11 Best Shopping Experiences in Doha

A stop at the Souq Waqif is a must when visiting Doha, with its labyrinth of market stalls brimming with textiles, jewellery, spices and local handicrafts. One of Qatar’s oldest markets, Souq Waqif was once a busy trading centre for the Bedouin who came here to trade camels and essential goods for their nomadic way of life.

It’s best to go to Souq Waqif early in the morning or in the evening to avoid the daytime heat. Make time to stop for a refreshing tea break before going for another round of discovery.

The Gold Souq is a great place to explore if you’re wanting to treat yourself to something shiny or find the perfect souvenir for a loved one. Finely crafted gold jewellery and precious gems are the main draws in this market, but there are also affordable accessories to buy, including white gold, silver, and platinum.

If visiting before a local holiday, you might find the souq to be busier than usual, as it’s a tradition for men to buy 22-carat gold bangles for the women in their family as a holiday gift.

Doha Festival City is a large shopping centre with hundreds of retail outlets, but its entertainment options are what really make it a must-see place. Families are sure to flock to the Angry Birds park with bumper cars, trampoline park, a go-kart track, ziplines and heart-racing rides like the Angry Coaster and Raft Battle to enjoy.

Escape the desert heat on the indoor snow slide and snow-covered hills of Snow Dune. Entry fees include cold-weather gear rental. And if all that shopping and snow scrambling stirs up an appetite, Doha Festival City has over 100 restaurants to choose from.

The Central Vegetable Market is fun to look around even if you're not planning to buy fresh produce in Doha. Relocated from the old open-air Doha site a few years ago, this busy souq is a haven for cooks in search of bargain-priced fish, meats and produce, which they can buy in bulk and have them wheelbarrowed out to their waiting vehicles.

Be sure to chat with the friendly vendors for recommendations and bargains, and don’t be afraid to ask for samples of juicy watermelon or other fruits to try before you buy. If you’re in need of smaller quantities, head to the market’s retail section for stalls of colourful produce.

The colourful Souq Al Deira offers high-quality fabrics, including lace, cashmere pashminas and silk. Take some time to look around this large market. Prices aren’t fixed and haggling is expected here, so don’t jump in to buy something in haste.

The souq is known for having skilled tailors who can turn your fabric selections into a perfectly fitted dress, jacket, or outfit. It’s a popular place for locals to get custom-made Abaya dresses and traditional Arabic clothing. It’s an amazing and unique souvenir to immortalise your trip to Doha.

Come to the Corniche Fish Market to see the source of delicious seafood dishes you might’ve been enjoying in Doha. Occupying the scenic Corniche promenade, the market is especially busy in the early morning when fishermen bring in their day’s catch.

Wander down the jetty to see rows of seafood on display, including safi, which is a white-spotted rabbitfish, sea urchins and hamour, which is an orange-spotted grouper. Enjoy the sea breeze while watching local fishermen busily repairing their nets and preparing their boats for the next day’s outing. It’s an all-sensory seaside delight at Corniche Fish Market.

City Center Doha shopping centre is a handy shopping spot connected to 3 major hotels in Doha, including the Shangri-La Doha. Located in the busy West Bay business district, it has dozens of shops and restaurants to keep most people busy for hours on end. Ice skating, bowling, a kids’ play area and cinemas are also available at City Center Doha so it’s easy to spend the whole day here.

As one of Doha’s older shopping centre, it still draws a good crowd of eager shoppers, both residents and tourists. You’ll find both international high-street favourites as well as luxurious and exclusive boutiques.

MIA Park Bazaar occupies the grounds of the Museum of Islamic Art every weekend during September to April. It offers a more updated version of the traditional souq with the arts, crafts and culinary creations of local and international artisans on display. There’s also a good variety of clothing, books and souvenirs to buy.

As many as 150 market stalls are buzzing with activity every winter. Make a day of it by combining your bazaar browsing with a peek into the art museum, which has an impressive collection of art and artefacts from the Muslim world.

Omani Souq is a small market in Doha, but it’s worth a visit just to soak up its colourful tableau of spices, clay pots, perfumes and baskets. Unlike some of Doha’s tourist-orientated markets, Omani Souq is mostly visited by locals in need of a household item or some fresh fruits and vegetables.

From the jumble of stalls, look for tasty Saudi dates and local honey, while those in need of refreshment could stop for a cup of Karak, a traditional Qatari tea.

Lafayette Galleries covers around 15,000 square metres of retail space in Doha’s Katara Cultural Village. Also called Galeries Lafayette, the department store brings Parisian-style shopping to local and international shoppers, with 400 international brands and plenty of dining options. You can find the likes of Chanel, Berluti, Karl Lagerfeld and Marc Jacobs at this Doha department store.

If you’re feeling peckish after all that shopping, head over to Cioccolatitaliani to sample their delectable chocolates or enjoy Café Pouchkine’s extensive menu of Russian and French dishes. Lafayette Galleries in Katara Cultural Village is located between West Bay and The Pearl Qatar in Doha.

Alhazm Mall is a shopping centre with around 125 shops, most of which carry high-end designer brands. The renaissance-style complex has Tuscan marble flooring, archways, open-air piazzas and walkways lined with olive trees. Outside the centre, you can also see a glass pyramid that resembles the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Magnolia Bakery, Café Pierre Herme and Guylian Café are some of the many trendy dining venues in Alhazm Mall. After a day of shopping, you can unwind at the Alhazm Cultural Center, or Alhazm Library as it’s also known. It has an extensive collection of rare books and magazines in English and Arabic.