Lusail

Half a day on the Boulevard and the marina by metro and tram

Lusail, the planned city on the coast 23 km north of central Doha, fits into half a day from the capital. Ride the Red Line to its northern end, change to the Lusail Tram for the Boulevard, Place Vendôme and the marina, and stay longer only for the waterpark, a concert or a race weekend.

• Half a day: ride the Red Line to its northern end and change to the tram for the Boulevard. Above Lusail Plaza hangs Al Nehem, a 30 m whale shark suspended 20 m up between the four Lusail Towers, two of them 301 m tall and two 215 m. Finish at Place Vendôme after dark, when the fountains play along its canal.
• A full day: add the Marina promenade, with interactive fountains and yachts at their moorings, and the crescent-shaped Katara Towers, 36 storeys high. Families can spend the afternoon at the waterpark and beach on Qetaifan Island North or in Crescent Park, whose playgrounds are watered with recycled water.
• An event day: Lusail Stadium staged the 2022 World Cup final, and the Lusail International Circuit lies just outside the city. In winter, Lusail Winter Wonderland on Al Maha Island runs 50 rides beside The Arena, a concert venue for 3,000 to 5,000 people.

History is thin on the ground but real. Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani is the ruler celebrated on National Day. He settled at Lusail in 1903 and was buried here in July 1913. For souqs and museums, pair a Lusail afternoon with a day in Doha. Race-goers should buy tickets and book hotels as soon as the calendar is published.

For trips further north, see Al Khor.

Racing weekends, winter festivals and 41°C summers in Lusail

Racing brings the busiest dates to the circuit, which opened in 2004, and winter is festival season, when the Boulevard hosts lighting displays and live events.

Summer is another matter: June, July and August all average 41°C or more by day with nights of 31°C or warmer. Open-air streets such as the Boulevard empty out until late evening.

Racing gives the city its busiest dates. The circuit opened in 2004 and installed permanent floodlights in 2007, and in March 2008 it staged the first night race in MotoGP history. It has opened the MotoGP season for most years since, though the calendar shifts, so check the current dates. Formula 1 arrived in November 2021 with the first Qatar Grand Prix; the race is scheduled for 27 to 29 November 2026 and 3 to 5 November 2027.

The Boulevard hosts lighting displays, décor exhibitions and live performances through the cooler months, and the Marina lights up for a festival of lights each December. Lusail Winter Wonderland opens on Al Maha Island for the season. Looking further ahead, the city will host matches of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup, including the final phase.

Place Vendôme cafés and hotel dining rooms in Lusail

Eating in Lusail revolves around malls and hotels. Place Vendôme combines luxury shopping with restaurants and cafés along its canal, and the hotels in the Katara Towers add their own dining rooms. Alcohol is served only in bars attached to large international hotels, and some malls keep family days at weekends.

For Qatari cooking such as machboos, Souq Waqif in Doha is a better bet than anywhere in Lusail.

Alcohol is available to visitors only in bars attached to large international hotels, so a drink in Lusail means the Katara Towers or another major hotel. Staff may ask to see a passport. Karak, the sweet spiced tea, is the cheap alternative, sold from roadside stalls where some customers order without leaving the car.