Lahore

The capital of Punjab is Pakistan's cultural, educational and artistic centre and easily the most visited city in the country.

With its refuge of shady parks and gardens, its clash of Moghul and colonial architecture, and the exotic thrill of its congested streets and bazaars, it's not hard to see why. A collection of some of the city's attractions include: The Mall, an area of parks and buildings with a decidedly British bent; Lahore Museum, the best and biggest museum in the country; Kim's Gun, the cannon immortalized in Kipling's classic Kim; Aitchison College, an achingly beautiful public school that boasts Imran Khan as a former pupil; Lahore Fort, filled with stately palaces, halls and gardens; and the Old City, where a procession of rickshaws, pony carts, hawkers and veiled women fill the narrow lanes. The city has too many tombs, mosques and mausoleums to mention.

Lahore, 250 km (155 mi) south of Islamabad, is serviced by a plethora of international and domestic carriers. Long hauls overland can be done in the comfort of reliable, air conditioned buses, and smaller trips in the ubiquitous minibuses. Lahore lies on the main national line between Peshawar and Karachi and there are frequent direct services to all major destinations.