Souq Waqif, Doha, Qatar

Souq Waqif is one of my favourite places in Doha. Located in the heart of Doha’s old city, the souq area is a bustling marketplace and also hosts a number of restaurants, shisha lounges and coffee shops. The souq as a market site has been around for over a hundred years, but was restored a few years ago. Stepping into the souq overwhelms the senses – the smell of Arabic perfumes and oils, apple shishas and mint teas, the sight of the Qataris, men in their thobes and gutra, women in their abayas…

Narrow alleyways are lined with shops filled with spices, handicrafts, perfumes and sweets and all sorts of other household goods. There’s a pet souq with coloured chicks, miniature turtles and macaws (though unfortunately I haven’t heard positive things about the way animals are treated here).

We visit the souq quite frequently, whether it be for dinner with friends or an evening walk.

Below are some of the photos taken.

One of the many halls and archesBenches with tradition Bedouin designsHotel Souk Waqif
African Grey Parrot at animal soukBlue-and-yellow Macaw at animal soukJava Sparrows at animal souk
Red Parrot at animal soukBudgerigars at animal soukCockatiels/Weiros at animal souk
Green Parrot at animal soukDyed chicks at animal soukRabbits at animal souk
The animal soukThe animal souk bird sectionChildren look at the animals in the animal souk
One of Souk Waqif hallways, spices for saleOne of Souk Waqif hallways, fabrics for saleOne of the many Souk Waqif hallways
Qatari man sitting on benchLittle 'Aladdin' outfits for saleLine of wheelbarrows waiting to be used
People browsing cloths at Souk WaqifSome incense burning in one of the hallwaysTradition cloths for sale in on of the Souk Waqif hallways
Pashmina shawls for saleThe main street of Souk WaqifVarious knick-knacks for sale
The many souvenir shopsThe main street of Souk Waqif during the dayDrying linen in traditional Bedouin designs