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Mullingar

Mullingar is the county town of County Westmeath, with a population of 23,000 in 2022. It has nearby lakes for recreation and a grand mansion with a disturbing history. Further out are a scattering of castle and religious ruins, near small villages that are short of visitor amenities, so this page covers the whole north end of the county.

Understand
An Muileann gCearr means "backwards-flowing mill" as St Colmán of Lann was supposed to have miraculously reversed its direction. The life of this 7th-century abbott is described in a text of circa 1122 as so holy and pious as to cause readers to fall about laughing; another miracle. In Norman times the town was big enough to support two abbeys, but nothing remains except the name "Austin Friars Street" for the Canons Regular of St Augustine. Mullingar became a county town in 1542 when Westmeath was separated from County Meath; along with it came Longford, but that was formed into another county in 1586. It was and is an agricultural market town, but Mullingar wasn't colonised or divided into "plantations" as it was loyal to the English crown, unlike areas to the west and north where the Irish had rolled back the Normans.

The Royal Canal arrived in 1806 — you could reach Dublin by fast boat in 8 hours — and the railway opened in 1848. That made leisure travel possible. The main reason to visit is the scattering of nearby lakes, Lough Ennell being the nearest, with Belvedere House and Gardens on its banks. Well-known people associated with Mullingar include author JP Donleavy (1926-2017), Michael O'Leary (b 1961) CEO of Ryanair, and singer Niall Horan (b 1993) from the band One Direction.

Mullingar Tourist Office is in Market Square.

Get in
Can you cadge the fare from M'Coy? In 1900 the 18-year-old James Joyce spent a while in Mullingar with his father and siblings. It features in Ulysses as Leopold and Molly Bloom's daughter Milly works there: she writes home that she's met a young student called Bannon. Leopold broods on what she might be up to, and thinks he'll pay her a visit, but he broods even more about the return rail fare of 2 shillings and sixpence. Could he wangle a freebie? He once did a favour for a railway clerk called M'Coy, could he tap him for a travel pass? Or he could even walk or cycle the 50 miles from Dublin along the Royal Canal. For lack of a reliable internet travel guide, Leopold's trip remains unresolved at the close of "Bloomsday".

By train
Intercity trains from Dublin Connolly take 75 min to Mullingar via Drumcondra and Maynooth, and continue to Longford, Dromod, Carrick-on-Shannon, Boyle, Ballymote and Sligo. These run every couple of hours and are supplemented by commuter trains, inward to Dublin in the morning and back out to Mullingar and Longford early evening. A walk-up single from Dublin is €11, see Irish Rail for timetables, fares and online tickets.

is 500 m southwest of town centre. The ticket office is open M-Sa 8AM-4PM, Su 4:30-9PM, and there are machines and toilets. The original line to Athlone and Galway branched here: that route is now via Portarlington so the line west from Mullingar is disused and has become a cycleway.

By bus
Expressway Bus 22 / 23 runs six times a day from Dublin Busáras, taking 90 min via Dublin Airport, Lucan and Maynooth. These continue to Longford whence Bus 23 runs to Dromod, Carrick-on-Shannon, Boyle and Sligo, while Bus 22 heads west to Ballina.

Bus Éireann 115 takes almost two hours from Dublin Connolly and Heuston stations (but not Busáras), via Lucan, Maynooth, Kilcock, Enfield and Kinnegad to Mullingar. It's hourly M-Sa and every two hours on Sunday; intermediate buses only run as far as Kilcock.

Bus 70 runs twice M-Sa from Athlone via Moate and Kilbeggan to Mullingar.

Slieve Bloom Bus 837 takes just under an hour from Tullamore via Kilbeggan, Tyrellspass and Rochfortbridge, with 4 M-F and 3 on Saturday.

Healey's Bus 842 runs from Dublin city centre and airport to Mullingar, Edgeworthstown, Ballymahon and Center Parcs, with 2 to 4 per day.

Mullingar's is on Austin Friars Street next to SuperValu supermarket.

By road
From Dublin take M4 / N4 and reckon an hour, 80 km (49 miles). N4 bypasses Mullingar to the east then becomes single carriageway, and often congested, but that's mostly grief for the people of Longford and Leitrim. The long-awaited upgrade of the Mullingar-Longford N4 has stalled.

By boat
The Royal Canal is navigable along its entire length from Dublin through Mullingar to the Shannon near Longford: check Waterways Ireland for current info on locks, maintenance closures, moorings and so on. It has a good towpath for cycling or walking.

