Visit Aljada The New Downtown Sharjah
Aljada is Sharjah’s new downtown: a walkable, design-led urban destination where you can dine, shop, play, and stay in one place, making it one of the most exciting places to visit in the UAE this year. Spread across 24 million square feet with parks, boulevards, and a world-class entertainment hub, it offers the energy of a modern city wrapped in Sharjah’s family-friendly, cultural atmosphere.
What and where is Aljada?
Aljada is a master-planned city-within-a-city developed by Arada, envisioned as “the downtown of new Sharjah” and designed for people to live, work, and have fun in one integrated destination. It sits in Muwaileh, just about 7 minutes from Sharjah International Airport and roughly 20 minutes from Dubai International Airport, making it ideal for both weekend visits and longer stays.
The development spans around 24 million square feet and will include more than 25,000 homes, office districts, hotels, and an education district, all connected by a 4.4 km retail and dining boulevard. The community is built around walkability and green spaces, with extensive parks and landscaped areas woven through the urban grid.
A new kind of city break
Visiting Aljada feels more like discovering a new city than a single attraction because everything is curated around lifestyle rather than just sightseeing. You can stroll tree-lined boulevards, explore a huge central entertainment park, grab speciality coffee, and end the evening at a drive-in cinema without ever needing a car once you arrive.
For short stays, the planned hotels and serviced apartments put you right at the heart of the action, steps away from cafés, shops, and parks. For longer visits, Aljada connects easily to the rest of Sharjah’s museums and heritage districts, so you can combine modern urban life with cultural experiences in one trip.
Madar: the entertainment heart
At the core of Aljada is Madar, a vast leisure and entertainment complex designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. Its flowing, futuristic architecture is surrounded by lush landscaping, making it a striking place to walk, take photos, or simply relax outdoors.
Madar is packed with things to do: an events hall, manicured gardens, children’s play areas, an Olympic-level skate park, sports facilities, and a drive-in cinema create a full day out for all ages. Food lovers can explore the Zad food district and a line-up of popular brands such as Five Guys, Starbucks, Bosporus, Moon Slice Pizza, Origami, Hoof Café, and more, turning the park into a genuine dining destination.
Family fun and kids’ activities
Aljada has quickly become one of Sharjah’s most family-friendly places to spend a day because almost every space is designed with children in mind. Madar alone offers sprawling play parks, fountain splash areas, safe open lawns, and dedicated kids’ experiences that make it easy for parents to relax while children explore.
A major highlight is BOUNCE Sharjah at Aljada, an indoor freestyle playground combining trampolines, dodgeball courts, performance areas, and the X Run challenge, giving kids and teens an exciting way to burn energy. With cafés and casual dining nearby, parents can watch from a comfortable spot while kids jump, flip, and race through obstacle courses.
Dining, coffee, and night vibes
Food is one of the strongest reasons to visit Aljada this year, as the community brings together trendy homegrown spots and global favourites in one walkable district. In and around Madar and the main boulevard, you will find everything from speciality coffee and dessert cafés to casual burger joints and upscale grill restaurants.
By evening, the tree-lined streets, illuminated fountains, and outdoor terraces give the area a lively but relaxed atmosphere, perfect for strolls with friends or family. Events, weekend markets, and food pop-ups frequently activate the open spaces, so each visit can feel slightly different depending on what is on that week.
Shopping and lifestyle
As Aljada grows, it is becoming a new lifestyle hub for residents of Sharjah and nearby emirates, thanks to its expanding retail offering. East Boulevard, opened as part of the early phases, already hosts multiple fashion boutiques and concept stores, adding to the mix of shops at Madar.
The broader master plan includes extensive leasable retail space, meaning the community is set to evolve into a fully-fledged shopping destination rather than just a residential project. You can combine errands, window-shopping, and lunch in one car-free outing, which is a rarity in many parts of the UAE.
