Islamabad doesn't shout for attention the way other capitals do — it's a quieter kind of beautiful, all tree-lined avenues and mountains that seem to lean over the city at dusk.

Start at Faisal Mosque, its white marble silhouette visible from almost anywhere in the city, then head up into the Margalla Hills for a hike that ends with the whole capital laid out beneath you. Lok Virsa Museum is worth an afternoon if you want to understand Pakistan's cultural patchwork before exploring it in person, and Daman-e-Koh at sunset is the kind of view that makes you put your phone down.

Rawal Lake, Pakistan Monument, and the winding streets of Saidpur Village round out a trip that rewards slow mornings and long walks more than a rushed checklist.