Doha

About this place

Qatar is a small but very wealthy state on the Persian Gulf. Its capital is compact: the Corniche, the West Bay skyscrapers, the Souq Waqif market and the Katara cultural village all lie within fifteen minutes of one another.

Doha is often visited as a stopover — two to four days en route to Europe or Asia. The airport is fifteen minutes from the centre, which makes a short stay remarkably productive.

What to see

• The Museum of Islamic Art — I. M. Pei's building and the finest collection in the region
• Souq Waqif — the restored traditional market, the falcon souq and its restaurants
• The National Museum of Qatar — Jean Nouvel's 'desert rose' building
• The Pearl and Katara — modern promenades and an amphitheatre
• The Inland Sea (Khor Al Adaid) — where the desert meets the sea directly
• Lusail and the 2022 stadiums — the modern sporting infrastructure

When to go

November to March: +22…+28 °C, the most comfortable period. April and October are shoulder season. From May to September it reaches +45 °C and the programme moves to museums and malls.

Practical information

Entry: Citizens of Uzbekistan enter Qatar visa-free for up to 30 days, issued free of charge on arrival.

Flights: Tashkent — Doha: direct flight, 4 hours. Several flights a day.

Currency: Qatari riyal (QAR). 1 USD ≈ 3.64 QAR — the rate is pegged.