Most people’s immediate association with Pakistan is one of fundamentalism, and the front-line in the war against Al Qaeda. And while there are some border areas (as well as the tightly controlled Azad Jammu and Kashmir provinced in the north) which may be considered no-go zones, much of the rest of the country is characterized by safe and easy access. This includes Islamabad, a city so different from elsewhere in Pakistan that the country’s inhabitants like to say their capital “is 35 km away from the rest of Pakistan.”

Sectors are clearly marked by road signs with letters and numbers (easy to read, too, as here the lingua franca is English), and wide, grassy avenues. What this does is make the city relatively clean, smooth to navigate, and un-intimidating to the first-time visitor to the region.

While some Pakistanis may scoff at what their capital has to offer the casual tourist, there is a lot more here than meets the eye though there’s plenty to meet the eye, too! The world’s largest mosque, scores of shops and scenic hillside views can keep one entertained for days.

Perhaps the first stop on anyone’s journey should be Shah Faisal Mosque. This mosque, with its four white minarets, is visible from almost everywhere in the capital and is said to be the largest mosque in the world. Surrounded by rose gardens, the mosque has a glass, tent-like center structure which holds worshippers, a library, cafeteria, museum and even a small university.

Islamabad is awash with other spectacular buildings besides the mosque, however. Its government edifices of pink and white marble provide a gentle contrast to the large, colorful residential homes that rest along the tree-lined boulevards. Another imposing structure, the Saudi Pak Tower in the Blue Area, is a skyscraper with the ornate carving characteristic of architecture in the Islamic world.

When looking at buildings gets tedious, embark of the delights of shopping in Islamabad. Not a city to embrace Western-style mega-malls, the chief way to purchase anything in the capital is at a super market. These aren’t the type of large grocery store the name implies in America, but rather a series of strip malls housing hundreds of sellers of clothing, CDs, carpets, fabric and much more. Jinnah Super Market is perhaps the best known, specializing in books, cloth and clothing dealers. The generically termed Super Market is another good catch, as is the Blue Area.

If you’re sick of bargaining for fabric, head out to the hills for some fresh air and a picnic. The closest treks can be found in the city itself, in the notorious Margalla Hills. A nausea-inducing road will take you to the top of these, which provide views of the entire capital. Along the way, you may be alternately amused or frightened by the local wildlife—those monkeys who make it a habit to jump in front of your car as you make the slow crawl upwards. At one famous spot, Peer Sohawa, there’s a restaurant serving delicious chicken tikka; it’s here that young local couples congregate, away from the prying eyes of chaperones.