Kabul Bala Hissar Ancient Fortress
Visit Bala Hissar — the ancient fortress dominating Kabul from the Sher Darwaza ridge, a fortified position used continuously since at least the 5th century CE by Hindu Shahi kings, Ghaznavid sultans, Mughal emperors, Durrani shahs, and British Indian forces, the citadel that has witnessed more of Afghan history than any other single structure.
Kabul Istalif Blue Pottery Village
Visit Istalif — the hilltop pottery village 40 kilometers north of Kabul famous for its distinctive turquoise and cobalt blue glazed ceramics, the village perched dramatically above a river gorge, the potters using techniques unchanged since the Timurid period, the place simultaneously one of Afghanistan's most beautiful natural settings and most important craft centers.
Kabul Paghman Garden Day Trip
Drive to Paghman — the mountain resort town 20 kilometers west of Kabul where the Afghan royal family built summer gardens in the 19th and 20th centuries, the elevation at 2,600 meters providing relief from summer heat, the arch of the Paghman triumph gate modeled on the Arc de Triomphe standing in gardens that have been partially restored after decades of abandonment.
Kabul Chicken Street Antiques and Craft
Explore Chicken Street — the famous antique and craft market street of Kabul that has served as the city's international connection point since the hippie trail era of the 1960s and 1970s, selling Afghan carpets, lapis lazuli jewelry, antique rifles, embroidered clothing, and the handicrafts of the ethnic groups of Afghanistan.