Day one

7am
Souk Waqif: With its winding laneways and tiny stalls crammed with everything from spices and antique jewellery to colourful textiles, Souk Waqif is one of the most atmospheric places in Doha – if not the Middle East. It’s best to arrive early in the morning or after 5pm because most of the stalls are closed between 1pm and 4pm. Get lost in the alleyways, and snare yourself a bargain.

10am
Museum Of Islamic Art: The IM Pei designed building may look impressive from afar, but it’s even more spectacular up close and the wow factor continues inside with a treasure trove of Islamic art that spans centuries. There are too many pieces to name, but Time Out Doha loves the collection of astrolabes – ancient astronomical and timekeeping devices used to schedule prayer times and locate Mecca. Everything is displayed over two floors and it’s easy to navigate alone (allow around two hours), but you might hear more interesting titbits about some of the pieces on one of the guided tours. The best part about it? It’s absolutely free.

Noon
Walk the corniche: No trip to Doha would be complete without pounding the pavement around the corniche, the wide, palm-tree-lined footpath hugging the bay. The Museum Of Islamic Art sits on one end, so after your visit, you can walk right to the other end near the Sheraton. There are endless amounts of photo opportunities of the Doha skyline, the dhow wharfage and the iconic pearl in the oyster monument. All that walking will work up an appetite, so we recommend refuelling with a waterfront lunch at the Balhambar building (near the Asian games Oryx monument) at Al Mourjan restaurant.

2pm
Dhow cruise: After lunch, while away the afternoon out on the water. You can hop on board one of the public dhows just next to the Balhambar building – Time Out Doha was quoted QR60 for 20 minutes, but we reckon you could easily haggle it down. While the dhow chugs around the bay, all you have to do is kick back, pull up a cushion, and enjoy the view.

4pm
Villaggio Mall: The best place to spend some riyals is in the air-conditioned, Venice-like splendour of the Villaggio Mall, which has kilometres of shopping and a flashy luxury wing with more high-end boutiques than you can throw a Louis Vuitton handbag at. You can even strap on some ice skates and take a spin on the indoor ice rink.

7pm
Shisha: There’s nothing quite like puffing away on some fruity ‘n’ fragrant shisha with a drink before dinner, and Al Wanis, a beautiful terrace at the Sharq Village and Spa is the place to do it. The terrace enjoys views over the Arabesque-style resort and, while you might have some of your conversation drowned out by the overflying planes, it’s still one of Doha’s most chilled-out spots. After shisha, head down to one of the restaurants in the hotel.

9pm
Cocktails at Skyview Bar, La Cigale Hotel: Skyview Bar is one of the slickest open-air joints in town, and not just because of the glittering skyline view over Doha from the La Cigale Hotel. Order a mojito and sink into one of the comfy sofas to some equally relaxing tunes.