Mall Road, officially Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam, is the spine of colonial Lahore. It runs from the gates of Bagh-e-Jinnah past the High Court, the Punjab Assembly and the museum to the edge of the old walled city. Stay anywhere along it and the best of Lahore is closer than you think.
This guide covers five things to do near Mall Road, in the order you would reach them heading north-west from WAPDA House at Charing Cross. Distances are approximate and measured by road from Charing Cross. In Lahore traffic, allow ten minutes per kilometre at rush hour.
Staying on Mall Road?Avari Lahore is 1.5 km from the first sight. Watch the hotel video ↓
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Best time
- Early morning
Bagh-e-Jinnah (Lawrence Gardens)
Laid out in the 1860s as the Lawrence Gardens, Bagh-e-Jinnah is Lahore’s great Victorian park: wide lawns, old banyan and pine trees and a botanical collection spread over about 140 acres. It is the closest sight to Charing Cross and an easy walk up the Mall.
At the centre stands the Quaid-e-Azam Library, housed in the grand Montgomery and Lawrence halls. On the edge of the garden is Lahore Zoo, one of the oldest in South Asia. Joggers, walkers and families fill the paths from dawn.
Tip: Come before 8 am, when the light is soft and the city is still cool. Enter from the Mall Road side.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Best time
- Late morning
Lahore Museum and the Zamzama gun
The red-brick Lahore Museum, designed by Sir Ganga Ram and opened in its current building in 1894, holds one of the finest collections in Pakistan. Gandhara sculpture is the highlight, above all the Fasting Buddha, alongside Mughal miniatures, coins, textiles and carved woodwork.
Outside on the Mall sits the Zamzama, the huge bronze cannon of Kipling’s Kim, cast in 1757. Across the road are the National College of Arts and the old Tollinton Market. All three are worth a look on the way.
Tip: Leave at least an hour for the Gandhara gallery alone. Photography rules vary, so ask at the desk.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Best time
- Afternoon
Anarkali Bazaar
Anarkali is one of the oldest surviving bazaars in South Asia, named after the tomb of the legendary courtesan nearby. Old Anarkali is for food; New Anarkali is a maze of lanes selling fabric, embroidered shoes, bangles and wedding wear.
Come hungry. The stalls along Old Anarkali serve fried fish in winter, chana and kulcha, lassi in tall steel glasses and the sweets Lahore is famous for.
Tip: Shops open late, around 11 am, and the bazaar is at its liveliest after 5 pm. Keep your phone in a front pocket.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Best time
- Late afternoon to sunset
Badshahi Mosque and Lahore Fort
Built by the emperor Aurangzeb in 1673, the Badshahi Mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world, its red sandstone courtyard big enough to hold tens of thousands of worshippers. Directly opposite is Lahore Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, rebuilt by Akbar and extended by every Mughal emperor after him.
Inside the fort, do not miss the Sheesh Mahal, a hall lined with mirror mosaic, and the Picture Wall, covered in tile and fresco scenes of elephants, hunts and polo. Between the two monuments is Hazuri Bagh, with its marble pavilion.
Tip: Time your visit to end at sunset, then walk to Fort Road Food Street for dinner on a rooftop facing the mosque.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Best time
- Morning
Wazir Khan Mosque
Finished in 1641 under Shah Jahan, Wazir Khan is the most richly decorated mosque in Lahore. Every surface is covered in kashi kari tile work and fresco painting, in turquoise, cobalt, yellow and green. Many visitors find it more moving than the far larger Badshahi.
It stands just inside Delhi Gate on the Shahi Guzargah, the old royal route through the walled city. Restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, the lane now makes an easy, car-free walk past Shahi Hammam, a 17th-century bathhouse, to the mosque.
Tip: Go early, before the bazaar fills up. Climb the minaret, when it is open, for a view over the rooftops.
Avari Lahore
All five sights in this guide are within about 5 km of Avari Lahore, next to WAPDA House at Charing Cross. You can walk to the garden and take a short ride to everything else.
Why stay on Mall Road
Mall Road sits halfway between the walled city and the newer districts of Gulberg and DHA, so you are never far from either. From Charing Cross you can walk to Bagh-e-Jinnah before breakfast, reach the museum in ten minutes and be at the fort for sunset without crossing the whole city.
