Day two

6am
Fishing: Grab a couple of mates and head out into the blue yonder to snare yourself a hammour or a kingfish. Jehad Al Jaidah runs a small company from the dhow wharfage and will take you out in a boat for around four hours for QR1,500 (557 4453; dbrboatrental@gmail.com). Before you go, wander around the wharf and take in the stately sight of the wooden dhows, once used to take pearl fishermen out to sea.

11am
Dune bashing: With so much desert surrounding Doha, an abundance of tour companies offer the adventurous rollercoaster ride pastime known as dune bashing. The best spot to do it is at the Inland Sea, or Khor al-Udaid as it’s known locally – a desert meeting the channel of water between Qatar and Saudi Arabia. All the swerving and jolting in this 4x4 adventure means this is an activity reserved before lunch. (Trust us – we speak from experience). Most tours conclude with an Arabian feast at a desert camp.

3pm
Spa: If you’ve followed this itinerary, you deserve to spoil yourself at one of Doha’s many spas. You can indulge in all manner of world-class treatments from Vietnamese cupping to Swedish massage. But why not try one steeped in Arab culture, like a hammam, which involves being vigorously scrubbed and languishing in a steam room or spa bath? Six Senses at Sharq Village and Spa, Spa Chakra and the spas at the Marriott and Four Seasons are our top picks.

5pm
Arabian tradition: The nation is mad about horses but, unknown to many, you can actually take a closer look at some Arabian beauties at the ornate stables belonging to the Emir, which are right next to Souk Waqif opposite the Emiri Diwan palace. Visitors are free to walk around the stable and pet horses. Then, for a real taste of old Arabia, head down a laneway to the entrance of the falcon souk – where Qatar’s traditional birds of prey (and all the hunting accessories) are sold. On your left-hand side, a set of stairs lead up to a roof terrace, shaded by a few trees. In the late afternoon, it’s the hang out for old Qatari men who squat on benches, nattering among themselves and drinking tea. They will eye you with friendly interest if you take a seat – but first grab a tea from tiny restaurant nearby called Afghan Brothers for a bargainous QR1. We can guarantee it feels eons away from 2009, especially when the wail of the evening prayer begins resonating from the nearby mosques.

6pm
Third Line Gallery: Dubai’s Third Line Gallery only opened in the Waqif Art Centre last year but the lust for art is so great, the gallery is planning to expand downstairs already. Featuring some of the most intriguing artists from the region, the gallery also organises non-profit, alternative programmes like free film screenings and Pecha Kucha – a multimedia forum for creatives and designers. Look out for the upcoming Doha Series, where four artists travel to the city to create a unique body of work in response to their experience in Doha.

7pm
Doha Debates: If you plan ahead, you could be in the audience watching Doha Debates, which is filmed onsite at the Qatar Foundation. This BBC (UK public broadcasting channel) World News programme, watched by more than 300 million people around the globe, is an Oxford Union style debate about prominent issues affecting the Arab world. Some of the past speakers have included senior Hamas official, Dr Mahmoud Al Zahar and former Iraqi interim prime minister, Dr Ayad Allawi. The topics are controversial, things can get heated, and the audience members get involved by asking questions. The filming starts at 7.30pm and there are 305 seats on set up for grabs, with another 50 in the reception area (watching the debate via a plasma screen). The next debate will be in late April and late May, so if you want to secure a seat, you need to fill out a booking form via the website www.thedohadebates.com.

9.30pm
The Last Supper: We’re not going to tell you where to eat on your last night in Doha. But we will tell you there are endless restaurants catering to the culinary whims of even the most fussy eater. Most of the better ones are located in hotels (like the fabulous new eateries by Jean-Georges Vongerichten in the W Hotel), but there are many independent gems to be found, like Thai Snack.