Must See

Bamiyan

Bamiyan, in the centre of the country, is the cultural capital of the Hazara ethnic group that predominates in the region. This area of the country was historically placed to thrive from the Silk Road caravans which criss-crossed the region trading between the Roman Empire, China, Central and South Asia.

The city of Bamiyan was the site of an early Buddhist monastery, and many statues of Buddha were carved into the sides of cliffs; the two most prominent of these were known as the Buddhas of Bamiyan, measuring 55 and 37 metres high, making them the largest examples of standing Buddha carvings in the world. However, in March 2001 the Taliban government decreed that these second- to fifth-century statues were un-Islamic and ordered them to be demolished with anti-aircraft artillery and explosives. At one time, two thousand monks prayed in caves in the sandstone cliffs.

Ghazni

This modern town to the west of Kabul is known mainly for its fine bazaar, featuring local goods and those from neighbouring countries. There are also some fine minarets and a recently discovered ancient Buddhist stupa.

Herat

Herat, an ancient city in western Afghanistan, is the seat of Persian culture. The Friday Mosque, Masjid-i-Jami, is Herat's number one attraction and among the finest Islamic buildings in the world, featuring some exquisite Timurid tilework. The covered bazaar in Charar Su is a bustling complex of shops and artisans' workshops.

Jalalabad

Jalalabad, the capital of the Nangarhar Province, is an attractive winter resort, with many flowering shrubs and cypress trees.

Kabul

The country's capital, Kabul, was formerly a Silk Route hub and, more recently, a popular stop-off on the hippy trail to India. However, much of the city was ruined by civil war and years of subsequent fighting, and it has been estimated that after the fighting in 2001, at least 33% of all public buildings and approximately 40% of the houses were completely destroyed. Despite this, a few conventional attractions remain, such as the pleasant Gardens of Babur; a cool retreat and one of the most peaceful and beautiful spots in the city. Other attractions include the ancient walls of the citadel Bala Hissar.

The Afghan National Museum (also known as the Kabul Museum) once housed one of the finest Afghan collections in Central Asia, with 100,000 items dating back several millennia. Unfortunately however, the museum was ransacked during the rule of the Taliban. The international community invested US$350,000 to restore the building, and it was re-inaugurated in 2004 as a home to 2,500 artefacts.

Kandahar

Kandahar is the second-largest city in Afghanistan, and a former Taliban base. Close to the city, the Chihil Zina, or 'Forty Steps', lead up to a niche carved in the rock by Babur, founder of the Mughal empire, which is guarded by two stone lions. A cloak that once belonged to the Prophet is housed in the Mosque of the Sacred Cloak.

Nuristan

Meaning 'Land of Light', Nuristan is mountainous, remote, little visited and memorably described in Eric Newby's book "A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush". Shahr-i-Zohak, The Red City, enshrines the remains of an ancient citadel which guarded Bamiyan.