Doha

At the north western end of the Corniche is the main business district, which is noted for its spectacular high rise architecture. Among the prominent commercial buildings are the Qatar Financial Centre and new Doha Exhibition & Convention Centre, as well as the City Center-Doha and The Gate Mall. It is also home to several top hotels, including the Sheraton, Four Seasons, Kempinski, Hilton, Marriott Marquis, Movenpick and W Hotel. The central stretch of the Corniche offers a vista of green parks backed by a number of impressive public buildings.

Lying at the southern end of the Corniche, we find the Al Bidda district, the historical heart of Doha. Visitors can enjoy a wide range of fascinating sights and experiences, including the Museum of Islamic Art, Emiri Diwan, Dhow Harbour, Souq Waqif, Gold Souq, the spiral-shaped Al Fanar Islamic Centre and Al Koot Fort. This area boasts another concentration of hotels. Well known international and regional brands include Crowne Plaza, Mercure, Al Bustan, Century, Oryx Rotana, Concorde, Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels and Marriott.

Lying just to the north of the central business district is the main diplomatic quarter where most of the international embassies are located. There are also several waterfront hotels, including the InterContinental, St Regis and, further out, the Grand Hyatt and Ritz Carlton. This up-and-coming area is where we find two more Doha’s visitor highlights, the new developments of Katara Cultural Village and The Pearl-Qatar.

Inland from the heart of Doha, the outer city and suburbs have plenty to interest the visitors. The Aspire Zone is a vast purpose-built sports complex with a comprehensive range of stadiums, training venues, pools and other facilities, as well as parkland and a lake. Adjacent to the main Khalifa Stadium is The Torch, an iconic tower housing a hotel. Two of Doha’s major malls are also located nearby, Villagio and Hyatt Plaza.

In Al Rayyan district, we can find the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club, venue for twice weekly race meeting from October to May, as well as Education City, the Qatar Foundation's 14 square km campus featuring the Qatar Science & Technology Park, Qatar National Convention Center and the Doha branches of eight major overseas universities, six from the USA and one each from the UK and France. Also worth a visit in Education City is Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art and the Al Shaqab equestrian center, dedicated to the breeding and preservation of purebred Arabian horses.