Qatar’s unique location in the Middle East makes it a common layover for travellers heading to or from Africa, Europe, and parts of Asia. I recently explored Doha, the capital city, for three as part of a “free” stopover program which you should totally take advantage of too! You can use this 3 or 4 day Doha itinerary to make sure you hit all the best stuff the city (and beyond) has to offer!
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Let's walk through the perfect 3 or 4 day Doha itinerary
You can get the most out of your trip to Qatar with a 3 or 4-day Doha itinerary. We just booked 3, but could have absolutely enjoyed a 4th day! You can use the extra time to get outside the city centre and see a little more of this unique country. I’ll just cover the highlights for days 1 and 2 below, but I go into more detail in this article!
Day 1
1. National Museum of Qatar
This is definitely my favourite building in Qatar and maybe even in the world. It’s been carefully crafted to look like a desert rose! You can easily spend a couple of hours exploring the museum’s expansive collection of exhibits, and it’s a great way to learn a lot about the country as a solid foundation.
2. Eat at Souq Waqif
Explore this vibrant market where you can find carpets, clothing, lanterns, souvenirs, and even live falcons. We loved eating at Kabab El Tayeb, which is a bit hidden but does cheap skewers and fresh bread. And you absolutely must try karak, a spiced milky tea!
3. See the city from the water
MIA Park and the corniche, just a few minutes’ walk from Souq Waqif, offer epic views of Doha’s beautiful skyline. Take a ride on a traditional dhow boat at sunset or in the evening to really see the city sparkle!
4. Go for dinner and try shisha
Go back to the souq for dinner because there are so many amazing places to eat, enjoy a karak, or smoke a shisha. You could easily visit this area a few times over the course of your 3 or 4 day Doha itinerary.
Getting around during a 3 or 4 day Doha itinerary
You’ll likely do a mix of Uber and metro. The metro is clean, air-conditioned, and easy to navigate. It’s also what I’d call *free* because it’s just 6 QAR ($1.60) for an entire day pass. You can catch it right from the airport, and it’ll take you basically anywhere you need to go (except The Pearl). And then you can use Uber for everything else! There’s no need to rent a car.
Day 2
1. Katara Cultural Village
The blue mosque and its two spikey neighbours are beautiful. There’s a nice public beach to chill on if it’s a sunny day, but keep in mind you’ll need to cover up. If you’re travelling with kids, you could easily find something nice at the giant toy store right outside the metro station.
2. The Pearl
This entire neighbourhood is actually an artificial island and looks incredible from the plane window if you’re lucky!
It’s a great place for breakfast/lunch but prepare for a higher price point than what you got used to in the souq. The best way to get here is to Uber because there’s no metro station.
3. Lusail
This is where you can get a good view of the unique Fairmont Hotel. Hot tip: you can stay here as part of the stopover program, but it’s on the outskirts of the city, so it’s not my top choice.
There’s a cool area full of food trucks which kicks off more in the evening, so it’s perfect for dinner before heading home.
You can also do a guided city tour to see Doha through the eyes of a local.
Where to stay for your 3 or 4 day Doha itinerary
The best area to stay in is definitely Souq Waqif. It’s an ideal home base and having quick access to the souq makes it easy to visit more than once. We stayed at the Al Najada hotel, legit like two steps from the market and metro station. I’d have loved to stay at the Souq Waqif Boutique Hotel, but it was already full when we were booking.
I made this map of every hotel available through the Qatar Airways stopover program as of August 2023.
Day 3
Ok! Now we’re caught up and getting into more detail. Leshgo.
The Villagio Mall
The Villaggio Mall is expansive and somehow both cool and unsettling. Yes, it’s just a mall, but it’s totally worth adding to your 3 or 4 day Doha itinerary.
It has a full on canal flowing through the shopping centre, complete with fake European buildings, windows, and a cloudy blue… ceiling. You can even go on a little gondola ride for the full effect. There’s also an ice skating rink, an indoor theme park with roller coasters, and the standard range of mid to luxury brand name stores if you just want to shop.
3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sport Museum
This is right next to the Villaggio Mall, so it’s super easy to squeeze both activities into the same day. I’m not a sports person so I didn’t bother, but it’s a fun opportunity to learn about Qatar’s athletic culture. And of course, there are a ton of creative and interactive exhibits, just like at the National Museum.
Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) - essential for any 3 or 4 day Doha itinerary!!
Aha! This is why they call it MIA Park. It’s all starting to make sense now. The Museum of Islamic Art is another incredible architectural wonder, and it’s extremely important to me that you at least try to time your visit with sunset! I promise you won’t regret it.
If you can only choose between the National Museum of Qatar and the Museum of Islamic Art, I’d still definitely go NMoQ, but if you’re here for 3 or 4 days, you can definitely see both!
If you plan to see more than two galleries and museums, get the One Pass to save money!
Sunset view from the Museum of Islamic Art
Don't forget the dhow boat
If you didn’t make it onto one of the traditional dhow boats on day one, this is another perfect opportunity! All the boats leave from the waterfront next to the Museum of Islamic Art, so you could arrange to hop on a boat after you’ve watched the sunset. You don’t necessarily even have to book this in advance, you can just haggle with the guys who will no doubt be shouting prices at you when you walk by.
Day 4
Take full advantage of your short time in Qatar by heading out of the capital for a bit. Because the country is so small, it’s possible to take a half or full-day out for a city break. I’d choose from one of these three main activities:
Whale shark watching
If you visit between April and September you can head to the northern part of the country to see some whale sharks! Qatar’s unique position on the Persian Gulf makes it a great home for hundreds of whale sharks that pass through every year. Discover Qatar offers group tours if you’re on a budget or private charters if you’re fancy. The trips leave from Doha and include ground transport, the boat trip, and snackos.
The trip is not cheap at 907 QAR ($250 USD) but seeing whale sharks is kind of a once in a lifetime situation so like, worth the splurge if you can afford it.
Desert expedition
Is it even a trip to the Middle East if you don’t go to the desert? (Yes, but do it anyway.) You can get out of the city on a day trip that features sand boarding camel riding, and dune buggying. You can usually join a group trip for about 275 QAR ($75).
Banana Island
For a bougie day out, head to Banana Island. It’s home to a hotel known as the “Maldives of Qatar,” which is to say you likely can’t afford to stay there. BUT you may be able to afford a day pass that gives you access to everything from the beach and restaurants to the pool and the spa. You can book the day pass in advance which includes the cost of the 20-minute return boat trip and a few other little features like towels and drink vouchers. Day passes are pricey at 350 QAR ($100 USD) for weekdays and 140 QAR on weekends.
If you haven’t been to the Museum of Islamic Art yet, this is a good opportunity to do it! It’s right next to the jetty where you’ll catch the boat to the island.
Overall I think 3 days is enough, but you can totally enjoy a 4 day Doha itinerary!