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The Pearl -

The extraordinary artificial island known as The Pearl should be explored for its luxury residential apartments, villas, hotels, Mediterranean-style marinas, exclusive shopping, and leafy plazas and squares lined with restaurants and cafés. Located in Doha's prestigious West Bay District, the development is referred to as the "Arabian Riviera."

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The Museum of Islamic Art -

Housing one of the most comprehensive collections of Islamic art in the world, this spectacular museum is justly regarded as one of the most prestigious found anywhere. The celebrated Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei (1917–2019) was responsible for the building's design.

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The Museum of Islamic Art -

The museum's priceless and iconic collection represents Islamic art from three continents over 1,400 years. Books and manuscripts on display include this medieval-era Quran.

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The Museum of Islamic Art -

Allow a good few hours to absorb the exhibits, a portfolio that features ancient items fashioned in glass, ceramics, and from metalwork, textiles, and other materials.

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Katara Mosque -

Lined with hand-painted ceramic tile panels in predominantly blue, purple, and turquoise all inlaid with gold leaf, the Katara Mosque is one of the most beautiful and intricate buildings in Qatar.

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Qatar State Mosque -

The national mosque of Qatar is the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque, also known as the Qatar State Mosque. It's constructed in traditional Arab style with modern flourishes.

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Al Zubarah Fort -

Completed in 1938, this historic military fortress situated in the ancient town of Zubarah, which in turn is located on the northwestern coast of the Qatar peninsula, originally served as a coast guard station. Besides being a famous landmark, the fort is also a museum.

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Al Jassasiya Carvings -

Al Jassasiya is the most impressive of Qatar's dozen rock-carving sites. Some 900 images, impressions that include human footprints and outlines of fish, ostriches, and scorpions, make up the most extensive collection of petroglyphs in the area. The earliest are thought to date back to the Neolithic era.

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National Museum of Qatar -

One of the finest cultural institutions in the region, the National Museum of Qatar is immediately recognized for its exterior, designed by noted French architect Jean Nouvel and shaped to resemble desert rose crystal.

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National Museum of Qatar -

The museum preserves numerous rare and precious treasures including the magnificent Pearl Carpet of Baroda, embellished with over 1.5 million pearls along with table cut and occasional rose cut diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires set in gold.

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Umm Salal Mohammed Fort -

The late 19th-century Umm Salal Mohammed Fort is distinguished by its Barzan Towers, a series of watchtowers built to protect a valley where precious rainwater would have been collected when it flowed down from higher ground. While the towers are open to visitors, the fort itself is off limits to the public.

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Katara Cultural Village -

"Katara" was the historical name used for Qatar prior to the 18th century, and at this imaginative visitor attraction they've recreated buildings and facilities to mirror the country's cultural and architectural heritage. A novel attraction are the two pigeon towers, a pair of luxury dovecotes that traditionally shelter pigeons from predators.

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Souq Waqif -

You'll no doubt want to take home a souvenir of your stay in Qatar. The place to browse for traditional garments, spices, handicrafts, and other authentic trinkets and curios is the amazing Souq Waqif, a traditional marketplace that's also home to numerous restaurants and shisha lounges.

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Villaggio Mall -

Those preferring to shop in more luxurious surroundings can spend hours at the Villaggio Mall, located in the Aspire Zone in the west end of Doha. Interiors are Italianate-themed, and there's even a indoor canal with gondolas!

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Qatar National Library -

Bookworms can turn a page or two at the state-of-the-art Qatar National Library. Even if you're not much of a bibliophile, the library's restaurant and café makes for a pleasant diversion, and there might be a show or concert taking place in one of the performance spaces.

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Falcon Souq -

For a glimpse of Qatari heritage, don't miss the Falcon Souq. This Doha market is dedicated to falconry, featuring trained birds and related equipment, and visitors can sightsee these magnificent raptors and meet their handlers.

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Banana Island Resort -

You're spoilt for choice in Doha when it comes to seeking out exclusive beach resorts. Banana Island Resort is a favorite, a composition of water villas set over a crescent-shaped beach. It's anchored off the coast of downtown Doha, and accessible only by private catamaran.

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Katara Towers -

The fabulous Katara Towers stand as one of Qatar's defining buildings. Designed as an architectural translation of Qatar's national seal, representing the traditional scimitar swords, you can admire this remarkable hotel property at Lusail, in the city's Marina District.

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Torch Hotel -

Another emblematic Doha hotel property is The Torch. Standing 300 m (984 ft) tall, the hotel was formerly shaped to represent a colossal torch that for the duration of the 15th Asian Games in 2006 held its symbolic flame, the highest flame in the history of the games.

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Sheraton Grand Doha -

The pyramid-shaped Sheraton Grand Doha is pinpointed by its unusual anvil-shaped roof, from where enviable panoramic views of the city can be enjoyed.

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Strolling the corniche -

Another rewarding way of admiring Doha's breathtaking modern architecture is to stroll along the corniche at West Bay. Time your saunter for dusk and watch the skyscrapers sparkle and glow.

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Bin Zaid -

Bin Zaid—or to give its full name, Abdullah Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center—is distinguished for its mosque, which has a unique minaret design. It is a popular tourist attraction, and allows entry for non-Muslims.

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Al Reem Biosphere Reserve -

Qatar's Al Reem Biosphere Reserve is located in the northwest of the country and is UNESCO protected. The semi-arid landscape with patches of dense vegetation is home to the magnificent Arabian oryx, which is classified as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

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Vulnerable wildlife -

Also found at the Al Reem Biosphere Reserve and likewise classified by the IUCN as Vulnerable is the dainty Arabian gazelle.

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Al Thakira Mangrove Forest -

This mesmerizing habitat of stubbly salt-laced trees is one of the great incongruous surprises of Qatar. Located a short distance from the city of Al Khor, the Al Thakira Mangrove Forest is a fragile ecosystem that attracts migratory birds such as herons and flamingos. At high tide, numerous species of fish swim in and weave through branches and pencil roots. A number of hides are set over the water's surface to accommodate ornithologists and photographers.

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Dhow time -

The wooden vessels you see bobbing on the water along the Qatari coastline are called dhows, traditional boats used for centuries by merchants in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean regions, and along the Eastern Arabian seaboard.

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East-West/West-East -

Appearing like copies of the mysterious monolith in Stanley Kubrick's 1968 sci-fi masterpiece '2001: A Space Odyssey,' the enormous steel plates rising out of Qatar's Brouq Nature Reserve are the work of American artist Richard Serra, who calls his installation East-West/West-East.

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Dune bashing -

Qatar's desert landscape is ideal dune bashing country. Jeeps in convoy drive out of town to defy some truly enormous mountains of sands in a four-wheel safari of a different kind.

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2022 FIFA World Cup -

From November 21 to December 18, Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup—the first World Cup ever to be held in the Arab world. Those visiting the country between now and then can at least catch a glimpse of the stadia set to host the tournament, including Al Thumama Stadium (pictured), the design of which is inspired by the 'gahfiya,' a traditional woven cap worn by men across the Middle East.

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Showpiece venues -

In all, eight stadia situated within a 33-km (21 mi) radius of central Doha will accommodate the tournament, showpiece venues that have been applauded for their state-of-the-art design. Pictured is Khalifa Stadium, which is one of the few venues already built before the World Cup was awarded to Qatar.

Sources: (IUCN) (UNESCO) (The New Yorker) (Daily Mail)

See also: Unexpected celebrity soccer fans 

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