Ramadan in Qatar, A Cultural and Spiritual Experience

Ramadan in Qatar is something you can’t miss if you are planning to spend this holy month with some unique and joyful experience. Rich hospitality and warm people will make your Ramadan more special. Qatar during Ramadan is a different experience altogether. So celebrate this holy month in Qatar, where people gather to pray, fast, and greet. You can visit the beautiful streets brighten up with lights and Iftar festivals and enjoy the Ramadan spirit in Qatar. May this Ramadan be a beautiful memory, one that will bring lots of joy and happiness. Let's celebrate it in Qatar!

Celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan in Qatar

If you are planning to visit cultural sites, museums, and mosques for a wholesome journey, then plan your trip during Ramadan in Qatar 2025. Qatar is a perfect destination of tradition and modernity. Enjoy Ramadan-themed events and activities, local cuisine, and Arabic traditions that will fill your heart with love and peace. The best time for traveling to Qatar is between October and April, when the weather remains cool and pleasant. Let's take a glimpse of Ramadan and peek into the core of this holy month. Here is the list of 9 activities that you can explore during Ramadan in Qatar.

Discover Katara Cultural Village
Visit Museums
Witness Garangao Celebrations
Taste Traditional Qatari Cuisine
Explore Souq Waqif
Attend Taraweeh Prayers
Experience Adventure Activities
Witness Mesahar
Visit Lusail Boulevard

1. Discover Katara Cultural Village

This small peninsular state, located at the intersection of the Middle East and Asia, has contributed to the long history of various cultures across the globe. It comprises an open theater, an opera house, a multipurpose cinema, a conference hall, a beach, and mosques showcasing the maritime heritage of the country. The decor of the mosque is based on Istanbul's Dolmabahce Palace and it is Doha's ideal abode for art, culture, and gastronomy. The one side of Katara Cultural Village faces an endless beach and the other presents the twin Katara Hills.

You can reach Katara by the Red Line of the Doha Metro station. Taxis are also available, and they have ample parking space too. Spend your Ramadan Eid holidays in Qatar and learn about the culture of Katara with the complex, which also hosts a range of various exhibitions, festivals, workshops, lectures, concerts, and religious events.

Location: Katara Street, Lusail,Doha, Qatar

Contact Number: +974 4408 0000

Opening Hours: Opens 24 Hours

2. Visit Museums

The museums of Qatar provide another layer of excitement to cultural activity during Ramadan. They remain open with a special schedule hours and midnight activities that allow visits to get an exciting tour of Qatari heritage. They are usually open from Saturday to Thursday from 9 AM to 2 PM and in the evening from 8 PM to midnight, but on Friday, they open at 8 PM and close at midnight. Visiting these museums will be one of the best things on your list of places to visit in Qatar.

Visitors should dress modestly, covering their shoulders and knees, particularly in public areas and religious places. You can visit different Qatar museums and restaurants for iftar experiences and wonderful places to break your fast. Here is a list of some museums that you can visit during Ramadan in Qatar and tick the list of things to do in Doha on your itinerary.

National Museum of Qatar
Museum of Islamic Art
Dadu Gardens (Children’s Museum of Qatar)
3-2-1 Qatar Olympic & Sports Museum
Museum of Illusions, Doha

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3. Witness Garangao Celebrations

The celebration of this festival falls on the 14th evening of the holy month of Ramadan. Once the holiday begins, children go from one house to another in their neighborhood, ringing doorbells to collect sweets and nuts while singing the traditional Garangao song. They collect all these in a special bag while hanging it from their neck. These relative ideals of sharing, generosity, and togetherness are inherited from generation to generation. You can plan a visit to witness this celebration with your kids and let them know about the rich history of Islam, one of the best things to do in Qatar.

Children are dressed in charming traditional clothes where most boys dress in white thobes and girls wear colored, embroidered dresses along with matching accessories. It is a way of honoring the perseverance of children in fasting, which is a cultural trait of the Gulf. In Qatar, several organizations contribute to popularize this occasion by establishing various cultural events. In this celebration, people gather together and create a message of belonging and togetherness.

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4. Taste Traditional Qatari Cuisine

The authentic foods of Qatar have always been enlivened through its spice trade, where ginger, star anise, and black pepper trail back to the Indian subcontinent. Garlic and cumin are brought from the furthest east of the Mediterranean through the desert. Rich in tradition and a mix of influences from India, Persia, Lebanon, and North Africa together comprise Qatari cuisine. The Qatari cuisine is a proud love language of its richness. Ramadan offers in Qatar its truly magical local cuisine, where the street food also reflects some great aspects of the local taste of Qatar.

In fact, food in Qatar will truly feast your senses featuring rich culinary offerings from aromatic rice dishes to desserts. The real feeling of Qatari food is in their rich spices, slow-cooked meats, and hearty grains that are meant to be shared with family and friends. Qatar also has various luxury restaurants that offer you a fine dining experience. Here is a list of a few local Qatari cuisines that you can try during Ramadan.

