Visit Souq Waqif Park for a comfortable place to rest while traveling from one to another of the attractions in Downtown Doha. The large park stretches between the Corniche promenade along the Persian Gulf to the Souq Waqif ancient marketplace.
With wide green spaces, walkways and playgrounds, the park is a natural gathering point for families who want to relax near ocean breezes. Arrive early in the morning to watch the sunrise or exercise on the park’s fitness equipment. Bring kids during the day to fly kites, play badminton or soccer, ride bikes, enjoy a picnic and have fun on playground slides. Stay into the evening to cool off in the colorfully illuminated dancing fountain and mingle with other folks relaxing after dark in the park.
As you stroll around the large park, notice how green the spaces are against the contrasting desert surrounding Doha. Large groomed fields are great for playing soccer. Pretty flowers line many of the sidewalks. The land here is actually reclaimed from the Persian Gulf. In earlier days the shoreline stood at the park’s southern border next to the Souk Waqif.
At the center of the park is an open-air amphitheater that sometimes hosts special events. Visit during the Spring Festival to see acrobatics and dance performances. During the Local Dates Festival in July, purchase a wide variety of dates and date products from over 80 Qatari farms. Bring a cold date slushie from the festival to the park to stay cool as you meander through the area.
Drive to Souq Waqif Park in less than 20 minutes from Hamad International Airport. Park in one of the 650 underground spaces. All are equipped with state-of-the-art technology for finding your car when you’re ready to leave. The park is open at all times.
Visit other neighborhood attractions besides the souq and Corniche. Head north for the Pearl Monument and Museum of Islamic Art. Just east, the Fanar Islamic Cultural Center is a great place to be immersed in local culture it also looks very pretty when lit up in the evening.
