Islamabad and Rawalpindi: the capital and its twin

Faisal Mosque

The **Faisal Mosque**, designed by the Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay and finished in 1986, is shaped like a Bedouin tent with four pencil minarets. It sits at the foot of the hills and can hold many thousands of worshippers. Visit outside prayer times, dress modestly, and women should bring a scarf. Late afternoon light is lovely here.

The Margalla Hills

Islamabad's great luxury is a national park on its doorstep. **Trail 3** from sector F6 is the classic hike, a steep climb through forest to a ridge viewpoint and on to Pir Sohawa. **Trail 5** is shadier and gentler, and **Trail 6** starts near the Faisal Mosque. Go early, carry water, and stick to marked trails; leopards live in the hills but are very rarely seen. The **Daman-e-Koh** viewpoint gives the classic view over the city, especially at sunset, and the road on to **Pir Sohawa** has more viewpoints and restaurants.

Museums and monuments

The **Pakistan Monument** on Shakarparian hill has four great petals representing the provinces, with a good museum below. Nearby, **Lok Virsa** is one of the best museums in the country, covering costume, music, embroidery and village life from every region. **Saidpur Village**, at the foot of the hills, is a restored old village with a Hindu temple, a gurdwara and a mosque side by side, plus restaurants.

Rawalpindi

Twenty minutes away, **Rawalpindi** is a world apart. **Raja Bazaar** is a crowded tangle of lanes selling cloth, spices, brass and everything else, and **Saddar** has colonial era shopfronts and street food. It is the best place near the capital for real bazaar life. Go in daylight and keep valuables close.

Day trips

**Taxila**, about an hour away, was a great centre of Gandhara Buddhist culture. The museum holds exquisite sculpture, and the UNESCO listed sites include the city of Sirkap and the monastery of Jaulian. Further south, **Rohtas Fort** is a vast sixteenth century fortress built by Sher Shah Suri. In summer, the hill station of **Murree** and the pine forests of the **Galiyat** are popular weekend escapes, though crowded at holidays and sometimes snowbound in winter.

Eating and shopping

The capital's food mixes Punjabi, Pashtun and Afghan cooking: try **chapli kebab**, **Kabuli pulao** and **mutton karahi**. **Jinnah Super** and **Kohsar Market** are the classic places to eat, browse books and drink coffee, and the **Sunday Bazaar** in H9 is a sprawling weekend market. Big malls such as Centaurus offer modern brands and food courts.

Where to stay

Sectors **F6**, **F7** and **E7** are central and leafy, close to markets and trails. The big international hotels in the government district are very secure but more formal. Rawalpindi is cheaper but busier and further from the hills.

Getting around and onward

Ride apps are the easiest way to get around, and the **Metrobus** links Islamabad's Blue Area with Rawalpindi's Saddar. The new airport is a drive of around forty minutes from the centre. Flights to **Gilgit** and **Skardu** leave from here and are often cancelled in bad weather, so build in spare days. The motorway to Lahore takes about four to five hours.