Jutting northwards into the Arabian Gulf, Qatar is one of the world’s smallest countries in the area, yet it ranks second in terms of average per capita income, right after Luxembourg. Qatar’s main wealth is natural gas, and since it does not pollute the environment like oil, the prosperity of the Qatari economy is expected to last for a long time. In addition, Qatar has proven reserves that can last for 609 years at the current consumption level! Over the past five decades, the country has promoted itself to tourists as a thriving oasis in the deserts of the Arabian Gulf. Nowadays, Qatar is famous for its excellent tourist attractions around luxury, sports, stunning scenery, and fun activities. In addition, Qataris are one of the most generous people on earth, and they uniquely welcome all their guests.
However, traditions and origins still prevail, so you will not find traditional casinos or sports betting shops. Although the Qataris themselves love gambling and have contributed to the history of blackjack game in particular, they prefer to play in Mayfair and Las Vegas casinos. They do not like to have any gambling facilities in their country. However, there are a lot of great and attractive activities that you can do in Qatar, including water sports and museums that showcase the tremendous artistic and cultural history of this country.
It is possible to visit Qatar throughout the year; The Qatari winter is similar to the European summer, but the temperature is suitable in the summer thanks to the outdoor air-conditioners that cool the streets.
Whether you want to travel to Qatar for a weekend or if you want to spend a long vacation there, here are the most prominent places that you can visit in this beautiful country.
1. Lusail City
Lusail City is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in Qatar. This city has all the amenities and luxuries suitable for a great vacation. Lusail is the Qatari cultural melting pot that fuses modernity with Islamic architecture, local culture, and modern architecture.
In addition, this city has a beautiful stadium that will be used for the opening and final matches of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The State of Qatar has planned for Lusail to be the first sustainable city in the world to rely on clean energy and reduce carbon emissions. The city has a lot of luxury hotels, retail stores, water parks, and a lot of other forms of entertainment. Currently, the most prominent place in Lusail City is Place Vendome, one of Qatar’s biggest malls and an excellent place to take pictures and try the local food.
2. Qatar National Museum
Qatar National Museum overlooks the banks of the Corniche. This museum presents the three phases of Qatar’s history – inception and beginning, pre-oil, and modern history. In this museum, you will find enough reasons to fall in love with this small country, and you will learn about the daily life of Qatari people before the discovery of the great mining wealth that changed the face of all the Gulf states. In fact, the museum building is a masterpiece of art and engineering in itself. It was designed by the famous architect Jean Nouvel and represented the shape of the desert rose, which holds a special place in Qatari culture. The museum building includes more than 11 galleries that sell counterfeit art, which you can buy a piece of to keep something from Qatar inside your home. In addition, there are plenty of cafes, restaurants, parks and other facilities.
The museum works from Sunday to Wednesday from 9 am to 7 pm, on Thursday and Saturday it works from 9 am to 9 pm, and on Friday it works from 1.30 pm – 9 pm
3. The famous inland sea of Qatar
If you want to discover the Qatari desert, you should visit the Qatar Inland Sea at least once. Located only 60 kilometres from the centre of the capital Doha, this wonderful nature reserve is recognised by UNESCO. It is considered one of the most amazing natural places in the Arabian Gulf and one of the few places where dunes meet the sea. In addition, you will enjoy seeing turtles, dugongs and dolphins. The access road can be difficult for tourists, so you can depend on a local guide or drive a 4×4 vehicle.
4. Souq Waqif
Like water sports and nature, shopping in Qatar is just a way of life! Souq Waqif is the traditional Qatari market and one of the oldest markets in Qatar. Not only does this place have shops that sell everything, but it also features unique architecture, some of the finest restaurants, and an amazing view of the Corniche. This market operates from Saturday to Thursday from 7:30 AM until 12:30, after which it is partially closed to be reopened from 3:30 PM until 10 PM. Since Friday is the official holiday in Qatar, the market is open from 12:30 pm to 10 pm.
5. Gold Market
If you are a fan of gold, diamonds and precious stones, you should visit the Gold Souk at least once. This market houses branches of the world’s best jewellery makers and shops for local sellers. The location plays a key role in the popularity of this market as it is located in the centre of the capital, and can be reached from anywhere using mass transit, rapid metro or private cars.
6. Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is located in Education City. It houses more than 9,000 unique pieces of art collected over 25 years by Sheikh Hassan bin Mohammed bin Ali Al Thani from many Eastern countries. Some of the exhibits in this museum date back to the nineteenth century AD. Interestingly, this museum gives its visitors a free tour where they are told all about the museum’s exhibits. The Museum of Modern Art operates on Fridays from 1.30 pm until 7 pm and from Saturday to five from 9 am to 7 pm.
7. Katara Cultural Village
Katara Village is a beautiful cultural city that highlights the Qatari Arab culture and includes many libraries, art galleries, theatres and cinemas. In addition, it has a large selection of cafes and restaurants. Through Katara Cultural Village, all visitors can explore the roots of the Qatari culture and how it reached this stage of growth and development. There is no opening and closing time for Katara Village as it is available around the clock.
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Hello all! My name is Daniel Klink, and I’m the Director of Marketing and Content at the Arab Casino HEX portal. My primary passion is to provide accurate and comprehensive knowledge about the world of gaming to all readers and followers of our portal. My core values are sincerity, objectivity and transparency. You can find out more information about him through the previous link.