A guide to getting the most out of Qatar, from a Bedouin village to the galactic headquarters of the World Cup

• Ranking And the best airport in the world for the second consecutive year is...

• Tour The 20 best cities in the world to visit (and one is Spanish)

It is the country with the

.

To get an idea: 128,000 euros a year compared to 27,000 in Spain, according to the International Monetary Fund.

It is also one of the safest along with Iceland or New Zealand.

And of those with the

(0.2%).

And the second flattest only behind the Maldives... Its highest point:

90 meters above sea level.

These are some of the curiosities of Qatar, the Persian Gulf state with

(11,000 km2) and 2.7 million

, on which all eyes are on for being the venue for the 22nd edition of the

Less than a month before the event (November 20-December 18), everything has been prepared for a long time to receive 1.2 million visitors.

From the

(and even floating and removable ones) that will house them to restaurants headed by the best chefs brought from every corner.

The Spanish representation arrives, for example, with the branches in the capital, Doha,

from Dani García.

Night journey through the center of Doha.

The

is completed with new beaches, islands, museums, commercial and cultural centers, theme parks, nightclubs... Qatar knows that it has the spotlight on it and that we must take advantage of it.

"We have activities and experiences for all types of travelers, nationalities and budgets beyond our

," explains Berthold Trenke, Director of Tourism Operations for the country, whose only land border is with Saudi Arabia.

Hence, the Hamad airport, in Doha, is his main

From him.

And what an airport... The best on the planet, according to the industry's Oscars, the prestigious World Airline Awards.

The famous bear at Hamad International Airport.

More of the same if we talk about the national airline, Qatar Airways, number one worldwide for the seventh time.

As if that were not enough, its business class also tops the

, as well as the

the airport.

This is the largest on the planet: 10,000 m2 (or 10 times an Olympic pool) with room for 1,000 people, gardens,

of all kinds,

nursery, quiet rooms, beauty center... Ask and there it will be.

An exclusive aperitif of what awaits in Doha, where 99.2% of the inhabitants are concentrated, so, here is another

we are facing one of the most urban populations in the world.

"Of course, only 12% are really Qatari," explains Vanesa Koskimies, an

who has lived here for half a decade.

She is part of the remaining 88% of

Those who dedicate themselves to tourism are more and more due to their growth in recent years, but the majority work in the oil and natural gas sector.

Two people ride a jet ski in front of Stadium 974.

It should not be forgotten that the country guards one of the largest reserves of this type on Earth.

And everything, since in the 40s of the 20th century

arose in the form of an oil field, transforming what was a humble Bedouin village dedicated to fishing, pearl cultivation and trade (around here passed the Silk Road) in a

metropolis where anything is possible.

The City of Sports

In Qatar, camel races (authentic events), falcon hospitals (they are the national icon, have passports and even travel on business with

and

(Waqif is essential) are combined with

-districts , luxury artificial islands (The Pearl) and futuristic buildings by star architects such as

Waqif souq shop interior.

The City of Sports, the base of operations for the World Cup (the first, by the way, in

and in an Arab state), is just one example of what has risen in recent times in this former British protectorate (it stopped to be in 1971).

There is the Aspire Tower, designed by the Lebanese Hadi Simaan in the shape of a torch.

We must also highlight the

, the work of Spanish Joan Sibina.

It is located in the Khalifa stadium, one of the eight that will host the competition, spread over a radius of 55 kilometers around Doha.

To move between them, tourists will have a free transport card.

Zaha Hadid's Al Janoub Stadium.

The rest of the stadiums have also been conceived by renowned architects such as the late Zaha Hadid in the case of

which recreates the silhouette of a

, the traditional wooden boat that is still used to navigate the Doha Bay.

The one in the City of Education, nicknamed

because of its shape, and the

made with steel containers, have been made by the

, which has also participated in the

, inspired by the

the typical Qatari cap for men and children.

In the tents of the desert the Al Bayt does it.

Those from Lusail, from Foster+Partners, and Ahmad Bin Ali would be missing.

futuristic architecture

The titanic constructions also become museums such as the National Museum of Qatar, designed by

l as a "meeting place between the sea and the desert".

With its 8,000 m2, it is the one that brings together the largest local history on the planet in a space that evokes the

.

Spectacular.

So is the Islamic Museum (the largest of its kind in the world), by Ieoh Ming Pei, author of the Louvre pyramid.

It is located on an artificial island on

(seafront), two steps from MIA Park, one of the main green areas in Doha.

The Dutchman

signs, for his part, the

of the City of Education.

National Museum of Qatar, designed by Jean Nouvel.

Even so,

the first sustainable urban regeneration project on the planet.

Avant-garde, intelligent and ecological, it is the place of the moment.

The route continues in Katara, the cultural neighborhood of the city, where there are modern cafes, terraces with

of the West Bay

, nightclubs, design and fashion shops, hills with paths for walking (

), galleries such as the of Qatar Museums... Without forgetting the endless graffiti that dot the facades.

Here is also one of the most popular beaches (the country has 560 kilometers of coastline),

Other recommended ones: Al Wakrah, Fuwairit, Banana Island, Al Thakhira (between mangroves)...

Msheireb neighborhood, considered the Design District.

Another must-see:

, a former fire station turned gallery and residence for emerging artists.

In Qatar there are also replicas of the most exclusive shopping and leisure centers in the world, such as the

reminiscent of the city of Venice or, rather, the stunning The Venetian hotel in Las Vegas, with its channels and everything.

Now there would only be a getaway in a 4x4 (or on camels) to the desert of

50 minutes from Doha and surrounded by the sea.

More photogenic, impossible.

A day in the desert of Khor Al Adaid.

PRACTICAL GUIDE

HOW TO GET

Qatar Airways

(www.qatarairways.com), airline of the year for the seventh time, flies from Madrid to Doha from 500 euros.

It also offers the best business class and lounge catering on the planet.

Also, Doha's Hamad Airport is number one worldwide

WHERE TO SLEEP AND EAT

Marriott Marquis

.

Central five-star hotel with a wide range of gastronomy: Arabic, Italian, Brazilian...

W Doha.

Modern and sybaritic, its Coya restaurant travels through Latin America through its dishes.

Banyan Tree.

360º views of Doha from the rooftop of Vertigo, an exclusive

and restaurant serving Asian cuisine.

MORE INFORMATION

On the

www.visitqatar.qa

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