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The Pearl and Qanat Quartier, Doha

Itinerary · Doha · Qatar

One day in Doha

A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Doha, not crossing it.

Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team

Photo: km2bp @ Mapillary.com, CC BY-SA 4.0

Quick answer

One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 3. Day 1: Museum of Islamic Art and National Museum of Qatar. Base yourself in Souq Waqif and Old Doha.

Key facts

Days
1
Sights covered
5
Day trips
None
Best base
Souq Waqif and Old Doha
Book ahead
Nothing essential

Day by day

  1. Day 1: Museum of Islamic Art and National Museum of Qatar

    Museum of Islamic Art, National Museum of Qatar, Doha Corniche and Old Doha Port, then Souq Waqif in the evening.

    1. Morning

      Museum of Islamic Art

      Walk out along MIA Park in the late afternoon for the classic view of the West Bay skyline across the water. Allow 2–3 hours.

    2. Late morning

      National Museum of Qatar

      Allow time for the restored Old Palace in the central courtyard, which many visitors miss. Allow 2–3 hours.

    3. Lunch

      Lunch: Machboos

      Qatari restaurants in Souq Waqif and Katara, and home-style kitchens that serve traditional platters.

    4. Afternoon

      Doha Corniche

      Walk the stretch from MIA Park to the Sheraton Park in the early evening, then take the Red Line back from West Bay. Allow 1–2 hours.

    5. Late afternoon

      Old Doha Port

      Walk here from MIA Park and stay for dinner at one of the seafood restaurants. Allow 1–2 hours.

    6. Evening

      Souq Waqif

      Come after sunset, when the souq is at its liveliest, and eat at one of the grill restaurants on the main lane.

Before you go

If it rains

  • Swap in Msheireb Museums (Msheireb Downtown): Start with Bin Jelmood House, the most moving of the four, and allow about 30–45 minutes for each house.
  • Swap in Qatar National Library (Education City): Combine it with a ride on the Education City tram and a visit to Mathaf nearby.
  • Swap in Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art (Education City): Check what exhibitions are on before you go; the museum changes its displays regularly.

Where to stay for this itinerary

$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture and couples

Souq Waqif and Old Doha

Restored mud-rendered lanes, spice stalls and boutique hotels by the Corniche

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 8–13 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.6 hours in December to 13.7 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Metro. Driverless trains run on the Red, Green and Gold lines with clean, air-conditioned stations.

More or fewer days

Questions travellers ask

+Is one day enough in Doha?

One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 3. How many days Doha needs.