Located in Western Asia, Qatar sits in the Persian Gulf - a small peninsula, with its sole land border of Saudi Arabia to the south. Across the Persian Gulf from the Arabian Peninsula, is the nearby island country, Bahrain. In this most exotic and intriguing part of the world, Qatar also shares maritime borders with the United Arab Emirates and Iran. For anyone who has not visited the Arabian Peninsula, the ancient desert landscape, with its rapidly developing cities and infrastructure, is a wonder to behold. Doha, Qatar’s breathtaking capital city is situated in the east of the country on the Persian Gulf coast. Qatar has a population of around 1.5 million, with roughly half the inhabitants residing in the capital, or its surrounding suburbs. Doha was recognized in 2014 as one of the ‘New7Wonders Cities’ together with Vigan, La Paz, Durban, Havana, Beirut, and Kuala Lumpur. Its impressively expanding skyline, dominated by glittering skyscrapers, contrasting with the traditional Arabic Old Souq in the downtown area, has promoted the city as a top representation of global urban civilization. Previously under Bahraini and Saudi rule (1783–1868), Ottoman rule (1871–1915) and more recently British rule (1916–1971), Qatar became an independent, sovereign State in the early 1970s and has since undergone an immense transformation. Backed by the world’s third-largest natural gas and oil reserves, with the highest per capita income in the world, the population has grown from around 111,000 in 1970 to around 750,000 in 2004, on to an incredible 2,545,000 in 2016, as the country invests heavily in infrastructure and the future of its economy. Without doubt Qatar is a country on the up. Witnessing the speed of its transformation first hand is an exhilarating experience.

With Doha as your main base, there is plenty to do and see in the city and beyond. The Doha Corniche is a good place to start, as you stroll along the waterfront promenade extending for several kilometers along Doha Bay. On the Corniche you can visit the Msheireb Enrichment Centre for an insight into Qatar’s culture and heritage. On the other side of the bay you will also find the Museum of Islamic Art, which was opened in 2008 and is recognised as one of the standout museums in the region, reflecting the scale of Islamic art over three continents spanning 1400 years of history. A large park is located adjacent to the museum building and is a pleasant place to walk and relax in the sunshine. Qatar has become one of the biggest art buying countries in the world and the Arab Museum of Modern Art, also in Doha, reflects this trend, offering an Arab perspective on modern and contemporary art. You can also tour the city by double-decker bus, taking in all the major sights of Doha, such as the Katara Cultural Village and the Pearl-Qatar Marina. Another option is the boat cruise of Doha Bay which provides lovely views of the Corniche and the city’s amazing skyline.