the favorite pastime of locals and tourists is camel racing, which takes place here in winter and spring, when the heat subsides.
How to get there
Doha has an international airport. Qatar Airways operates flights from Moscow to Doha several times a week.
Search for flights to Doha
Transport Doha
You can travel around the country by train, but to get around the city it is best to take a taxi or rent a car. Taxi fare during the day is 10 QAR per 200 m, at night - 20 QAR.
Car rental
Car rental conditions in Doha are quite favorable: prices are low and for the first ten days you can use a driver’s license from your country; after this period, you must obtain a Qatari temporary license.
Weather in Doha
Doha has a tropical, dry climate. The average temperature in summer is +50 °C, in winter, as a rule, not lower than +7 °C, there is very little precipitation, mainly in winter. It is best to go to Doha in April-May and September-October, at which time the climate is mild - the temperature is slightly above 20 °C.
Money
There are no problems with ATMs; they can be found in any part of the city. Currency exchange offices are located in the south of Doha.
Popular hotels in Doha
Shopping
Doha boasts a large number of traditional markets where you can buy almost anything. In small markets located on the outskirts of the city, you can buy fish, spices and herbs, as well as truffles, dates, Arabic perfumes, dishes, straw products and even exotic plants affordable prices(bargaining is appropriate). You should look for gold at the Sak Gold market, and at the local bird markets they will even sell you a camel.
Those who don't like the hustle and bustle of the market can visit the Hyatt Plaza and Landmark shopping complexes, where you can buy clothes from famous brands, go to the movies and drink coffee. It is also worth visiting the largest complex in the Middle East and the seventh largest in the world, the City Center Doha complex, which, among other things, houses a water park, two bowling alleys, two skating rinks, Ballroom and spa. Women can only skate on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Cuisine and restaurants
IN local restaurants They prepare dishes from lamb, veal, goat meat, poultry, rice, vegetables and fruits, fresh and canned. But pork is prohibited. An important place on the table is occupied by fish, eggs, cheese, as well as onions, garlic, peppers, aromatic herbs and other spices. The peculiarity of Arab cuisine is that meat is usually prepared without the use of fat.
Entertainment and attractions in Doha
The former palace of Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed houses the National Museum of Qatar - the most popular local attraction. There is a huge two-level aquarium, on the upper level - representatives of the local marine fauna, and on the lower level - all undersea world bay, in the aquarium you can see sea turtles, which are almost gone in the Persian Gulf itself. Also in the museum you can get acquainted with the history of the formation of Islam in the country and learn about Arab maritime expeditions.
Real men, defenders, should definitely visit the Museum of Weapons, which presents private collection Sheikh. Also worth visiting are the Ethnographic Museum, which tells the story of Qatar before the oil boom, and the Museum of Islamic Art.
The local fishing harbor is also worth visiting, and children can be taken to Palm Island - Entertainment Center, take you to the Doha Zoo, where desert inhabitants live, or to the Aladdin's Kingdom amusement park, which has more than 18 attractions, an artificial lagoon and a theater. The park has a special work schedule for women.
Not far from Doha is the Shahaniyya Nature Reserve, which is home to white oryx, one of the rarest antelope species. Doha Fort often hosts exhibitions of traditional Qatari crafts. You can also go on a jeep safari through the desert, visiting Bedouin camps, and when it’s not too hot, camel racing and falconry are held in Doha.
Those tourists come here who want to immerse themselves in the world of Arab traditions, taste unusual dishes, get involved in the culture and watch camel racing.
How to get to Doha city?
There is an international airport where planes fly from Moscow three times a week. Once in Qatar, you can travel by train, rental car or taxi.
It is more profitable to rent a car, because the rental conditions are very favorable. The cost is quite low, especially since for the first 10 days you can use a driver’s license from your country. But if you need to drive longer, you will have to get a temporary license.
Climate and weather in Doha
The climate here is tropical and dry. In summer, the average temperature is 50°C, so be prepared to get pretty toasty and warm up the bones. Even in winter it never gets colder than +7°C. It rains very little here. They mainly fall on winter period of the year.
The best time to visit Qatar is April-May or September-October. At this time, the temperature is more or less adequate and stays between +20-23°C.
Qatar - time and currency
The time zone in Qatar coincides with Moscow, so the time there is the same as here in Central Russia.
Currency exchange offices are located in the southern regions of Doha, but there are no problems with ATMs - they are located in all parts of the city.
Sights of Doha, Qatar
The most popular attraction is the National Museum, located in the former palace of Abdullah Bin Mohamed. Visitors are usually very delighted with the huge two-level aquarium, in which representatives of the local marine flora and fauna live on the upper level, and the underwater world of the Persian Gulf is presented below. In addition to the aquarium, the museum has an exhibition telling about the history of the formation of Islam and Arab maritime expeditions.
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If you are interested in military paraphernalia, visit the Weapons Museum, which displays the private collection of the sheikh. Don't miss the Ethnographic Museum and the Museum of Islamic Art.
