How To Spend 1 Day In Doha Qatar

If you are planning to spend 1 day in Doha and want to get as much out of the day as possible, then this post is for you!

I visited Doha as part of the Qatar Airways stopover program en route to New Zealand and actually spent 2 full days in the city. However, as someone who packs a lot into my itineraries, I can definitely recommend how to spend 1 day in Doha that will give you a comprehensive overview of the city without leaving you feeling exhausted!

I’ve broken my suggested 1 day itinerary down into morning, afternoon and evening, however all timings will of course depend on how long your 1 day is. If you arrive the night before and are flying out later that evening, then obviously you will have more time than if you arrive and depart on the same day.

Whether it’s seeing the city, relaxing on the water or eating delicious food, this itinerary will leave you feeling that you’ve seen a great deal of what the Qatari capital has to offer and that your one day in Doha was a day well spent!

My Perfect 1 Day in Doha Itinerary

Having spent 2 full days in Doha and packed in a lot (discover more in my post 13 of the Best Things to Do in Doha Qatar) here is how I would suggest you spend one day in Doha:

1. Morning (9am to 1pm)

In order to maximise your time in Doha, I would highly recommend joining a morning city tour. I did this on the morning of my first day in Doha and it was both an excellent introduction to the city and a really efficient way of seeing as much as possible during a short visit.

The tour I chose included transportation as well as a pick up and drop off at my hotel. That exact tour no longer appears to be available, but this tour has a very similar itinerary but is cheaper:

2. Afternoon (1pm to 4pm)

Once your city tour ends with a drop off back at your hotel (and after you’ve had a rest and a tea or coffee!) head back to the Mina District and the Old Port. Depending on how close your hotel is you may want to order an Uber or Karwa, the government run taxi company, especially if the temperatures are high.

The pastel coloured Mina District is home to street art, shops, cafes, restaurants and the beautiful fish market you will have seen during the city tour.

Close by you will see the colourful Box Park, home to shipping containers that have been converted into shops and cafes and its adjacent marina.

After you have explored the Mina District, order an Uber or Karwa and travel the short distance (5 minutes) to the Museum of Islamic Art. You can walk, but there isn’t a lot of shade on the way and in the interests of speed, a taxi is the better choice.

The museum contains various on-site facilities including a café and terrace, each with wonderful views over Doha Bay and the Persian Gulf. I recommend stopping at the café for coffee and a pastry! The gift shop is also worth checking out.

The museums’ galleries are spread over multiple floors and tell the story of Islamic art over the centuries. There are thousands of artefacts to view, including jewellery, ceramics, textiles, manuscripts and metalwork. The architecture, both inside and out, is worth the visit alone.

You need to be aware that:

• tickets cost QAR 50 (roughly £10/USD$14)
• the museum is open Monday, Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 7pm, Thursday 9am to 9pm and Friday 1.30pm to 7pm. The museum is closed on Wednesdays
• as the museum is a National building, shoulders & knees must be covered

If you’re visiting on a Wednesday, I would suggest returning to the National Museum of Qatar.

3. Evening (4.30pm – late)

I recommend joining a sunset cruise in a traditional dhow boat. I chose a cruise which departed from very close to the Museum of Islamic Art. It too appears to no longer be available, but this option is very similar:

Read more about this cruise in my post Doha Sunset Dhow Cruise – A Great Way to Spend an Hour?

I chose a 1 hour cruise but there is a dinner cruise option which lasts between 1.5 and 2 hours.

If you choose the 1 hour option, then I recommend heading to Souq Waqif, a short walk from the cruise departure point, and having dinner at one of the restaurants there. The city tour I mentioned earlier does make a visit to the Souq, but it is far more lively in the cooler evening and definitely worth visiting then.

For dinner, I recommend Damasca One or, for a truly opulent restaurant, Parisa. You can see images of Parisa in my post 13 of the Best Things to Do in Doha. The food I had in both restaurants (camel in Damasca One and lamb in Parisa) was very good!

Visitor Tips

Even though you may be in Doha for just 1 day, here’s a few things to keep in mind:

• stay hydrated – you can drink tap water but bottled water is widely available
• wear sunscreen and sunglasses, that Middle Eastern sun is hot and bright!
• wear comfortable shoes if you plan on walking a lot. I wore these shoes on my first day and a pair similar to these shoes on my second
• there is a lot of traffic in Doha, especially along the Corniche, so take care when crossing the roads
• respect the culture and customs e.g. avoid public displays of affection, cover knees and shoulders in museums
• be aware businesses close for Friday prayers (10am-12pm)
• a service charge is usually added to bills but a tip of 10-15% is appreciated

Staying Online In Doha

If you like to stay online when travelling, either to keep in touch with family and friends, update social media, make bookings or use google maps, but you don’t want to incur roaming charges from your home provider, then consider an eSim from Airalo.

Easy to install, an eSim avoids the need to buy a local Sim card (and risk losing your home Sim when taking it out!) and allows you to continue using your own phone number for calls and texts.

I have used data packages purchased from Airalo on several occasions now, including in Doha, and highly recommend them. When time is of the essence as it can be when travelling, accessing online resources can be a real time saver. For solo travellers, it can also be a comfort to know you have online access all the time.

Online access will be necessary if you’re booking tours, activities or taxis.

Final Thoughts

One day in any destination is not a long time, but with careful planning you really can get the most out of your visit. That is certainly the case if you’re spending 1 day in Doha.

Efficient sightseeing through the use of an organised city tour, visiting world class museums and relaxing with a short sunset cruise before dinner is the perfect way to spend time in a place where tradition meets modernity.

If you’re still mulling over a Doha stopover then do read my post Is the Qatar Airways Stopover Worth it? For further help in planning a trip to Doha, do check my Resources page.

Disclaimer – Information correct at the time of writing but do check before visiting.