Souq Waqif

Souq Waqif is one of the top tourist destinations in Doha and one of the most traditional markets in the region. A hundred years ago, this was the place where the Bedouins traded livestock, spices and general goods, but now, the old souq has been restored and the new one looks like a 19th-century Qatari market, with mud shops, exposed wooden beams, antique shops, modern art galleries, a wide variety of restaurants, and divan-like outdoor cafes to smoke shisha and drink chai-karak, the local tea. This is the perfect place to look for traditional Qatari clothing for men and women, spices, antiques, pearls, and oud--an incense as well as a perfume made from agarwood. The market is patrolled by the Heritage Police Officers who wear uniforms from the 1940s and ride regal Arabian horses. As any traditional market, bargaining is expected. Most of the shops in the souq close around 1pm and reopen at 4pm, but the many cafes and restaurants remain open all day.

As part of our visit in Doha, we made sure we did not missed visiting this market “SOUQ WAQIF” Leisurely walking along the market seeing all the vibrant movement of people, admiring all the different things around the market. People were just happy walking along, some were sharing good drinks, and smoking hookah? But what we enjoyed the most was when we ended in one corner where we saw two women seating and busy weaving this fabolous rugs patiently. Some of their finished rugs were hanging on the wall and some were simply layed on the ground so you can see the intricate work done beautifuly with their own hand. Prices were not cheap but you can understand the hours they spend to create one piece. We just can’t leave without buying even for just small one to take it home with us.

These jewels of lanterns hung though the art galleries in Doha’s Souq Waqif pull in almost as many shoppers as the air conditioning does. The small gelato place behind it is a hidden treasure well worth the hunt.

One of the top tourist destinations in Doha and one of the most traditional markets in the region. A hundred years ago, this was the place where the Bedouins traded livestock, spices and general goods, but now, the old souq has been restored and the new one looks like a 19th-century Qatari market, with mud shops, exposed wooden beams, antique shops, modern art galleries, a wide variety of restaurants, hotels, and divan-like outdoor cafes to smoke shisha and drink chai-karak, the local tea.

Souq Waqif: In Doha, all roads lead to Souq Waqif, one of the top tourist destinations in Doha and one of the most traditional markets in the region. In essence, it is a recently restored old souq, made to look like a 19th-century Qatari market, with mud shops, exposed wooden beams, antique shops, modern art galleries, a wide variety of restaurants, and divan-like outdoor cafes to smoke shisha and drink chai-karak, the local tea. This is the perfect place to buy some oud, a type of perfume derived from the dark and fragrant resin of the agar tree, said to be the most expensive timber in the world. Souq Waqif is a great place to find small tolas of cheap but fragrant oud. For more expensive tastes, every shopping mall in Doha has a few oud boutiques with prices varying according to the type of wood used and where the tree was grown. Since oud oil’s value is estimated to be 1.5 times the value of gold, and it is sometimes referred to as ‘liquid gold, the buyer of the highest quality of oud needs to have a lot of money to burn.

Souq Waqif: Walking the narrow alleys of souq waqif in the evening, feeling the cool breeze, hearing that hodgepodge of Arabic dialects and music, and inhaling the scents of spices and food, is one of the most memorable experiences in Doha. If you are not hungry and just want to unwind and people-watch, get to Le Gourmet, the roof-top café with the best apple, mint, strawberry, and grape shisha flavors in town. Order a cup of Moroccan chai and be tempted by their array of traditional deserts freshly produced in-house. Now relax.

Souq Waqif is without a doubt one of the top tourist destinations in Doha and one of the most traditional markets in the region. A hundred years ago, this was the place where the Bedouins traded livestock, spices and general goods, but now, the old souq has been restored and the new one looks like a 19th-century Qatari market, with mud shops, exposed wooden beams, antique shops, modern art galleries, a wide variety of restaurants, hotels, and divan-like outdoor cafes to smoke shisha and drink chai-karak, the local tea.

No matter what you are looking for in Doha, chances are, you’ll end up in Souq Waqif. The place is not only good for Middle Eastern restaurants, henna artists, shisha cafes and antiques; the souq is also the ideal place to buy oud (incense and perfume) and any of the traditional forms of Qatari national dress. For women: the long black cloak is called abaya; the traditional day dress is a djellabia; the head covering is called shayla. For men: the long white tunics are called thobes, the crocheted or embroidered cap worn under the headdress is called gahfeya; the white or checkered headdress is called ghutra, and the black ring that holds the headdress in place is called egal. Now that you know the names for everything, go get yourself a national dress.