Kabul

Kabul is the capital and by far the largest city of Afghanistan, spread across a high basin in Kabul Province at about 1,790 metres. The Kabul River runs through the centre from west to east, and the city has grown around a ring of bare mountains, with houses climbing the slopes of Asmai and Sher Darwaza, the two ridges that rise above the old city. The city is a patchwork of districts with distinct characters. The old quarters near the river, around Pul-e Khishti, Shor Bazaar and Murad Khani, are a tangle of lanes, mosques and markets. Shahr-e Naw, laid out in the 20th century, is the commercial centre, while Wazir Akbar Khan to the east is a quieter residential area. Karte Seh, Karte Char and the university district lie to the west, Khair Khana to the north, and newer suburbs such as Dasht-e Barchi have spread far across the plain. For visitors Kabul is the usual point of arrival and a city that repays several days. Its main sights include Babur's garden, the National Museum and the Darul Aman Palace, the hilltop citadel of Bala Hissar, the old city walls, the riverside mosques and the bazaars, along with wide views across the rooftops from Bibi Mahro and the other hills.

Kabul is an ancient city, and stretches of old wall still climb along the ridge of Sher Darwaza above the old town; parts of them are thought to be well over a thousand years old. The town was a seat of the Kabul Shahi kings before coming under Muslim rule by the 10th century, and it later prospered as a stage on the trade routes between Central Asia and India. Babur made Kabul his capital in 1504 and asked to be buried there; his tomb stands in the garden he laid out on the slopes of Sher Darwaza. In 1776 Timur Shah Durrani moved the Durrani capital from Kandahar to Kabul, and it has remained the capital ever since. The Arg palace was built in the late 19th century, and in the 1920s King Amanullah began the new district of Darul Aman with its palace. The city was heavily damaged in the fighting of the 1990s and has grown enormously in the decades since.

Kabul is a meeting place for people from every region of Afghanistan, and Dari, Pashto and many other languages are heard in its streets, with Dari serving as the everyday common language. Religious life centres on the mosques and shrines, among them the Shah-e Do Shamshira mosque beside the river, the large Pul-e Khishti mosque, and the shrine at Karte Sakhi on the slopes of Asmai, where crowds gather at Nowruz. The city has long been the centre of the country's arts. The old quarter of Kharabat was for generations the home of Afghanistan's classical musicians, and Kabul's poets, calligraphers and painters have shaped national culture. Kite flying, especially on winter Fridays, has long been a favourite pastime, as has keeping pigeons and songbirds, and cricket and football draw keen followings.

Kabul sits in a broad basin ringed by mountains, with the snow-capped Paghman range to the west and the higher Hindu Kush visible to the north on clear days. Inside the city, rocky ridges such as Asmai, Sher Darwaza and Bibi Mahro rise abruptly from the built-up plain, and their summits give wide views across the rooftops. The Kabul River flows through the centre, though for much of the year its bed is shallow or almost dry; it runs fuller with snowmelt in spring. Green space is limited and much valued: the terraced Babur's garden, Zarnegar Park in the centre and the tree-lined avenues towards Darul Aman are the main refuges, while the Qargha reservoir on the western edge of the city offers open water and hills for walking. The zoo beside the river is a popular family outing.

Kabul eats from every corner of the country, and its kitchens are a good introduction to Afghan food. Qabuli palaw, rice cooked with lamb and topped with carrots and raisins, is often said to take its name from the city and is the dish of celebrations. Mantu, steamed dumplings topped with yoghurt and a meat and lentil sauce, ashak filled with leeks, and bolani, flatbread stuffed with potato or greens, are everyday favourites, along with kebabs grilled on skewers and fresh naan from the tandoor. The seasons change the menu. Winter brings haleem for breakfast and the old Kabul custom of eating fried fish with jalebi, crisp syrup-soaked sweets. In summer street vendors sell sheer yakh, a rose-scented ice cream, and at Nowruz households prepare haft mewa, seven dried fruits and nuts soaked in water, and samanak, a sweet wheat pudding. Green and black tea accompany everything.

Kabul is the country's main market for crafts brought in from the provinces. Carpets and kilims from the north and west, lapis lazuli from Badakhshan, embroidered textiles, chapans, karakul hats, copper and brassware, and blue glass from Herat all pass through its shops, together with Istalif pottery from just outside the city. Chicken Street and the lanes around it in Shahr-e Naw have long been the place to browse carpets, jewellery and antiques. In Murad Khani, a restored corner of the old city, workshops have trained artisans in woodcarving, calligraphy, ceramics and jewellery-making, and the carved wooden screens and balconies of its old houses are a craft in their own right. Visitors buying antiques should be aware that the export of genuine antiquities is restricted.

The most comfortable months are April to June and September to October. Spring brings mild days, cool nights and occasional rain, with blossom in the gardens and Nowruz festivities around 21 March. Summer is dry and sunny, with afternoon temperatures often in the low 30s °C, though the altitude keeps the nights pleasant. Autumn is clear and settled, and the markets fill with grapes, pomegranates and melons from the provinces. Winter, from December to February, is cold, with frequent snow and nights well below freezing. Smoke from coal and wood stoves can leave the basin under heavy smog on still winter days, which is worth bearing in mind for anyone with breathing problems. Ramadan, whose dates move each year, changes the rhythm of the city, with quiet days and busy evenings.

Kabul's international airport (KBL) lies on the north-eastern edge of the city, about 5 km from the centre, and has been served by both international and domestic flights; it is the main air gateway to Afghanistan. By road, Kabul is the hub of the national highway network. The road north runs through Charikar and the Salang Pass to Mazar-e Sharif, about 420 km away. The eastern highway reaches Jalalabad in about 150 km, roughly three hours, and continues to the border with Pakistan at Torkham. To the south, the Kandahar highway passes Maidan Shahr and Ghazni, about 150 km from Kabul, and reaches Kandahar after some 480 km. Bamyan is about 180 km to the west by the road through Maidan Wardak. Road conditions and local circumstances change, so travellers should check current conditions before setting out.

Kabul has the widest range of accommodation in the country, from large hotels to small guesthouses. Most of the larger hotels are in and around Shahr-e Naw, Wazir Akbar Khan and the roads leading to the airport, and many have security arrangements at their gates and walled gardens behind them. Smaller hotels and family-run guesthouses are scattered through residential districts such as Karte Seh and Karte Char. Budget hotels cluster around the bus and taxi terminals and the old bazaar areas, but standards vary widely and many cater mainly to Afghan travellers. Longer-stay visitors often rent rooms in guesthouses that provide meals, and many people visiting from abroad stay with family or friends. Power cuts happen, so it is worth asking whether a place has a generator or solar backup.

Yellow-and-white taxis are everywhere in Kabul and are the easiest way for a visitor to get around; fares are agreed before setting off, as meters are not used. Shared taxis and minibuses run fixed routes between the main squares and districts, and long-distance shared taxis and buses leave from terminals on the edges of the city, each on the side facing its road. Many visitors hire a car with a driver by the day, which is the most practical way to combine sights spread across the city. Auto-rickshaws work the outer suburbs, and in the old city around the bazaars and the river, walking is the only sensible option. Traffic is heavy at rush hours and around the main markets, so allow plenty of time, and expect checkpoints on the main roads.