Islamabad
Pakistan · Islamabad Capital Territory · 540 m
Description
Islamabad was laid out from 1960 as a purpose-built capital to replace Karachi, on a grid of numbered sectors drawn by the Greek planner Constantinos Doxiadis, and it is the quietest and greenest large city in Pakistan. The Faisal Mosque stands at the head of it, a white tent of concrete holding a hundred thousand people, and it was the largest mosque in the world when it opened. The Margalla Hills rise straight out of the northern sectors with walking trails and the Daman-e-Koh terrace looking back over the city. Rawalpindi's older bazaars sit fifteen kilometres south. The city has no station of its own and uses Rawalpindi's, nine kilometres south.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 3 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: March – April or October – November
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Faisal Mosque
- Daman-e-Koh viewpoint over the city
- Trails in the Margalla Hills
- Pakistan Monument and its museum
- Raja Bazaar in Rawalpindi(Day trip)
- Lok Virsa heritage museum
- Rawal Lake and its picnic terraces
- Saidpur village below the hills
- Karahi and barbecue on the sector streets
- Shakarparian and the Jinnah sports complex
- Sector markets and the Centaurus mall
Getting there
- Airports:
- ISB
- Train stations:
- Rawalpindi