Places to visit in Lahore for Locals and Foreigners

Lahore: The city of poets, artists, Sufis, emperors, traders & all those who migrated to this territory. Its welcoming culture made it worth throughout history. Travelers are always curious to explore the city and capture its traditions in their memory.

Since the time of the Mughals, there has been a constant addition in the city’s historic places, from Minar-e-Pakistan to Wagah Border. Each architect contains a powerful story. There are various places to visit in Lahore & you should add some of them to your bucket list.

Let’s explore Lahore’s most famous destinations:

The Old, Inner City (Androon Lahore)

Lahore Fort — Opposite to Royal Mosque

lahore fort

In opposite Badshahi Mosque’s entrance, Lahore Fort is situated — for a history lover, it’s a must-visit monument. Initially, the fortress was constructed with mud-brick in the 11th century. Then rebuilt several times as the reign passed.

Finally, the Mughal Empire completed the fort in the 17th century but was affected again by the invasions of Sikhs & British — as destruction was is in the inheritance of fort. Till then, it is slightly restored to portray the history.

The area of fort is 20 hectares spread with complex paths inside; you need an entire day to explore it thoroughly.

Follow are the spots to add to your visit:

  • Largest Picture Wall of the World
  • Sheesh Mahal
  • Moti Masjid
  • Jahangir’s Sleeping Chamber
  • Court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
  • Sehdari Pavilion
  • Shah Jahan Fawara
  • Royal Kitchen
  • Shah Burj Gate
  • Masti Gate
  • Hazuri Bagh

Allama Iqbal’s Tomb

allama iqbal tomb

Also known as Mazar-e-Iqbal in Urdu, the mausoleum is situated in the Hazuri Bagh. The tomb is the resting place of Shair-e-Mashriq Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the thinker who gave the idea of a separate & independent land for the subcontinent Muslims.

On April 21, 1938, he died at 60 years. Folks of visitors came daily to pray Fatiha at his grave.

Badshahi Mosque

badshahi mosque

The old traditional mosque was built in the reign of Aurangzeb in 1673 & it took almost two and half years. It represents an authentic symbol of the Mughal Era (1526-1857) and one of the most visited places of Pakistan.

Muslims lose control of the territory under the Sikhs rule in Lahore (1799-1849). The courtyard was used as a stable for their army horses. Even in the British Raj, the building was used as an army base. But in mid-1947, when the Indian Subcontinent divided, the Royal Mosque regained the position for which it was constructed — (worship of Allah Almighty).

Its expansive patio allows up to 100,000 worshippers at a time. And the capacity ranks as the 2nd biggest holy place in Pakistan. You can spend some hours at this delightful architecture.

Fact: From 1673 to 1986, it remained the world’s largest mosque.

Timings: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm

Food Street — Shahi Mohallah

food street lahore

A short distance from Badshahi Mosque, there is a food point of delicious local recipes including (fish, BBQ, mutton, beef, naan, Sajji (chicken served with rice), and lassi).

Moreover, the colorful walls on the houses and buildings are finely painted to capture the viewer’s attention. Thus, every time you look back, you will discover a new detail.

You can enjoy a meal on the rooftop in many restaurants while viewing a beautiful Badshahi Mosque. The best choices are Andaaz Restaurant, Cooco’s Den, and Haveli Restaurant.

Places to Visit in Lahore at Night

It doesn’t matter whether you like to wander during the day or night. You can find food round the clock in Lahore to suit your taste. However, enjoy the daylight till sunset at the fort, gardens & open-air places. Afterwards go and enjoy the night places.

Lahoris are night owls, they start eating traditional cuisine as the sun escape. Here are the top 5 locations you must visit in Lahore at night:

Haveli Restaurant

haveli restaurant lahore

Recently, tourism has made a positive comeback in Pakistan. And travelers come at Haveli to have delicious meals. Just because of its unique location, it gains more attraction. Pakistani, Continental & Traditional Dishes available on their menu.

I added the restaurant in the night visit because the lighting is so charming and eye-catchy with its surrounding decorated buildings. It appears that the side view of Badshahi Mosque is adorable in front of Haveli restaurant.