Get around
The town is compact but you need your own wheels for outlying sites. Distances are not great and the terrain is lowland so a bike would do.

Mullingar Bike Hire is by the canal bridge on Harbour St and open Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 1-5PM.

See

 * Chimera Gallery at 32 Oliver Plunkett St is open Tu-Sa noon-6PM.
 * on Ashe Rd was a large army base but closed in 2012. The buildings are a mixture of the impressive and the ugly: a few commercial units have set up within but it hasn't found a definitive use.
 * Tudenham Park House 200 m south of Belvedere is what provoked the jealousy, but it suffered a fire in 1958 and is now an overgrown ruin.
 * Lough Ennell is the lake south of town, 6 km long by 2 km wide, with Belvedere House on its east bank. It's shallow and popular for angling (mostly for brown trout and pike) but has suffered pollution. It's fed from the north by River Brosna, flowing down from Lough Owel: in the 18th century the 3 km stretch from Mullingar town was channelled as "Lacy's Canal", but this is nowadays just a broad ditch with no footpath. The Brosna drains the lake south at Lilliput and flows down to Kilbeggan and eventually into the Shannon. Formerly called Nore, this south shore was where Jonathan Swift played in boats as a child and remarked on how small the people and houses appeared from mid-lake. So it was the inspiration for Lilliput; the lake's main water activities are here, see below.
 * Lough Owel north of town is smaller but deeper and spring fed. It's the source of the Brosna and supplies water for the Royal Canal. It has angling and sailing and is accessed by lanes at its south end.
 * Lough Derravaragh and Lough Lene are further north. They're quiet places for angling, kayaking and the like, with protected wetlands.
 * Lough Owel north of town is smaller but deeper and spring fed. It's the source of the Brosna and supplies water for the Royal Canal. It has angling and sailing and is accessed by lanes at its south end.
 * Lough Derravaragh and Lough Lene are further north. They're quiet places for angling, kayaking and the like, with protected wetlands.
 * is a Franciscan friary, founded in 1268 but suppressed by Henry VIII and wrecked by Cromwell. It was re-built in the 1880s in a pleasing unity of style. It's also been a school and agricultural college but remains an active friary. You can visit the church, which incorporates its 15th century predecessor.
 * Knockdrin Castle northeast of town is a 19th century neo-Gothic pile. It's privately owned with no tours, but you'll pass the gatehouse on R394 towards Castlepollard.
 * east of Crookedwood is an oddity: a fortified church built in 1450 though altered in 1843. It was a Church of Ireland building, but is no longer used.
 * is in the north of the county near Lough Lene. It's the substantial ruin of a Benedictine monastery founded by Saint Feichin in 630 AD; most of what you see is from the 15th century. Fore, Fhobhair, means springs, as these bubble out of the ground hereabouts. The ruin is free to explore 24 hours.
 * or Pakenham Hall is a cod-castle, a mansion made over in neo-Gothic style in the early 19th century. It's been the residence of the Pakenhams (Earls of Longford) for 350 years. The mansion isn't open for tours, but the gardens are open Apr-Sep: Th-Su 11AM-5PM, adult €7.50.
 * or Clonyn Castle is the crumbling ruin of a 12th-century castle 18 km northeast on N52, Delvin village main street. It's unsafe to enter. The same names also refer to the castle of 1639 on the hill west of the village. This was torched in the Cromwell wars but rebuilt and occupied until 1860, then a neo-Gothic mansion was built adjacent. The mansion was variously a community of Australian nuns, a home for Jewish children orphaned by the Holocaust, and a private residence. It's not open for tours.
 * Ballinlough Castle further up N52 isn't open for tours and no longer hosts "Body and Soul" Festival, which has moved to Cork.
 * Killua Castle on the boundary with County Meath was built in 1780. It was a hollow ruin by 2000 but restored as a private residence. An obelisk of 1810 commemorates Sir Walter Raleigh's first planting of potatoes in Ireland here, though this may be mythology. The castle grounds are a deer farm and you'd probably only visit if you wanted to buy venison.

