Doha

Doha is a city that simply didn't exist in its current form fifty years ago. What was once a quiet pearl-fishing and fishing village on the western coast of Qatar has been transformed — through natural gas wealth, visionary urban planning, and a relentless ambition to be world-class — into a metropolis of futuristic towers, I. M. Pei-designed museums, and FIFA World Cup stadiums. The West Bay skyline is one of the most recognisable in the Gulf: a forest of glass spires rising from the Corniche waterfront like something rendered in a science-fiction film.

But Doha has worked hard to pair its modernity with cultural substance. The Museum of Islamic Art, set on its own island in the bay, houses one of the world's finest collections of Islamic decorative arts spanning 1,400 years. Souq Waqif — the city's meticulously restored traditional market — is a warren of alleys selling spices, falcons, perfumes, and gold. At night, the souq fills with shisha smoke, live oud music, and the aroma of machboos (spiced rice with meat). It's the most authentic slice of Gulf life in the entire city.

For visitors, Doha works as a remarkably compact destination. The Corniche promenade, Katara Cultural Village, The Pearl island, and Souq Waqif are all within a short drive of each other. The brand-new Doha Metro makes getting around even easier. Beyond the city, day trips to the dramatic Khor Al Adaid inland sea — a UNESCO-recognised natural reserve where sand dunes meet turquoise water — offer some of the most otherworldly desert landscapes on the Arabian Peninsula.