Lusail City, Qatar’s hypermodern new development, has a lot of great stuff to offer for Qataris and foreign visitors alike.
Whether you want to get a glimpse of Lusail Stadium, where the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be hosted, or rather spot the most extravagant yachts in Lusail Marina.
Maybe you want to drop by for the beautiful Lusail Light Show, or perhaps you want to show off your shooting skills at Lusail shooting club. With dozens of things to do and places to visit, you’ll never get bored in Lusail City.
Once it’s finished, the futuristic new city is bound to be Doha’s new hotspot. So let’s find out how you can make the most of your visit to Lusail City. You don’t want to miss out on any of these highlights!
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A quick history of Lusail City, Qatar
Before diving into those top things to do in Lusail City, let’s have a quick look at the background of this exciting new development.
The name lusail comes from the term al wassail, the Qatari name for a local plant which grows in the area. But that’s not the only way in which Lusail City builds on heritage and tradition.
The geographical location, about 23 km north of Doha’s city centre, is where Sheikh Jassim Bin Mohammed Al Thani, the founder of the State of Qatar, settled and built Lusail Castle.
It is this site of historical and national significance that in 2005 was announced as the soon-to-be birthplace of Qatar’s newest modern city. It is developed by Lusail Real Estate Development Company (LREDC), which is government-funded and part of Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company.
Lusail City is one of the most innovative projects in the country. It not only blends modernity with Qatari tradition and Islamic architecture, but it’s also Qatar’s first sustainable city. As such, Lusail City is a key development that truly embodies the State of Qatar’s National Vision for 2030.
The new city consists of 18 districts, most of which have a specific designated purpose. The area of roughly 38 km² will house 250,000 residents and is expected to accommodate around 450,000 people in total.
The city will have all the facilities one can wish for, from residential areas to luxury shopping malls to golf courses. So let’s have a closer look at some of the main things to do in Lusail City.
Top 7 things to do and places to visit in Lusail City
If you are a tourist planning a visit to Lusail City, you don’t want to miss out on any of the highlights. That’s where this Lusail City guide comes in. Below, you’ll find the top 7 places to visit and things to do in Lusail City. Let’s have a look.
1- Lusail Iconic Stadium
Even though Lusail Stadium isn’t finished yet at the time of writing this article, it is guaranteed to be one of the must-visit places in the city.
Lusail Iconic Stadium (or Lusail National Stadium), as it’s officially called, will be Qatar’s main football stadium for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Both the opening match and the cup final are expected to be held here.
The stadium, located in the Stadium District of Lusail, was designed by Foster + Partners, a London-based architecture and design firm. The interior design is inspired by the art of bowl weaving, an ancient Arabic craft traditionally practised in the area. The curved exterior of the building is said to mimic the sails of a traditional dhow boat.
Lusail stadium capacity is planned at an impressive 80,000 seats.
2- Lusail Sports Arena (or Lusail Multipurpose Hall)
Another famous sports venue in Lusail is the Lusail Sports Arena, often referred to as Lusail Multipurpose Hall.
Just like the Lusail Iconic Stadium, the Lusail Arena is designed to mimic aspects of traditional Qatari culture. The stunning arena’s vibrant colour scheme reflects the desert, the sea, and the colours of Qatari pearls.
If you have some spare time you should definitely attend a sports match or enjoy a live music concert at Lusail Multipurpose Hall. Be sure to arrive a bit early so you can admire the architecture before you go in!
3- Lusail Marina
Next up is arguably Lusail’s prime hotspot for tourists and residents alike: Lusail Marina. The marina is actually much more than just a harbour for yachts; it’s one of the most important districts of Lusail City.
Here are some of the highlights of Lusail Marina.
- Lusail Marina Promenade
Lined by dozens of palm trees, the Lusail Marina Promenade is one of the main hotspots in both the district and the city as a whole. You can go for a walk, enjoy a run, rent a bicycle, or sit down for a bite to eat or a coffee.
With 3 kilometres of walkway, you definitely won’t get bored. And don’t forget to take a selfie at the “I Love Lusail” sign before you leave!
- Light Me Lusail
The international festival of lights, also called Lusail Light Show, was first held in 2018 at Lusail Marina Eastern Promenade. The next year it expanded onto the South Promenade as well.
Despite it being such a new festival it has quickly grown into a large tourist attraction.
- Katara Towers Lusail
The Katara Towers, or Lusail Marina Iconic Development, are probably the most iconic and impressive in all of Lusail City (if not all of Qatar).
As with so much in Lusail, the architectural design is steeped in Qatari heritage. It symbolises the crossed swords emblem of the State of Qatar.
Of course, it wouldn’t be Qatar if they wouldn’t mix this symbolism with astonishing modernity. The Katara Towers Lusail will host the first six-star hotel in the country, as well as a five-star hotel, restaurants, entertainment, and more.
