Souq Waqif is one of the most enchanting attractions of the beautiful city Doha. Almost over a 100 years old, this souq was once a place where traders came to sell wool, cattle, rugs & traditional goods. Souq Waqif literally means ' the standing market' & today it is one of the most attractive area in the city with fabulous galleries, quaint restaurants specializing in Middle Eastern Cuisine, souvenir stores, attractive shops selling traditional jewellery, perfumes, oils, clothes, spices & what not!
Walking distance from the Doha Corniche, Souq Waqif has a perfect location & is very popular with the locals as well as tourists. The Souq looks stunning during the day & it is a very common sight to see people taking photographs of the camels, traditional Arabic architecture, tastefully decorated streets & pretty restaurants! At night the atmosphere at Souq Waqif will have you mesmerized with crowded streets & beautiful lights that give you a real magical experience.
A Breakfast morning at one of the many fancy restaurants is one of my favourite things to do. Make your trip to the souq early so that you can admire the camels before it gets too hot & find a nice cozy spot for a sumptuous breakfast of your choice. If you are lucky you can see the the Royal Guards of Qatar on horse backs riding through the streets while you enjoy your breakfast!
Once you finish breakfast take a stroll & explore the many interesting shops selling beautiful textiles, household things, oils & perfumes, shoes, bags, rugs, pearls, lamps & more! There is also an animal market in the souq where you can buy yourself a pet rabbit, kitten, puppy, parrot, turtle or fish!
For a totally different experience of Souq Waqif, a visit at night is guaranteed to make your trip magical! All the restaurants are decorated with lights & you can see every other person sitting around with Shishas. If it is the smell of spices that fill the air during the day, then it is the smell of flavoured Shishas that fill the night air at Souq Waqif. The winter months are exceptionally beautiful at the Souq with beautiful fire lamps all around the streets!
Souq Waqif is a popular hot spot for various activities & workshops. It also houses some interesting galleries. Music, Performances, Artists making Bangles on the street & decorated mules rides through the souq are common sights at Souq Waqif. For all its beauty & charm a visit to Souq Waqif has topped my must do list in Doha!
A pretty watercolour picture of Souq Waqif
hi this is reena aunty here.... the way you have explained doha is attractive . you will have a hoard of visitors soon... we came there once and i loved the place!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI like your creativity. Looking forward to seeing more posts...Kibi
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