For many travellers, Qatar may have first come onto their radar in 2022 when it became the first country in the Middle East and North Africa to host the FIFA World Cup – a time I look back on fondly.
During the festival of football, the streets of Doha were awash with colour as fans donned national flag-designed “thobes”, which is the men’s traditional attire in the country and region.
Strangers also struck up conversations in every corner of the capital city and there was an atmosphere that felt as though the world truly had descended on this once-overlooked Gulf destination.
However, some of the best gems are beyond the glimmering stadiums. Instead, they are tucked away in the alleyways of the centuries-old Souq Waqif, the serene scenes of the country’s mangrove forest as well as within its desert adventures beyond the capital and arts and culture scenes.
Beyond the Doha skyline, here’s what I wish more travellers knew about the place I call home.
