At the heart of Lahore is its Walled or Old City, a densely populated area of about one square kilometre, that could date back as far as 2,000 BCE. This warren of narrow alleys, surrounded by 9m walls, with 13 gates, is a great place to people watch as well as visit some key sights, such as the Mosque of Wazir Khan, the Sunehri Masjid (Golden Mosque) and the Royal Baths.

The Old City’s star attraction is the imposing Lahore Fort, where the Mughals, then the Sikhs, built their imperial quarters and just opposite its main gateway is the spectacular Badshahi Mosque. This vast structure of red sandstone, with huge marble domes, is one of the biggest mosques in the world, with the capacity to hold up to 100,000 people in its open courtyard. Try to visit late at night when there are fewer people at prayer and the mosque is beautifully illuminated. Close to the Bhatti Gate on the right-hand side, is the Faqir Khana Museum, which houses the treasures of the Faqir family, with over 13,000 pieces of art.      

Interesting sights outside of the Walled City including interesting colonial buildings such as the General Post Office and the Lahore Museum. where you’ll find around 20 galleries with exhibits spanning the fascinating recorded history of the sub continent, including items from the stone age, as well as a famous display of Gandharan sculpture.