Liberty Round About Park

liberty round about

The roundabout in the heart of Gulberg III is not only a road but a park decorated with flowers, a fountain, and night lights. People often stop there for a couple of minutes to enjoy the fresh breeze and calm their minds.

M.M. Alam Road

If you plan to go shopping, MM Alam is the market where you will find brands such as Khaadi, J., Splash, Breeze Man, Marks & Spencer, and many more. It is one of the neon-lit lanes of Lahore, where you can see advertisements playing on the screens along the way.

M.M. Alam also offers you to eat according to your taste. Multiple food chains, including McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Subway, OPTP, The Kitchen, California Pizza, Burger King, Broadway, Myst Café, and other popular brands, are available here.

Delhi Gate Bazar

dehli gate androon lahore

We talked about the modern M.M. Alam market, but the tour of Lahore remains incomplete if Delhi Gate Bazar is not visited. There were 13 gates in Lahore; the British Raj demolished the majority. Later some gates are restored, including Delhi Gate, Taxali, Mochi, Yakki & Bhatti Gate.

The Delhi Gate is an old market of clothes, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, fancy dresses, pottery, and other household items. Masjid Wazir Khan is also located a few steps from the Gate entrance. The street’s electric wires have been completely organized in the previous two years, special thanks to the Metropolitan Corporation of Lahore (MCL).

Fact
Similar Gate in India Delhi city there is a gate named Lahori Gate. Delhi in Lahore & Lahori in Delhi, what a vice versa.

Greater Iqbal Park

dancing fountains at iqbal park

It was formerly known as (Minto Park) and then as Iqbal Park, but after renovation, it was renamed Greater Iqbal Park. You may have thought about why I added this park to my night visit to Lahore?

So, the answer is at each even 6:00 pm | 7:15 pm | 10:00 pm dancing fountains perform 800 feet long water light trails.

Therefore, you can walk around the park and Minar-e-Pakistan during daylight hours and enjoy the dancing light at night.

Things to do in Lahore at Night

Doing fun things at Lahore is fantastic. There are many activities you can experience you haven’t done before. Some are them are described below:

Bowling: This indoor target sport is best to hold your focus and move your body on the shiny tiles. Its heavy-solid ball challenges your throwing ability, but when you fall all the pins, the happiness is unexplainable.

Currently, there are two bowling clubs in Lahore.

1. Uptown LA

up town la bowling club dha

Lahore’s first and best bowling club in the town with a restaurant inside; you can order a sandwich, pizza, and other fast food items along with soft drinks.

 Fact: Similar Gate in India Delhi city there is a gate named Lahori Gate. Delhi in Lahore & Lahori in Delhi what a vice versa. 

Address: 301 R Lalik chowk, Sector R DHA Phase 2, Lahore, Punjab

Timings: Mon-Sun (9:00AM – 2:00AM)

Contact number: +92 300 8436223

2. Star Bowling

star bowling club

Seconds club is the star bowling located in Fortress Stadium. If you’re with family, I recommend you to visit this club. As the environment is ideal for an outing.

Address: Fortress Stadium, Saddar، Saddar Town, Lahore, Punjab

Timings: Mon-Sun (10 am till 12 am)

Contact number: (042) 36623046

3. Joyland

joyland lahore

One of the largest recreation parks of Lahore, the amusement park area is 6 acres spread. And an idea for kids activities, including skies, roller coaster, discovery, and swings.

Address: Fortress Stadium, Saddar، Saddar Town, Lahore, Punjab

Timings: Mon-Sun (03:30 pm – 12:00 am)

Contact number: +92 348 8801544

Khizer Tariq

Khizer Tariq

Khizer Tariq is a Copywriter, SEO executive, and tech enthusiast with more than 8 years experience. He is running popular blogs in the traveling, mobile & pc gaming, technology, banking & finance, education, and motivational speakers industries. Moreover, KT is teaching and making helpful content on different platforms like Facebook & youtube. You can follow Khizer Tariq on Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram.

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