The many attractions of picture-perfect Mina District

The Mina District’s charm resides in its welcoming ambiance, coupled with a variety of retail outlets, cafes and restaurants, and its vividly-painted buildings, making it an increasingly popular tourist destination beyond the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.Dubbed as one of Qatar’s newest tourism spots located at the Old Doha Port, the District continues to attract a growing number of visitors due to its unique offerings and breathtaking views.During the prestigious tournament, this one-of-its-kind destination provided visitors a place to relax and stroll around, where docked cruise ships can be viewed from afar. Three ships – 'MSC World Europa', 'MSC Opera' and 'MSC Poesia' – served as floating hotels throughout the football event in Qatar.A number of shops and boutiques feature a wide range of products, including apparel, flowers, perfume, carpets, jewellery, antique collections and gift items, in addition to pharmacies, pet shops, supermarkets and other stores.One of the popular shops in the District, owned by pottery artist Talal al-Qasemei, has been attracting visitors as it displays an array of locally-made pottery and ceramic products that reflect the rich heritage of Qatar and the Gulf region.Several restaurants and coffee shops set up both indoor and outdoor dining areas, making it more appealing to customers who want to enjoy the atmosphere that suit them."I like going to work because I love to see this beautiful place, the atmosphere is so relaxing because of the colourful buildings and the park, and I also feel excited to see the cruise ships arriving,” an employee of a leading coffee chain told Gulf Times.German cruise ship ‘AIDAcosma’ arrived at Doha Port Monday, carrying 3,624 passengers and 1,385 crew members, while Italian cruise ship ‘Costa Toscana' came on Sunday on its maiden tour of the Arabian Gulf, according to Mwani Qatar.What makes the District more appealing is due to its accessibility to other popular destinations such as the Museum of Islamic Art (and its park), Box Park and Flag Plaza, the Doha Corniche, and Souq Waqif, among others.Like MIA Park, the District also has a good location where visitors can park easily, as well as view and take pictures of the Doha skyline.