Four days in Doha in January 2026 (page 4 of 4)

Tuesday, February 3, Mia Park, Museum of Islamic Art, Mina district, Souq Waqif (continued)

Another little stroll through this lovely neighborhood.







On our way, we stumble upon a pretty large park where replicas of the different stages of the city’s evolution are on display.





Back to the hotel for some quiet time by the pool and to change in the spa’s changing room. We still have several hours to kill before heading to the airport. Our flight is at 1:25 AM. A final little tour of Souq Waqif will help us pass two hours. The more we explore it, the more beautiful we find it, with new alleys to discover—it’s so vast.









We discover the gold souk, not as impressive or prestigious as Dubai’s, but still pleasant to see.



The light blue official taxis are equipped with card payment terminals. From the Corniche, our last ride to the airport cost us just over 5 €.

Conclusion

Breaking up a long flight with a stopover in Doha really appealed to us, and if the opportunity arises again, we’ll definitely do it. The airport isn’t far from the city, and taxi prices are very affordable.

As you’ve noticed, the city is very spread out—we walked about 20 kilometers each day.

This trip was a wonderful surprise. I loved this city with its many faces: the extravagance, the beauty, the cleanliness, the safety, the luxury, and the nod to the past with its massive souk. It’s sometimes surprising, sometimes dazzling, or simply charming—all great assets. It’s an ideal city for a few days of refreshing and enjoyable vacation.

Unfortunately, not under the current circumstances… But hopefully soon.

Thank You

A big thank you to everyone for your kind messages—thanks for participating and helping bring this travel journal to life. It was a real pleasure to share all these memories with you all.

Thanks Catherine for sharing this—I’m blown away! The fish market, the colorful facades, and especially that gorgeous museum whose exterior and interior architecture I just love 😎

This museum is absolutely stunning. Even though I’m not usually big on museum visits, I loved it. Beyond its gorgeous architecture, it houses an incredible number of breathtakingly beautiful objects.

Thank you so much for sharing this.

I totally agree with you 200%. Nowadays, for long-haul flights, I try to break them up to make the trip more enjoyable. That’s exactly what I wanted to do this year since I had planned: four days in Dubai on the way there, five days in Cape Town (at the end of the cruise), and two days back in Dubai on the way home before returning to Paris. It really breaks up the journey. Because honestly, I can handle 15, 16, or even 18-hour flights less and less these days.

As I’ve mentioned before, I much prefer Doha over Dubai. It was my absolute favorite, and that’s why I wanted to go back this year, but unfortunately, it’ll have to wait for another time.

Seriously, for me, Doha is a real love at first sight.

Thanks again for sharing.

Thanks, Alfred, for your steady contributions. 😎

Because now, I can handle 15, 16, or even 18-hour trips less and less.

We totally agree. Not only are those long hours tough, but we’re also treated worse and worse, and passengers are getting ruder and harder to deal with...

As I told you before, I much prefer Doha over Dubai. It was my favorite, and that’s why I wanted to go back this year, but unfortunately, it’ll have to wait for another time.

I prefer Doha too, and I would’ve loved to go back for Christmas...

... passengers are getting ruder and harder to put up with... ...

Hi,

When traveling, just like in France, on a daily basis, our entire society is disrespectful in every way.

You can feel and experience this even in this forum... I’m sure you’ve noticed it already.

Have a great week. Puma2A

...

Hi, thanks for sharing about Doha. Your photos honestly made me a bit regretful—I’d planned to spend a few days in Qatar soon, but in the end, I had to cancel because of the current situation.

On another note, Oman really stood out to me in the region. It’s so different from the other Gulf countries, with a strong Arab identity still very much alive. Have you been there?

Hi Alain,

When traveling, just like in everyday life in France, our entire society is disrespectful in every way.

Passenger behavior on planes really does reflect how people behave in daily life—we agree on that. 😉

You can feel it even in this forum... I’m sure you’ve noticed it too.

Yeah, sure, it happens once in a while, but it’s still way better here than on FB. 😏

Hi there,

Your photos made me a bit regretful, to be honest... I’d planned to spend a few days in Qatar soon, but in the end, I had to cancel because of the current situation.

Hopefully, we’ll be able to return to the Gulf countries soon. I’m sure they’ll do—and know how to do—what’s necessary to attract us back once the conflict is resolved.

On another note, Oman really stood out for me in the region. It’s so different from the other Gulf countries, with a strong Arab identity still very much alive. Have you ever been? 😊

The Sultanate of Oman *is* really different—I’ve been several times and I love that beautiful country so much.

Thanks for this travel journal—it helped me discover a place I didn’t know much about.

Thanks for leaving a message! 🙂

Thanks! And phew, you made it back in time.

Yes, it was just about time to head back, but I can't wait to go again. 😏

Hi Catherine,

I’m catching up on my reading after a break 📖

That trick with the museum being closed by the unlicensed taxi 😂 Nice try 😏. It sounds like a great place, and luckily you didn’t listen to him.

Doha ticks a lot of boxes I love, and you mentioned them: "grandeur, beauty, cleanliness, and safety." And you summed it up well: "It’s an ideal city for a few days of refreshing and enjoyable vacation."

And Alfred agrees: "Honestly, for me, Doha is a real crush."

Given the current geopolitical situation, my plan to combine Doha and Manama at the end of November is postponed to a more stable time 🤷. I’ve already saved a Qatar Airways trip for March and another with Etihad for September 🤷, so now I’ll play it safe.

Thanks so much, Catherine, for this wonderful discovery.

Hi Jérôme, I hope your “break” was really nice and successful. Thanks for your messages and contributions. You’re right—this is definitely a time to be cautious.