- Marina Twin Towers
If you haven’t had enough of architecture yet you can walk (or take a tram or taxi) from Lusail Marina Promenade a bit more inland to the colourful Marina Twin Towers.
The building itself hosts office space, so there isn’t much to do for tourists, but admiring its design is definitely worth the small detour!
4 – Lusail Shooting Club
Fancy something a bit different? Then why not give the Lusail Shooting Range a try!
For only QAR100 you can shoot clay pigeons at the Lusail Shooting Club, a fun experience you won’t forget.
5 – Crescent Park Lusail
Found in the Fox Hills district, Crescent Park Lusail is one of the largest and best-known parks in the district.
It opened in March 2019 and is inspired by the desert. There are loads of fun desert-themed playgrounds and other attractions for kids.
Are you in a group of only adults? Not to worry! Crescent Park has beautiful walking and cycling routes, gardens, landscapes, sports facilities, and more.
Looking for another Lusail park? Not to worry, there are dozens of parks spread across the city. Wherever you are in Lusail City, you’re bound to find a park that you like!
6 – Qetaifan Islands and Waterpark
Qetaifan consists of four different islands. The islands are expected to some of Lusail City’s main entertainment hubs.
The state-of-the-art Lusail Beach Club, luxury residential areas, private beaches, retail plaza, beautiful hotels, the lush Linear Park, and so much more. The Qetaifan Islands contain everything you can dream of. And the main attraction?
That’s definitely the Lusail Water Park! It is spread out over almost 130,000 square meters and will include the world’s highest water slide: An 80-meter slide to get your blood pumping!
7 – Place Vendôme Mall Lusail
Set to open in September 2021, Place Vendôme will host all the high-end shops you can think of, just like the Paris original it is named after.
The Place Vendôme Mall Lusail will have a water canal running through it and aside from shops, it is set to include a cinema complex and even an amusement park.
It is located in Lusail’s Entertainment City district, which will further contain hotels, apartments, shopping malls, night clubs, theme parks, and more.
How to get to Lusail City?
Lusail City is located just over 20 kilometres north of Doha’s city centre. Lusail is very well connected to the rest of Doha, which means you have multiple options for travelling there.
First of all, you can decide to drive there yourself. From Doha’s city centre, it takes about 30 minutes to get there by car.
If you don’t own a car, you can either take a taxi or go via Doha Metro. The Doha Metro system is very easy to use and it will get you from downtown Doha to Lusail City in mere minutes.
From Doha, take the Doha Metro Red Line up to Lusail Metro Station. Alternatively, you can continue on the same line to Lusail Stadium Metro Station.
Living in Lusail City
As you’ve seen, Lusail City will truly be the city of the future. With all these attractions and sights to see, there’s never a dull moment in Lusail. No wonder so many people – both Qataris and expats – are planning to move to Lusail City! So let’s have a quick look at living in Lusail City.
If you are looking for Lusail apartments for rent, you will be happy to know the choice is almost limitless. From luxurious, high-end apartments in Lusail Marina to more budget-friendly apartments for rent in Lusail Fox Hills.
You can have a look at some of the many available studio apartments, flats in Lusail, 1 bedroom apartments in Lusail and various houses and villas.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Below, you can find some of the most frequently asked questions about Lusail City.
Lusail City lies approximately 23 kilometers north of Doha’s city center. It is located just above The Pearl Qatar district.
Lusail City consists of a total of 18 different districts. Each district was designed with a specific main function. For example, there is a specific Entertainment District, a Marina District, and even a Golf District!
Here is the full list of all districts of Lusail City:
Golf District
North Residential District
Al Kharaej Towers
Stadium District
Waterfront Residential District
Energy City 1
Waterfront Commercial District
Fox Hills
Al Erkyah
Energy City 2
Entertainment City
Entertainment Island
Medical and Education District
Qatar Petroleum District
Marina District
Qetaifan Islands
Boulevard Commercial
Lusail Towers
From Doha’s city centre you have three main options to get to Lusail. Drive there yourself by car. This will take about 25 minutes, depending on traffic. Get a taxi, which will take the same time as driving yourself. Take the Doha Metro, which takes about 30 minutes as well
The Lusail Tram network, or Lusail LRT, was scheduled to open in 2021. It is expected to be the main form of transport in and around Lusail City and its districts.
Currently, developers claim that around 95% of all the building works in Lusail have been finished.
All of Lusail City is expected to be completed by 2021, although there is currently some uncertainty as building works had to be partly stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lusail Iconic Stadium will be the largest venue in Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It will also host both the opening and the final World Cup matches.
The Lusail Stadium capacity is expected to be at least 80,000 spectators.
The date for Light Me Lusail 2021 has not been announced yet. In 2020 the annual Lusail Light Show was held from the 15th to the 18th of January. Unfortunately, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the exact dates for the 2021 edition have not been confirmed yet.