5 Most Mesmerizing Places to Visit in Abbottabad

Natural and scenic beauty around the world soothes the spirits of human. In Pakistan, there are lots of beautiful places to visit with family or friends. Abbottabad, somewhere, falls on the top positions on the list. The beauty of Murree is known to everyone, but a city like Abbottabad often goes unexplored. In this blog, I will recommend places to visit in Pakistan’s the most mesmerizing and calm city – Abbottabad.

Abbottabad is an attractive city of Pakistan with rich history and exquisite scenic beauty. The refreshing tour sites, however, are the reason why tourists have multiple options to visit in Abbottabad. The city is also known as “City of Pines”, is located in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The reason behind the name – City of Pines – is the pine trees cover the city. With a total size of 1,967 square kilometers, it is one of the best tourist attractions in northern part. The city, moreover, was the Hazara District’s headquarters during the British Raj. It was Major James Abbott, the city’s founder, who gave it the name. He served his services as the Hazara district’s first Deputy Commissioner from 1849 to 1853. Most importantly, he penned a poem titled “Abbottabad,” where he expressed his feelings for the city – how sad he felt while leaving.

Becoming a passionate tourist in the city, one might want to explore the best places to visit in Abottabad. For the ease, we have come up with a reading guide for tourists to follow. This guide will highlight the majestic spots in the city. These are the places where you can feel a brisk breeze and aesthetic landscapes. The valleys of Naran, Nathiagali, Kaghan, and Ayubia also fall near it. The city linked and gives access to Karakoram, Himalayas, and Hindu Kush mountains. Tourists prefer staying in the city enroute to any of these destinations.

Harnoi River

A few kilometers eastern side of Abbottabad, Harnoi is a place located on Nathiagali Road. It is among the top tourist places of the city. Being the center of tourist activity, it is surrounded by lush green mountains and blessed with calming weather. The settlement, mainly, lies at the confluence of two rivers, the Harnoi and the Barengali. Nestled in the Hindu Kush Mountains, this place always attracts tourists due to its terrain and waterfalls.

Harnoi River is the most famous spot for a worth spending holiday. Off-road route runs down to the river, where families stop by the river side to have a delicious lunch and relish in the chilly water. If you have kids, this picnic site is a great spot to visit. The site contains activity for children to enjoy rides on the merry-go-round, slides, and swings.

Thandiani Mountain – Famous Place to Visit

Thandiani Mountain is considered as one of the oldest and famous spot to visit in Abbottabad. It is one of the well-known places for tourists to visit. A very few individuals are aware of its historical importance. Thandiani literally means ‘very cold’ in the local dialect, and of course it is! The lovely array of snowy white clouds covers the high peaks of the range. This romanticizing beauty creates a scene that feels straight out of some rom-com.

Moreover, Thandiani – a part of Galliyat – is a hilly terrain in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The approaching path is very safe. Government, by the efforts of tourist department, has maintained road towards this station. If you carefully follow the recommendations concerning wild animals while traveling on route, you will be safe; as well as, do not let your kids hangout the car windows. This place comes under the Abbottabad District, about 37.5 kms northeast side, in the Himalayan foothills. The Pir Panjal mountain range in Kashmir, Kohistan, and Kaghan and the mountainous ranges of Swat and Chitral are visible alongside. The weather is lovely there, which attracts tourists; it is carpet green during summer, while in winter, the snow fully covers the area. The astonishing thing compared to nearby stations in the area; the ranges near Thandiani are relatively heavily forested. Thousands of things are there for a nature lover to explore. I bet you will fall in love with the scenic views all around this place.

Ilyasi Mosque

If you are into imposing infrastructure, architectural beauty, and historic places, this is a place you should visit. It’s one of the most popular historic places to visit. The glittering magnificence will simply make you fall in love with Ilyasi Masjid (Mosque). You will see people sitting on the floor with their eyes focused on the white facade. All you can do there is to pray and praise God Almighty for his blessings upon us. If you plan to visit the masjid during winter seasons, you will see the nearby peaks covered with snow. The exquisite carvings and unique architecture reflect the antique exterior of this place.

The Ilyasi Masjid, which spans an area of five kanals, was constructed during the period of 1927 to 1932. It consumes an area on a water stream that mainly run from near-by Mountains. According to elders, before the independence of Pakistan, the Mosque was built exactly on this place. Its elegance has grown over time due to the people’s dedication and spiritual affinity towards it. The Mosque has a water spring that supply fresh water all year long. Moreover, you can have one of the most delicious ‘Pakora’ near the masjid.

Shimla Peak – Top Place to Visit in Abbottabad

This peak comes from the Hindko or Punjabi term Shamla, which means turban. The hill is, basically, located in the western side of Abbottabad city. The name is also given to the Sherwan range near Abbottabad because it takes the shape of a crest (peak).

Abbottabad city and Shimla peak are about 10 kms apart from each other. It is one of stunning tourist places in Abbottabad to visit. Furthermore, from the mountain, one can view the complete Abbottabad valley. The presence of thousands of pine trees in the area contributes to its beauty. The mind and body can calm by the fresh breeze of the Shimla Hills, which achieve its sootiness from the pine trees.

Shimla Hill is an incredible place for going to hiking to an adventurous tourist. The hike is no doubt a bit steep, but the best view comes after a hardest climb. However, if you are not willing to walk, and want to enjoy a ride, the road is worthy to do so. Only ideal time to visit this place is the summer season. You can also stay there at local resorts and dine-in at nearby delicious serving restaurants. Moreover, the temperature is freezing during the snow, the snow fully covers the peaks, and the scenery is serene.

St. Luke’s Church

If you want to ease-off from the twisty road curves of Abbotatabd city and its surroundings, have a stop at St. Luke’s Church. Under the Church of Pakistan’s Peshawar Diocese’s administration, this Church was at past times an Anglican dedicated to Saint Luke. It was situated in the year 1864, when the British ruled this region. He was one of the Four Evangelists, mainly, four authors of the canonical Gospels.

The early Church fathers connected to his authorship of both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, which is surprisingly making Luke, the author of more than a quarter of the New Testament text. The Old Christian Cemetery in the city used to connect to this Church. It was situated in the year 1853; it was the same year when James Abbott founded Abbottabad. There are some fascinating old tombs and memorials in the cemetery.

The building of the Church consists of heavy stones and ancient infrastructure. It depicts the power and dominance the then administrators – the Britishers of that time. It is one of the most significant visitor places to visit in the city. If you are a teacher planning a school trip for students or a parent planning to take their kids out for a trip, nothing is better than this historic place. It has hidden treasures and understanding of knowledge, history, and education, for sure one of the best places to visit in the city Abbottabad.