If your flight connects through Doha, don't stay airside. Hamad International is genuinely impressive — spot Urs Fischer's giant Lamp Bear, or join a free 20-minute wellness session in the 6,000 square metre indoor ORCHARD garden — but the city beyond makes a strong case for stretching a stopover into a mini-break.

Start with the waterfront. The seven-kilometre Doha Corniche is the best spot for skyline views, and traditional dhows still sail past — you can hop on one. Nearby, the pastel-coloured Mina District and old port are good for a post-flight wander, while Box Park turns painted shipping containers into shops and eateries.

For culture, two places dominate. Souq Waqif, in the old town, is a centuries-old open-air market of winding lanes that really comes alive in the evening — think saffron, zaatar and cardamom-scented coffee, plus the Falcon Souq, where shopkeepers will happily let you pose with a bird of prey. The Katara Cultural Village, meanwhile, packs galleries and a 5,000-seat amphitheatre blending Greek and Islamic design, with Lorenzo Quinn's "Force of Nature II" among the public art. Museum-wise, the National Museum of Qatar — shaped like a desert rose — leads the pack, with the 3-2-1 Olympic and Sports Museum and the Qatar National Library (which holds 15th-century printed material) close behind.

Doha's dining scene is now Michelin-certified: the guide arrived in 2024 with 41 restaurants listed, three starred. IDAM by Alain Ducasse, inside the Museum of Islamic Art, pairs French technique with Qatari ingredients; Alba (Italian) and Jamavar (Indian) hold the other stars. For something local, try balaleet — sweet saffron vermicelli topped with a fried egg — at Kamachi, or karak tea and crispy khobz regag flatbread at Shay al Shamoos in Souq Waqif.

If you have a full day or more, head out of town. Khor Al Adaid, the "Inland Sea", is about 90 minutes away: a landlocked lagoon ringed by dunes up to 40 metres high, with warm, calm water for swimming. Purple Island near Al Khor is a favourite for kayaking through mangroves, with flamingos and herons if you time it right. On the west coast, Richard Serra's kilometre-long steel installation East-West/West-East stands alone in the desert near Zekreet. And for an overnight change of scene, Regency Sealine Camp offers desert-and-sea stays with dune bashing, camel rides and falconry shows.

Practically speaking, Europeans — including UK passport holders — travel visa-free with a confirmed hotel booking. Getting around is easy thanks to the Doha Metro, Karwa buses, trams, taxis and Uber. Timing matters: November to April is the comfortable window, as summer heat is brutal (though some parks and even Gewan Island's promenade are air-conditioned — the latter holds a Guinness World Record).

Whether you've got 24 hours or four days, Doha rewards the effort — turning one long-haul trip into two very different holidays.