Design, architecture, and art
Aljada is also worth visiting for its architecture, as it showcases how contemporary design and green urbanism can reshape a city. The central entertainment hub and key public spaces were created by Zaha Hadid Architects, known globally for their sculptural, fluid forms.
The wider master plan leans on clean modern lines, shaded walkways, and landscaped courtyards that prioritize pedestrians and cyclists over cars. In the coming years, the community will also feature Il Teatro, a performing arts centre designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando, set to become Aljada’s cultural heart.
Green spaces and outdoor living
If you enjoy being outdoors, Aljada gives you a refreshing contrast to enclosed malls through its large parks and shaded streets. Across the community there are generous green spaces, with Madar alone offering gardens, tree-filled promenades, and picnic-friendly lawns.
Cycling and walking tracks weave through the neighbourhood, and visitors can use e-scooters and e-bikes available through local mobility services to explore comfortably without driving. Sports fans can make use of football pitches, multi-sport courts, and an advanced skate park, turning a simple visit into an active day out.
Events, festivals, and community life
Aljada is designed as a social hub, so the calendar is full of events ranging from family festivals and outdoor movie nights to sports competitions and seasonal celebrations. Large open plazas and an amphitheatre at Madar create natural gathering points for live performances and cultural activities.
Regular programming and activations across Aljada help position the destination as a go-to place in Sharjah for celebrations such as National Day and New Year’s Eve. This sense of ongoing buzz makes a visit feel more like joining a community than just ticking off an attraction.
Easy access and ideal location
Location is a major reason Aljada is on so many must-visit lists this year. It sits just off Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, giving direct connectivity to Dubai, Sharjah city centre, and the northern emirates.
From Sharjah International Airport, the drive is roughly 7 minutes, while Dubai International Airport is about 20 minutes away, so visitors can head almost straight from their flight to the new downtown. For residents of Sharjah, Ajman, or even parts of Dubai, the short travel time makes Aljada an easy evening or weekend plan rather than a long excursion.
Safe, walkable, and family-focused
A key appeal of Aljada is how safe and comfortable it feels for families, especially in the evenings. The community’s design, good lighting, and emphasis on pedestrian routes encourage walking and outdoor time even after dark.
With schools, medical centres, and everyday services built into the master plan, the entire area is oriented around residents’ daily life, which naturally benefits visitors too. Parents can easily push strollers, let older children ride scooters, and move between parks, cafés, and play areas without constantly crossing busy roads.
Why visit Aljada this year?
Several factors make this year especially good for planning a visit to Aljada. The community has moved beyond early construction stages into a lively, operational district with completed residential clusters, a fully running Madar, and an increasingly vibrant boulevard.
The project has reached major delivery milestones, meaning visitors in 2026 experience a destination with real depth: parks, entertainment, dining, and retail already in place, with more arriving soon. As Sharjah continues positioning itself as a cultural and family tourism hub, Aljada stands out as its contemporary, urban counterpoint—a fresh address to add to any UAE travel or weekend list.
How to make the most of your visit
To get the best out of Aljada, it is worth planning your day around its different zones. Many visitors like to arrive by late afternoon, visit Madar’s kids’ play areas or BOUNCE, then stay for dinner at one of the park-side restaurants and end with a movie at the drive-in cinema.
If you enjoy photography or architecture, allocate time to wander around the central hub’s sculptural buildings and landscaped paths during golden hour. For a more active visit, you can book skate park sessions, cycle the pathways, or simply bring your trainers and explore the network of walking routes through the greenery.
A welcoming new downtown
Aljada has been created as a welcoming place for everyone—families, couples, solo visitors, and groups of friends—rather than a gated, residents-only enclave. The mix of experiences, from playgrounds and parks to gourmet coffee and events, means each visitor can create their own version of the “new downtown Sharjah” in a single day or over several trips.
Whether you live in the UAE or are flying in from abroad, visiting Aljada this year offers a chance to step into the future of Sharjah: a modern, green, experience-rich destination that still feels warm, safe, and deeply community-oriented.
