Stroll along a canal while browsing shops, or enjoy a meal over flowing water. Admire the gondolas, stare up at the blue skies and fluffy white clouds above you or admire the moon and star constellations above you. You could be forgiven for thinking you were in Venice - but actually you are in Qatar, a tiny desert peninsula country on the outskirts of Saudi Arabia. The mall is : Qatar's newest and most stupendous shopping centre - and that's even before it's finished.
For such a small city (in such a small country!) there is a huge range of shopping. . may not yet match Dubai in shopping terms (although Qatari ladies - expert shoppers if there ever were any - maintain Doha's shop prices are substantially cheaper), but as ever it is determined to catch up with its neighbour.
Qatar shoppers certainly have the money to spend - Qatar now has an average annual income of over $60,000 a year. That's substantially more than the average income of an American.
Villagio alone has over 130,000 square metres of retail space - which will include a cinema (with 3-d screens), ice-skating rink and even an roller-coaster.
But Doha offers far more than luxury shopping malls. is a huge sprawling traditional Arab Souq - traditional in style at least, the actual buildings have all been rebuilt. Here you can find colourful arrays of spices, Indian clothing, falcons and much more.
If you prefer something more basic you can head out to the on the outskirts of towns. In addition to the superb vegetable market, a live animal market (be sure to check out the camels) and a fish market you can also find the Omani market.
Here you can buy traditional pottery, huge dried fish and even - in wet winters - desert truffles.
The only thing to remember when booking a visit to Qatar is the . Don't go in the summer. Otherwise the inside of those luxurious (and air-conditioned) shopping malls is the only thing you'll be going to see.
