Keeping up with modern standards while preserving cultural heritage and natural assets is a tough ask for any urban planning association. Only a few cities have been able to achieve this feat, and Islamabad is one of them. From green cityscapes to family-friendly parks to rustic ruins to stunning architectural masterpieces, Islamabad tourist places rank among the best across the globe. The fact of the matter is that Islamabad is the second most beautiful city in the world. That’s why places to visit in Islamabad have a huge ability to attract tourists.
We will discuss cultural heritage sites and natural attractions, both of which make Islamabad a must-visit place for local and foreign tourism enthusiasts.
The Pakistan Monument
Located in the Shakarparian hill, this petal-closed flower-shaped architecture gives a brief history lesson to its visitors. Its structure represents solidarity and unification among the people of Pakistan. The four large petals of this structure symbolize four provinces: Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The three small petals between the large ones represent Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Pakistan-controlled Tribal Areas.
Lok Virsa Museum
A five-minute walk from Pakistan Monument will take you to the Lok Virsa Museum, which literally means “place of people’s heritage”. As the name suggests, this place illustrates the uniqueness of Pakistani culture and that too quite impressively.
The art pieces, pottery, and architectural relics in the museum are arranged along a pathway that guides you through an outside garden. The nine galleries along this pathway tend to give you a glimpse of ancient times.
Faisal Mosque
Discussion about the best places to visit in Islamabad is incomplete without Faisal Mosque, which is an iconic structure of the capital city. Stretched over 5000 square meters, this mosque is one of the most divine places for worship in the Islamic world. Flanked with four towering minarets, this place looks more like a beacon from any point across the city. With a capacity to accommodate over a quarter-million people, this mosque is located at the foundation of Margalla hills.
Saidpur village
While driving on the highways of Islamabad or witnessing its infrastructure, you may wonder if you could get a taste of village life without getting out of the city. You can take a break from Islamabad city lights by visiting Saidpur village, which offers an authentic village experience. A few preserved ancient structures make this village look more down-to-earth. It is, however, not to say that this place is without amenities. This place has everything to greet local and foreign tourists. For instance, you can get the taste of traditional Pakistani foods from high-quality restaurants, including Des Pardes and DeraPakhtoon.
Margalla hills and Daman-e-Koh
The scenic attractions of Islamabad are too good to miss. Margalla range, which leads up to Himalayas Mountains, is one of the best places to visit in Islamabad. These mountains are visible across Islamabad and all other neighboring cities and towns. It is one of the most significant attractions for vista-seeking enthusiasts across the world.
You can walk on the trails if you are a fan of hiking. Along the way, you may see abundant wildlife, including the Rhesus macaque monkey and the Asian Paradise flycatcher.
Daman-e-Koh is a vista point in Margalla hills, offering a spectacular panoramic view of Islamabad and Faisal mosque.
Rawal Lake
Korang River flows down from the Margalla hills and pours into the Rawal Lake, which is located in the Malpur village district. This lake is surrounded by gardens and picnic points that have been providing families with the opportunity to have quality time outdoors. You can take a paddle on the lake to have a boat riding experience.
Monal restaurant
If you want to visit Islamabad beautiful places and enjoy the best cuisine, Monal restaurant is a must-visit point. This restaurant is located in Daman-e-Koh, providing quality food and atmosphere to its visitors. The food available in this restaurant is not only high-quality, but also affordable, so it’s a place to satiate without breaking your bank.
Monal restaurant is known for its chicken and rice dishes, including chicken seekh kebabs and chicken biryani. This restaurant stands as the best eating-out joint in Islamabad, according to TripAdvisor. What makes this place even more special is the view of the horizon that you can get while having a meal.
Islamabad Club
If you want to relax a bit and enjoy leisure activities in Islamabad, you can consider becoming a member of the Islamabad Club. Activities that you can enjoy here include playing tennis and swimming. This place also has a library for its members who love to read books.
Since it is one of the elitist hangout places for foreign diplomats and higher government officials, the Islamabad Club offers a top-of-the-line buffet of the world’s best cuisines.
Jinnah Supermarket
This circular shaped supermarket complex is more like a hangout place for fashion-seekers. Aside from trendy fashion stores and garment shops, this place has cafes and eateries for the ones interested in snacking.
Itwar Bazaar
Another one of the best places to visit in Islamabad is Itwar Bazaar, a marketplace that offers a large assortment of affordable products, vegetables, and fruits on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays.
Fatimah Jinnah Park
Taking up an entire sector, Fatimah Jinnah Park is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Islamabad. Stretched over 304 hectares, this park is just a bit smaller than New York Central Park. The vast acreage of this park is covered by greenery.
This park is commonly used for recreational walking ad sports. People also take driving lessons on the roads of this park.
This park has only a few developed areas. The underdeveloped or untamed areas rarely see any human activities. One of the developed areas, the Megazone complex, has a sports zone, which includes a standard-sized swimming pool and tables for snooker and table tennis.
Simply put, Islamabad is a city with a diverse array of wonderful places. Its eating joints offer good food, and the overall environment of this city is quite refreshing. It is undoubtedly a place that will give you some fond memories.