Lusail, Qatar: The New City — Boulevard, Stadium, Lusail Tower and What's Worth Seeing

Twenty minutes north of Doha, Qatar built a new city — here is what to actually see.

Lusail is Qatar's planned city for 250,000 people, and the part of the country that changes fastest between visits. For a visitor it means one spectacular boulevard, the stadium that hosted the World Cup final, a marina, a Paris-style mall and a skyline that lights up at night. Give it an afternoon and evening.

What to see

• Lusail Boulevard — a kilometre-long avenue of towers, fountains and cafés, with a light show most evenings.
• Lusail Stadium — the golden bowl of the 2022 final; tours and the plaza.
• Katara Towers (the crossed scimitars) — home to the Raffles and Fairmont hotels; the sky-lobby bars have the best view in Lusail.
• Place Vendôme — a mall built around a Paris square, with a musical fountain and 500 shops.
• Lusail Marina and the Winter Wonderland theme park on Al Maha Island (winter season).
• Lusail Tower — the 70-storey landmark, viewpoint opening in phases.

A good half day

1. 1 4 pm — Place Vendôme for a coffee and the air conditioning.
2. 2 5.30 pm — Lusail Stadium plaza for photos as the gold catches the low sun.
3. 3 6.30 pm — Walk the Boulevard as the lights come on; dinner at one of the terrace restaurants.
4. 4 8.30 pm — Sky-lobby drink at Katara Towers, or the marina promenade.

Getting there

The Red Line runs from the airport and West Bay to Lusail QNB station in about 25 minutes; from there the boulevard is a 10-minute walk or a short tram ride. Taxis from West Bay are QAR 35–50. Our National Museum, Katara & Lusail tour covers the boulevard and stadium with a guide.

Lusail Stadium tours

Tours run most days outside events and take about 75 minutes: the pitch-side, the dressing rooms, the press area and the royal box, with a good exhibition on the 2022 final. Book online; children under 5 free. The stadium's gold skin — inspired by the fanar lantern — is best photographed from the plaza's west side at 5 pm.

Winter Wonderland and the marina

From November to March, Al Maha Island hosts Lusail Winter Wonderland — a theme park with a big wheel, roller coasters and an ice rink — plus restaurants on the water. The marina promenade has yachts, cafés and, on Friday evenings, a food market. Both are a 10-minute taxi from the Boulevard.

Getting around Lusail

• The Lusail tram (free) links the metro station, the Boulevard, Place Vendôme and the marina.
• The Boulevard is pedestrianised; parking is underground at either end.
• Taxis are plentiful outside Place Vendôme; apps work well.
• Lusail to Katara is 10 minutes, to The Pearl 10 minutes, to West Bay 20.

Eating and drinking in Lusail

The Boulevard's terraces run from Lebanese and Turkish grills to burger chains, with a cluster of specialty coffee bars at the marina end. For a view, the sky lobbies of Katara Towers (Raffles on one side, Fairmont on the other) serve afternoon tea and evening drinks 30 floors up; Place Vendôme's food hall is the family option. Prices are 10–20% above the souq.

When Lusail is worth skipping

Midday in summer (the Boulevard is exposed), and any day you have under 48 hours in Qatar — the old city and the desert come first. It is at its best on a winter evening, or on an event day at the stadium.