Machboos
Saloona
Luqaimat
Balaleet
Margoog
Harees

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5. Explore Souq Waqif

Souq Waqif is a heritage market located in Doha, which is the capital of Qatar. It looks like a vintage market, being right by the banks of the Wadi Msheireb. It is known for its traditional apparel, spices, handicrafts, and souvenirs. While being in Qatar, it's a perfect destination if you are in search of the historical places in Qatar. Be ready to bargain and wear modest attire for such a visit, which is preferably done in the evening when the market is almost alive with bustle. Avail Ramadan deals in Qatar and get great discounts on various products. Here, you can discover a thriving environment of shopping, traditional Qatari dishes, and cultural performances. Hotels in Souq Waqif are some of the finest hotels in Qatar because of their strategic location in the city, and they comprise a series of eight five-star hotels. You can also enjoy a diverse range of options for dining, from the most old-fashioned Qatari restaurants to international eateries.

Opening Hours:

Saturday to Thursday: 7 AM to 12:30 PM, 3 PM to 10 PM
Friday: 12:30 PM to 10 PM

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6. Attend Taraweeh Prayers

The word ‘Taraweeh’ comes from the Arabic word meaning "rest" or "relaxation."It is a voluntary prayer offered during the month of Ramadan after the evening prayer-Isha, which was established as a certain practice of the Prophet Muhammad. Taraweeh prayer is performed by Muslims to earn Allah's blessings, strengthen their faith, and connect with the almighty. They believe it will lead to the forgiveness of sins and multiplied rewards. Ramadan start in Qatar from the evening of Friday, February 28, 2025, and end on the evening of Sunday, March 30, 2025.

Mosques host gatherings of Tarawih prayer for women and men on every night of this holy month, but it can also be performed at home. Wudu, which is an ablution ritual, is necessary to be performed by a Muslim, and it is expected to pray in clothes that cover the person from the awrah all the time.

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7. Experience Adventure Activities

Visit the land of dunes surrounded by the blue sky. The desert in Qatar offers unique beauty that attracts many visitors to go out on an enjoyable safari and capture pictures of the awesome landscapes. Every single visitor to Qatar considers it a must-do because you can try out many activities like dune bashing followed by a ride on a camel that lasts through the night while serving Arabic food and hospitality. There is hardly any comparison to the joy of being dashing down sand banks with the Arabian Gulf on one side and an endless desert on the other side.

Being hit by the wind-blown sand is common there, but if you are willing to experience the thrill and to get some adventurous pictures, then be ready to sacrifice your comfort a little bit. Enjoy the serenity of the desert by spending a night under the stars in a luxury Bedouin-style campsite. Spending time in the beautiful, historic desert is nothing less than a journey of adventure. Here is a list of some activities that you can enjoy in the desert of Qatar.

Dune Bashing
Camel Riding
Sandboarding
Quad Biking
Buggy Riding

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8. Witness Mesahar

"Mesahar" is a term used to describe a traditional Ramadan drummer who wears traditional attire and goes door-to-door chanting religious poetry and drumming so that individuals can wake up for Suhoor during Ramadan. It is incomplete without them, as Mesahars play a vital part in Ramadan culture by waking individuals just before sunrise for the Suhoor meal, which needs to be eaten before the daily fast begins.

This practice has been observed for centuries, even before alarm clocks became widely used, and is a way of ensuring that people are reminded to eat something prior to the onset of the fast. While alarm clocks are widely used today, the Mesahar practice continues in some areas, especially during Ramadan festivities, and you can witness this during Ramadan in Qatar.

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9. Visit Lusail Boulevard

Ramadan is about creating memories with your loved ones, and Lusail Boulevard is the destination. In celebration of the blessed month of Ramadan, Lusail Boulevard hosts a month-long festival called "Ramadan at Lusail Boulevard" that includes heritage, culture, and family-oriented entertainment throughout this holy month. It features the Ramadan Market, where people can stroll and shop for original handicrafts and local products that capture the spirit of Qatari and Arab heritage. On top of that, you have the option to select a variety of Ramadan special foods and beverages that would make your food experience memorable. This market remains open from 8 PM to 1 AM.

Each weekend the stage is filled with exciting interactive games and prize-giving, complemented by live cooking demonstrations for children to learn the wonderful traditional recipes. Be enchanted with the magic of exclusive iftars, fine cuisine, live events, and shopping after sunset. Lusail greets friends and family with exclusive Ramadan activities. Don't miss a cannon firing in traditional style against the backdrop of Lusail Boulevard. It is a special cultural tradition marking the end of the daily fast. Lusail Boulevard is beautifully lit at night, with wandering characters, old-fashioned games for the children, and late-night shopping. Below are some restaurants nearby that have excellent dinner options.

Bywater
ADRIFT Anda
Hoppers Doha

Ramadan in Qatar is truly an unforgettable experience, from the stunning decorations to the delicious iftar, every aspect of this month is filled with joy and love. If you are coming here to celebrate Ramadan, then Qatar’s hospitality will connect you with local communities to know about their traditions and culture more closely. From seeking blessings at the sacred mosques to getting to know about the rich history of Ramadan, you can explore all these with our Qatar tour packages. Let the divine power of Ramadan transform your life and create unforgettable memories that will stay with you forever.