Square-cut adobe houses filled with the twisting sounds of rubab plucks and calls to prayer, all rising from the desert amidst drifting clouds of dust and sand, its old city set amongst age old street plans; this is the ancient city of Herat. In many ways one of the last remaining bastions of authentic Afghanistan, this city has been least affected by the toils of war (though that doesn’t account for much), retaining its reputation as a place of culture thanks to its glorious past.
To know more about its eventful history, ask your Herat tour guide to speak of its position at the crossroads of the old Silk Road and its role as the gateway from the Middle East to oriental Asia. Consider a trip to the 800-year-old Friday Mosque, with its soaring and elegant minarets and gilded frontispiece. Of the sights, don’t miss the hilltop Citadel of Herat, sitting ominously above the cityscape to the west, giving sweeping views of the city. For a dose of Afghan culture unadulterated, head to the underground Hammams, or go on a culinary pilgrimage through the city’s bazaars with an open eye for the famous shola-e ghorbandi rice or sweet shira zaafrani.