Shopping

Qatar is a premier shopping destination and visitors to the country will be hard-pressed not to spend some time at one of the popular malls or traditional souqs (markets). Doha has a selection of world-class malls with a range of products from across the globe. With new malls opening across the city it is wise to ask your hotel where the newest mall is and what shops are housed there. Doha's largest mall is City Centre Mall in Al Dafna Area. This mall offers couture shopping with high-end brands such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton, as well as a broad range of electronic goods. City Centre Mall has an amusement park area for the kids, a Carrefour for groceries, a banking area, bookshops and a number of other shops. Villagio Mall on Al Haab Street is another popular shopping centre. The mall boasts a canal running through the entire centre as well as ceilings painted to resemble the sky. There is a food and entertainment area as well as 220 other shops including Boots, Topshop, Carrefour, Apple and Virgin. Other popular malls in Doha include Landmark Mall and Hyatt Plaza.

The souqs in the centre of town are the best places to find great bargains, but be prepared to haggle. The Iranian Souq (Souq Waqif) is by far the most popular. Shoppers can find souvenirs, textiles, carpets and even falcons at this market. Other souqs popular with tourists include: the Gold Souq near the bus station, where you can find precious metals and intricate gold jewellery; and the Omani Souq on Haloul Street, which sells saffron and other spices as well as incense.