Do

 * What's on? For local events listen to Midlands 103 FM, or read Westmeath Examiner, Westmeath Topic or Mullingar Advertiser.
 * Royal Canal stretches across the county and loops round the north side of town. There's a good firm towpath for walking and cycling. The canal is navigable throughout but there's no local boat hire: you'd probably have to start from Leixlip near Dublin. There is no navigation link to the nearby lakes.
 * Gaelic games: Westmeath GAA play football and hurling at Cusack Park, capacity 11,500, east side of town centre.
 * Theatre: Mullingar Arts Centre is on Mount St in town centre.
 * IMC Cinema is east of town at jcn 16 of N4 with N52.
 * Get up in Victorian drag or come as your great-great nan's hen party to Victorian Escapade. It's a themed event-space in Clonmel House, east off Dublin Rd. Built in 1802 for the second Earl of Belvedere, it was variously a townhouse, a Bishop's Palace, the childhood home of Michael O'Leary of Ryanair, and the base for the Regional Tourist Board.
 * at the south end of Lough Ennell is its main centre for boat hire and other water activities. Jet skiing is banned on the lake.
 * Greenway: the railway from Dublin to Galway used to run via Mullingar, then west to Athlone along a branch that was abandoned and turned into a hiking and cycling trail. The trail starts southwest of town at the junction of Newbrook Rd with R394. It's 11 km to Castletown, then 16 km to Moate, then 12 km into Athlone, on a firm paved surface.
 * Horse riding: the nearest is Mullingar Equestrian Centre off Athlone Rd, 2 km west of town. They host the Mullingar International Horse Show in June. Other centres are Ladestown Riding Stables north shore of Lough Enell, Catherinestown Stables east of the lake, and Culleen Equestrian north of town on R394; with others further out.
 * Greenway: the railway from Dublin to Galway used to run via Mullingar, then west to Athlone along a branch that was abandoned and turned into a hiking and cycling trail. The trail starts southwest of town at the junction of Newbrook Rd with R394. It's 11 km to Castletown, then 16 km to Moate, then 12 km into Athlone, on a firm paved surface.
 * Horse riding: the nearest is Mullingar Equestrian Centre off Athlone Rd, 2 km west of town. They host the Mullingar International Horse Show in June. Other centres are Ladestown Riding Stables north shore of Lough Enell, Catherinestown Stables east of the lake, and Culleen Equestrian north of town on R394; with others further out.

Buy

 * Main St has various stores, banks and ATMs, and SuperValu open daily 7:30AM-10PM.
 * Fairgreen Shopping Centre is west side of the canal. Tesco on Ashe Rd a block north is open M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 9AM-10PM.
 * Pewter is crafted at Mullingar Pewter, off N4 five km southeast of town. It's open M-Sa 9:30AM-5:30PM.

Eat

 * Church Restaurant on Castle St is open W Th 10AM-4PM, F Sa 10AM-11PM, Su 10AM-6PM.
 * Others along the main strip are China Garden within Newbury Hotel, Amber Court also Chinese, Lingi's Takeaway and Mekong.
 * Church Restaurant on Castle St is open W Th 10AM-4PM, F Sa 10AM-11PM, Su 10AM-6PM.
 * Others along the main strip are China Garden within Newbury Hotel, Amber Court also Chinese, Lingi's Takeaway and Mekong.

Drink

 * Druid's Chair is at 8 Pearse St by the main bus stop and open M-Sa 10:30AM-midnight, Su noon-midnight. They serve food but it's mainly one for drinking in rather than eating.
 * Town centre choices also include Daly's, Caffrey's, The Chambers, Smiddy's, Montgomery's Whiskey Bar, Con's, Old Stand Bar, Clarke's, Gilleran's and Kerrigan's.
 * Town centre choices also include Daly's, Caffrey's, The Chambers, Smiddy's, Montgomery's Whiskey Bar, Con's, Old Stand Bar, Clarke's, Gilleran's and Kerrigan's.

Sleep

 * B&Bs in Mullingar are mostly east of town along Dublin Road, but didn't open in 2021.
 * B&Bs in Mullingar are mostly east of town along Dublin Road, but didn't open in 2021.

Connect
As of June 2021, Mullingar has 5G from Eir and Three, and 4G from Vodafone. There's a good mobile signal on the approach highways.

Go next

 * Tullamore, famous for its distilleries, is a port on the Grand Canal.
 * Athlone is a centre for boating on the Shannon and Lough Ree.
 * Clonmacnoise on the banks of the Shannon is one of the finest medieval monasteries in Ireland, rivalled only by Glendalough in Wicklow.

title: Mullingar


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Mulshi

Mulshi is to the west of Pune and close to Lonavala. Mulshi Dam and the surroundings are full of natural beauty that includes a dam, a hilly region of Sahyadri's deep forests and forts like Dhangad and Koraigadh. Water of Mulshi is used for generating electricity. It is one of the major electricity projects in Maharashtra. The beauty of Mulshi Lake can be observed from 'Valanewadi' - 6 km from Mulshi. Sahyadri is famous for its deadly hills and its beauty. Both the things can be observed here. The hills of Ratnagiri and hill ranges of 'Hattihant' and 'Pagota' are huge ones and terrific. Some of these hills are almost 4000 feet high. There is one platue here popularly known as 'Lavmal'. Mulshi is very near to Pune and a short trip here can be arranged. One must enjoy the marvelous lake, the dam, forest and hilly region of Mulshi. If you are lucky then you can enjoy boating here as well.