Avari Lahore is one of the city’s long-established hotels, right on the Mall beside WAPDA House. Its interiors take their cue from Lahore itself: carved wooden arches, chandeliers and inlaid marble floors in Mughal star patterns. After a hot day in the old city, it is a quiet place to come back to.
- Address
- WAPDA House, Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Garhi Shahu, Lahore 54000
- Area
- Mall Road, Charing Cross
- Nearest sight
- Bagh-e-Jinnah, about 1.5 km
A one-day route
- 8:00Walk in Bagh-e-Jinnah, then breakfast nearby.
- 10:00Lahore Museum and the Zamzama gun.
- 13:00Lunch and shopping in Anarkali Bazaar.
- 15:00Ride to Delhi Gate. Walk to Wazir Khan Mosque.
- 17:00Lahore Fort and Badshahi Mosque at sunset, then dinner on Fort Road Food Street.
With two days, give the walled city its own morning. Start at Delhi Gate and walk the Shahi Guzargah, the royal route, through Wazir Khan Mosque to the fort. Save the museum and the garden for the second afternoon.
Getting around
Ride-hailing apps work well in Lahore and are the easiest way to reach the walled city without haggling. Rickshaws are quicker in traffic: agree the fare first. The Orange Line metro runs through the city but not along the Mall itself. Avoid driving into the old city. Park at the fort or at Delhi Gate and walk.
Best time to visit Lahore
October to March. Days are warm and evenings cool, and the gardens are at their best in February and March. From May to August afternoons regularly pass 40°C. Plan sightseeing for early morning and after sunset. Smog can be heavy in November and December, so check the air quality before long days outdoors.
Where to eat near Mall Road
Lahore is Pakistan’s food capital, and the Mall is surrounded by it. For dinner with a view, go to Fort Road Food Street, where rooftop restaurants face Badshahi Mosque. Order karahi, seekh kebab and fresh naan. For breakfast, try halwa puri or nihari in the walled city. Lakshmi Chowk, a short ride from Anarkali, is the old late-night food crossroads, busiest after 10 pm.
For something sweet, Anarkali’s sweet shops sell barfi, gulab jamun and seasonal gajar halwa. Finish the night with a glass of doodh patti; see the tea that runs the country.
Shopping on and around the Mall
Beyond Anarkali, Liberty Market in Gulberg is the place for lawn cotton and ready-to-wear, and the Mall itself has old bookshops and tailors. In the walled city, Kashmiri Bazaar and Azam Cloth Market sell fabric by the metre at wholesale prices. Bargaining is expected in bazaars but not in fixed-price shops.
If you have more time
- Shalimar GardensShah Jahan’s terraced Mughal garden, about 8 km east, and a UNESCO site alongside the fort.
- Minar-e-PakistanThe national monument in Greater Iqbal Park, just north of the fort.
- Jahangir’s TombAcross the Ravi at Shahdara, with fine pietra dura inlay.
- Wagah borderThe flag-lowering ceremony at the Indian border, about 30 km east. Arrive early.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Badshahi Mosque from Mall Road?
About 5 km from Charing Cross, or 15 to 30 minutes by car depending on traffic.
Can I walk from Mall Road to the walled city?
Yes, if you are used to busy roads. It is roughly an hour from Charing Cross to the fort, past the museum and Anarkali. Most visitors walk one way and ride back.
What should I wear to the mosques?
Cover arms and legs. Women should bring a scarf for their hair. Shoes come off at the entrance; keep a bag for them.
Is one day enough for Lahore?
One day covers these five sights at a brisk pace. Two to three days lets you add Shalimar Gardens, the Wagah border ceremony and a proper food walk.
Which hotel is closest to the Mall Road sights?
Avari Lahore, next to WAPDA House at Charing Cross, is about 1.5 km from Bagh-e-Jinnah and within roughly 5 km of the fort, Badshahi Mosque and Wazir Khan Mosque.
Are the sights open on Fridays?
Mosques stay open but close to visitors during Friday prayers, roughly 12:30 to 2:30 pm. Plan the fort or the museum for the middle of the day instead.
Find a stay in Lahore
Live prices and availability open in the IMPT app, in a new tab.
