A Weekend in Rawalpindi: Raja Bazaar, Saddar

Bahria Town and DHA: quiet, gated and family friendly.
Saddar and Murree Road: in the middle of the markets and the Metro Bus.

A weekend plan for Rawalpindi: old-city markets, Saddar, Ayub National Park, Liaquat Bagh and a match at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Rawalpindi is louder, busier and more local than its neighbour Islamabad, which is exactly why many visitors love it. Here is a simple weekend plan.

Day 1: the markets

Start at Raja Bazaar, the heart of the old city, for fabric, spices, dry fruit and street food. Go in the morning, when it is cooler and the lanes are easier to walk. In the afternoon move to Saddar for modern shops and a late dinner. Rawalpindi food streets stay busy well into the night.

Day 2: parks and cricket

Begin with a green morning at Ayub National Park, a large park popular with families. Then visit Liaquat Bagh, a place with a lot of history in the city's story. If a match is on, an evening at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is hard to beat.

Day 3: Bahria Town, then the hills

Have a slow breakfast in Bahria Town and walk its wide avenues. If you are heading north, this is the natural point to start the drive up to Murree.