Doha Qatar 🇶🇦 Sights, Economy and World Cup 2022 – Richest Country on Earth
Join us as we take you on tour around the magnificent city of Doha, the capital of the State of Qatar.
After a two week cruise onboard the MSC Bellissima, our final stop was in Doha, and we were really excited to end our tour in this Qatari heaven.
Did you know that Qatar ranks among the top 5 wealthiest countries in the World?
With almost $100, 000 USD gross national income per capita and a significant number of ultra-rich households, Qatar is by far superior when it comes to finances and wealth.
We started our adventure in Qatar by getting our passports stamped at the border terminals.
As soon as we were done with the formalities, a taxi took us straight to our hotel. Thanks to Uncle Pepe, we checked into a gorgeous penthouse suite on the 46th floor at a hotel overlooking the West Bay and downtown Doha. What is interesting about the Doha skyline is that it didn’t exist 15 years ago. The Sheraton hotel was the only tall building at the beginning of the century.
Our penthouse offered spacious rooms, floor-to-ceiling windows, super comfortable beds, a walk-in closet, and great amenities.
After we were all settled in, we took a taxi to the bay area. Our first destination was the Museum of Islamic Arts. We entered for free just to see the fantastic views, but they do have a ticket booth, in case you would like to visit the museum as well.
Right next to the museum, there was the 7km long Corniche Walkway that goes all the way around the waterfront.
Since the bay area is a tourist focal point, they also offered sightseeing tours in traditional little boats. We were mesmerized looking around and admiring all the beauty that was created from scratch, and all thanks to all the oil that was found 80 years ago.
Doha is so high-tech today that it was hard to imagine that once, it used to be a sleepy little fishing village. Qataris are also proud citizens of the country deemed safest in the World. They practice a more modest dress code, but as long as you have your shoulders and knees covered, you are good to go.
From there, we headed towards a small shopping area. At the market we picked up some Indian takeaway and then returned to the penthouse for an epic view with dinner and called it a day.
The next morning we started with a visit to the Katara Cultural Village. It has museums, restaurants, galleries, theaters, and even a Colosseum that can fit up to 5000 people!
The place is so huge that it takes about an hour just to get around on foot. Fortunately, there were these golf carts that offered free rides around the Katara Village, and we decided to hop on one to enjoy the views in the shade.
This area is close to the much-talked-about Lusail City - the first green city in Qatar that is still under construction. It will be home to the largest stadium in the country that will host 8 games of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022. However, what people are most excited about is the massive Vendome Mall that is expected to become the fashion capital of Qatar!
Our first stop in Katara Village was the market that was open for business despite being a Friday (Islamic weekend). Next, we sat down for lunch and had some delicious pizza.
Back on our feet again, we took a taxi to the Corniche area and visited Doha’s Grand Mosque.
Then we walked along the Corniche waterfront and ran into the famous Doha Pearl Monument, reminiscing the pearl-fishing village Doha once was. Finally, we reached the Souk Waqif, where they sold everything you could and couldn’t imagine, even pigeons and falcons. Falconry is a big thing in Qatar, with the falcon being recognized as the country's national bird.
After such an eventful day, we decided to call an Uber and head back to the hotel for a good night's rest.
Stay tuned for our next destination in the Maldives - it’s literally one of the most luxurious experiences you can imagine.
0:00 Welcome to Doha Qatar
1:16 Bye Bye MSC Bellissima
1:52 Qatari Customs & Hospitality
2:41 Amiri Diwan - Parliament Building of Qatar
2:59 Futuristic Skyscrapers in Doha
3:27 Qatar Hotel Check In
3:58 Qatari Riyals
4:03 Tour of our Penthouse Apartment in Qatar
6:36 Qatar Uber Taxi Ride
7:09 Museum of Islamic Art
7:17 Corniche Walkway
7:36 From Tiny Village to Modern Metropolis in Qatar
8:37 Stunning Doha City Views
11:37 Al Jabor Souq
12:23 Katara Cultural Village
12:40 Inside the Katara Colosseum
14:52 Boho Social Restaurant
15:05 Free Golf Cart Tour
16:05 Katara Local Market Visit
18:52 Katara Opera House
19:10 Why are Qataris so Wealthy?
19:34 Doha Restaurant
20:02 Doha Grand Mosque
20:09 Walk Alongside the Corniche Waterfront
20:54 Doha Pearl Monument
22:06 Souk Waqif
25:45 The Art of Falconry
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