Things to do in Umm Salal

Visit the Doha Corniche to look outward at the Persian Gulf or inland to the West Bay’s eclectic skyline of tall buildings. The walkway along the water extends for 4 miles (7 kilometers). Enjoy a sunrise here before high temperatures later in the day make being out of air conditioning uncomfortable.

The City Centre Shopping Mall is one of Doha’s oldest shopping centers and remains one of the largest in the region. It is loved by locals, expats and tourists who come to browse the 350 stores or enjoy the range of entertainment options. At peak times the mall can accommodate up to 70,000 visitors. Visit the City Centre Shopping Mall for international brands including items fitting a mid-range budget.

The Souq Waqif stands in an area of Doha where nomadic people of Qatar and maritime traders have long come to trade with local residents. Visit the renovated site of the Souq Waqif to observe traditions that have lasted for centuries.

As you walk eastward along the Corniche from Downtown Doha, you’ll reach the Pearl Monument, a very large symbol of Qatar’s past. A large open oyster has a gentle flow of water creating a falling water fountain from the lip of the lower shell. Most notably, a gleaming pearl rests in the center of the oyster. Visit the Pearl Monument during the day to photograph it as you pass by while seeing other major attractions in the area. Return at night when the pearl and its shell are brilliantly lit.

Visit the Katara Cultural Village to appreciate the way it aims to use art and cultural interchanges to spread messages of hope, understanding and peace across the world’s diverse people. Established with the vision of becoming a world leader in multicultural activities, the modern site blends European and Oriental architectural styles with Qatari, such as the three distinctive Pigeon Towers outside a mosque.

Just north of the modern high-rises of the cosmopolitan city of Doha, visit the Barzan Towers, striking three-story buildings that are representative of earlier times. Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thani, who founded the nearby village, built the structures over a century ago as watchtowers guarding a green space where rainwater collected.