Must-see attractions in Islamabad & Rawalpindi

The eye-popping Shah Faisal Mosque, nestled at the foot of the Margalla Hills, is one of Asia's largest and reflects an eclectic blend of ultramodern and…

Lok Virsa Museum houses a fascinating array of traditional handicrafts including embroidered costumes, old jewellery and intricate woodcarvings - it is…

About 4km northeast of the Diplomatic Enclave, Nurpur Shahan Village village is a shrine to Shah Abdul Latif Kazmi. Also known as Bari Shah Latif or 'Bari…

Shakarparian is also the site of the impressive reddish-brown granite Pakistan Monument, conceived to represent Pakistan's diverse culture and national…

Most of the main sites are within 2km of the museum. There's a large map of the site outside the museum and each site is signposted from the road and has…

A picnic spot and lookout in the Margalla Hills, Daman-e-Koh has panoramic views over Islamabad and, on the rare clear day, south to the Salt Range. It's…

The Margalla Hills are full of hiking trails that snake their way up ridgetops and down through forested valleys. Hiking Around Islamabad, available in…

Just beyond Rajah Bazaar on Railway Workshop Rd are rows of truck workshops where you can sometimes see trucks being decorated with the vibrant art that…

The rewarding Taxila Museum is closed the first Monday of each month and closes early (14:00) during Ramazan (Ramadan). It houses many of the significant…

The Pakistan Army Museum is next to the Army Library (behind the Pearl Continental Hotel). It houses a handful of well-kept galleries exhibiting a limited…

Known as Shakarparian, the urban wilderness south of Islamabad has an arboretum with trees planted by dozens of foreign heads of state, as well as…

Named after General Ayub Khan, the first of Pakistan's martial law administrators, the rather staid Ayub National Park south of the Cantonment has 900…

Just east of the zoo in Margalla Hills, a road leads northeast for 1km to Saidpur, a (formerly Hindu) village still famous for pottery. Scheduled to open…

The buzzing Rajah Bazaar is a kaleidoscope of people and merchandise spreading in every direction from chaotic Fowara Chowk. You could spend hours…

International cricket matches, including test matches, are played here. Consult local newspapers or the PTDC for up-to-date details.

Downhill to the east of Shakarparian is the 20-hectare Rose & Jasmine Garden, site of several annual flower shows.