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Very beautiful and interesting in the fishing harbor. And if you are on vacation with your kids, take them to Palm Island. There is a large entertainment center, a Zoo with desert inhabitants, and the Aladdin's Kingdom park. They will undoubtedly like the latter, because there are more than 18 different attractions, as well as a theater and an artificial lagoon. But the park operates according to a special schedule for women.
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If you are by car, you can go to the Shahaniyya Nature Reserve, which is not far from Doha. White oryxes live here - rare species antelope
And for extreme sports enthusiasts, there is the opportunity to visit a jeep safari in the desert. Along the way you will visit several Bedouin camps.
During periods when it is not very hot in Qatar, the famous camel racing is held here, as well as falconry.
The state of Qatar is very small, but incredibly rich. This is explained by the fact that oil is produced here. Before that, there was mining here and at that time Karat was a boring lagging country.
There are no historical sights to be found here. All the fun stuff happens in this moment time, so have time to get to exhibitions, races and other momentary entertainment.
There is nothing interesting outside of Doha, so for tourists we can roughly put an equal sign between Qatar and Doha.
Only a fifth of the country's population are its citizens, the rest are visiting foreign workers. Here you can meet Indians, Filipinos, and even Americans. Of course, most of the people here are Indians, so even in cinemas films are shown in Hindi.
But becoming a citizen of Qatar is unrealistic - you just need to be born here of a Qatari father.
In our country, little is known about Doha; domestic and European tourists, as a rule, use it only as a transit hub on the way to Asia - Thailand, China or Japan. Meanwhile, one of the richest cities in the world, built in the desert, deserves special attention.
Doha is the capital of Qatar, an emirate (principality) located in the desert on the shores of the Persian Gulf. The country is ruled by an emir who has absolute power - there is no parliament and political parties, A most of property belongs to the state, including international Airport and one of the largest airlines in the world, Qatar Airways. Thanks to oil deposits discovered in 1939 and deposits discovered in 1971 natural gas, Qatari citizens are one of the wealthiest societies in the world. There are quite a few indigenous Qataris in the country - about 350 thousand people, and the state easily provides them with everything they need: free housing, medical care, gives them education, they do not pay for water, gas and electricity, as well as any taxes. You can obtain citizenship of this country only by birth into a family of indigenous people; even marriage to a citizen will not provide any advantages in this regard.
Doha is one of the richest cities in the world
Qatari citizens do not work much - they are mainly managers or shareholders of large local companies. All the “black” work is done by foreigners, of whom more than 1.5 million people live in the country. Positions requiring qualifications (engineers, doctors, teachers, etc.) are occupied by people from Western Europe and America, the restaurants and shops employ mostly Filipinos, and the construction workers are workers from India, Nepal and Pakistan.
2022 FIFA World Cup
In 2022, Qatar will host the FIFA World Cup for the first time in history will pass In winter and summer temperatures there reach 50 degrees Celsius. On this occasion, intensive construction has begun in the country - stadiums, hotels, railway lines are being built, and a metro is planned to be opened in Doha especially for fans and tourists. To local residents it is not needed - they move around the city in their own cars and taxis. There is public transport (buses) in the city, but only immigrants use it.
Historical part of Doha
Doha is an ultra-modern city with a huge amount skyscrapers built from glass, concrete and steel. However, unlike, for example, Dubai, there is a historical part - Old city and a bazaar, built in the nineteenth century, when the city was under the patronage of Turkey and then Great Britain (Qatar gained full independence only in 1971). This is a very interesting and colorful part of Doha, which is definitely worth a visit. There you will find many cafes and restaurants, as well as a market where you can buy everything related to Arab world- spices, gold, hijabs and even falcons. At the same time, we do not recommend behaving in the same way as in other oriental bazaars - bargaining is not accepted in Qatar.
Camel racing and falconry
Unlike Western moneybags, the richest people in Qatar prefer to work little and relax a lot. At the same time, the most popular way to spend free time is national species sports: camel racing and falconry. So don’t be surprised that you can see falcon shops on almost every corner of Doha. The price of this bird starts from 5 thousand dollars, while it will be necessary to spend several thousand more and several months on its training.
Qatar is so passionate about falcons that there is even a special hospital for the birds in Doha, where they are treated for injuries sustained during hunting or training. The hospital, which looks and is better equipped than many similar human facilities, has treatment rooms, an emergency room, and a pharmacy.
Popular entertainment
Desert safaris are another popular pastime for Qataris. In winter, when the temperature drops below 30 degrees Celsius, women and children go to the beach, and men go to the desert to ride SUVs along the sand dunes.
Unfortunately, entertainment for locals is quite expensive and only wealthy tourists can afford them, but everyone else will have to be content with little - sightseeing tour in Doha, which includes a visit to the main attractions of the city: the Old Bazaar, the Museum of Islamic Art, the promenade on the bay.
Practical information
Qatar is an Islamic state, so when going there you must strictly follow certain rules of conduct:
· Undressing is not permitted on public beaches and areas outside the hotel pool. This applies to both women and men;
· When walking around the city, do not wear shorts, short skirts and transparent blouses;
· do not photograph Qataris without their consent, especially women;
· Alcohol can only be consumed in a bar or hotel room;
· homosexuality is illegal in Qatar - punishable by fines or even imprisonment.
