Flying into Doha Hamad International Airport in Doha keeps the region at your fingertips, with nearby places just a short drive away. Doha is the capital of Qatar, a city that grew from a pearl-diving port into a skyline of glass towers in a single generation. The mood is polished and calm, with a sweeping bay, grand museums, a restored old souq, and desert dunes less than an hour from downtown.

Top things to do in Doha: - Wander Souq Waqif in the evening for spices, falcons, shisha, and karak tea - Visit the Museum of Islamic Art, the I. M. Pei landmark on its own peninsula in the bay - Walk the Corniche at sunset with the dhows anchored offshore - Explore the National Museum of Qatar, built like a cluster of desert-rose crystals - Catch a concert or an outdoor film at Katara Cultural Village - Stroll the marina and cafes of The Pearl - Browse the traditional-style streets and galleries of Msheireb Downtown - Eat machboos, the spiced rice and meat dish at the heart of Qatari cooking

Qatar is small, so most of the country is within reach of Doha. Al Wakrah, with its own seaside souq, is about 20 minutes south, and the new planned city of Lusail is 20 minutes north. Head 90 minutes southeast and the dunes roll straight into the sea at Khor Al Adaid, the Inland Sea, best reached by 4x4. In the northwest, the fort and ruins of Al Zubarah, a UNESCO site, mark an old pearling town. Camel races at Al Shahaniya run on winter mornings. Doha is easiest in the cooler months from November to March.