An escape from the bustling city life during Eid holiday

Providing an escape from the bustling city life, Qatar’s natural wonders offered visitors a haven to create unforgettable memories with families and friends during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, it is learnt.Qatar residents and visitors thronged places outside Doha to relax and experience the beauty, unique sceneries and serenity of these ‘must-visit’ destinations."It's fun and exciting to have road trips and gather with friends and family in Qatar during the Eid holiday. There are lots of places to go to and roads are accessible," Filipino expatriate Fergie D told Gulf Times."Tourism spots in Qatar are interesting to see. Historical places are informative. I love the art installations. Some of the artworks are really amazing, and they make me think about their meaning," he added.Fergie, along with his wife Chaine, daughter Kaliya and a group of friends, travelled by car to visit Al Zubarah Fort, 'Shadows Travelling on the Sea of the Day' (by renowned Icelandic–Danish artist Olafur Eliasson), Arsan Cafe (Old Ruwais Police Station), Al Ruwais Park and Purple Island."The long drive was worth the time and I was fascinated by how Qatar maintained its cultural heritage while keeping up with the modernised world. Surprisingly, our trip was not exhausting as I expected it to be because I enjoyed the scenery. The Middle East vibe was greatly present when we were on the road. The trip was amazing," Chaine said."You feel overwhelmed inside Al Zubarah Fort – you realise how vast their history is. You get the same feeling when you visit Arsan Cafe. The tourist spots (at least the ones we visited) won't fail you. They are worth a visit," she added.Purple Island in Al Khor continued to be a crowd-puller, receiving a large number of holiday-goers since the start of the Eid break.The spot provides visitors with a chance to reconnect with nature due to its lush greenery and "serene views of Qatar's largest and oldest dense mangroves reserves", according to Visit Qatar.Like Fergie and Chaine, Indian expatriate Saheer shared the same experience, saying he enjoyed the road trips this Eid, and was able to visit various places in the northern parts of Qatar."I love to travel by car and repeatedly make visits to places like Al Zubarah, Purple Island and Arsan during this time of the year, when it’s not too cold neither too hot, and because Qatar has amazing roads," he pointed out.He said he also plans to revisit 'one-of-a-kind locations' such as Zekreet to see the rock formations, Richard Serra’s exceptional art installation, and Zekreet Beach.