Whether one is a shopping enthusiast or a culture buff, no trip to Doha would be complete without walking along the narrow alleyways that make up the city's best-loved traditional marketplaces. Known as "souks", the maze-like outdoor markets have been a fixture in Bedouin culture for centuries and remains a focal point of the local retail industry even today with the Souq Waqif serving as Doha's most popular retail hub for traditional wares. A tour of Souq Waqif, which was refurbished back in 2006, is a must for all first-time visitors as the sheer scale and size of the market will impress while the staggering variety of goods for sale will also shock visitors who are not used to finding everything from live falcons, perfume and gold jewellery being sold in a single outdoor thoroughfare. Divided into different sections, the souk's atmosphere is unlike any other retail venue in the city while those who wish to explore the Al Wakrah Souq will find that it is a less crowded and more laid back market than Souq Waqif.