Get in
Getting in to Mulshi is through a beautiful and scenic highway that starts from Pune. The start of the highway is from 'Chandni Chowk' off the Mumbai-Bangalore highway and snakes its way through Mulshi via the industrial township of Pirangut. The total drive from there on is about 50 odd km that takes about 45 - 60 minutes. Traffic here consists mostly of local ST buses and local two-wheelers. Take care to watch out for the completely chaotic village-squares which will have hawkers completely occupying the road at these junctions.The road to Mulshi takes a turn at the 'Tata Dam' which is a hydroelectric plant, which you need to cross over into a small ghat and over to the start of the hilly roads thereon. A landmark there to watch for is the CMT management training center which you will cross on the way.Immediately on is a local favorite stop called 'Paradise Cafe' which features some of the best views of the dam and lake below accompanied by some really good chicken (if you are into that sort of a thing). The place is owned by the Bedi's who in general are extremely good people to talk to.Just a little ahead of Paradise Cafe is 'Lake Side Residency'. For foodies only these two places might suit well.

By Bus
There are regular buses from Swargate - call to find out the schedule. Usually, the first bus that leaves towards Mulshi is at 7:45AM, which goes to Kandheri. This would drop you to the bottom of Mulshi on the way, where its a 7 km trek up to the top. Alternatively, you can take one of the Semi-luxury buses, which have "Mulchi Varchi" written on them as destination - these take you right to the top. The last bus returning from Mulshi is at 8PM, so it is advisable to plan your travel accordingly!

By taxi

 * Classic taxi services, 310, Metro House, Mangaldas Road, Pune 411001. +91 20 3052 1464/63 +91 932600 3571/3471==Get around. If any query Pls call on above number

See
Must see places here are small picnic spots by the side of the waters of the lake, which in good weather are extremely pleasant. Driving further one reaches 'Tamhini' Ghat which is a local landmark and faces a steep cliff on one side and a really deep valley on the other. There is a century old temple of the 'Vanjai' mata around the place and is worth a visit.The road snakes its way through extremely scenic valleys and cliffs at every turn and one can drive on just for the sake of the view itself.During Monsoon one gets to see many waterfalls all throughout this drive. The road is also covered with monsoon mist. Monsoon happens to be the best time to drive around this area.

Buy
You can buy some excellent Jackets, shoes, belts, antiques  and take home other memories (at unbelievably low rates)from the Paradise Shoppe at Paradise Cafe. Whats more the quality of the stuff you pick up is excellent and according to my chat with the Bedi's the same stuff is sent to several stores.

Eat
Mulshi has many restaurants, bar and Dhaba's. You can choose any one you will get quality food. You can get excellent food at Paradise cafe which offers authentic Punjabi dishes. For non-vegetarians Paradise offers the best chicken handi, chicken makhanwalla and loads of other yummies. Veggies can feast on equally good paneer and dals. Absolutely mouth watering!!. The most amazing eating experience would be at Paradise because you can eat out on in the open under the sky with a magnicient view of the lake surrounded by mountains. There are many dhabas that serve mouth watering Pitla bhakar. (one of traditional maharastrian dishes) with bhajjis and thecha pickle.

Go next
From Mulshi you can go to Kolad where you can go for river rafting. The Tamahini ghats is the shortest route from Pune to the Beaches of Konkan like Shrivardhan Harihareshwar and diveagar

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Mulshi


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Multan

Multan (Urdu/Saraiki: مُلتان) is the sixth largest city of Pakistan. It is in the south of Punjab in Pakistan. It is sometimes referred to as the City of Saints.

History
Multan is one of the oldest cities in the Asian subcontinent. According to Hindu legends, it was the capital of the Trigarta Kingdom at the time of the Mahabharata war, ruled by the Katoch Dynasty. Its name is derived from the Sanskrit name Mulasthana named after a sun temple. Multan has frequently been a site of conflict due to its location on a major invasion route between South Asia and Central Asia. It is believed to have been visited by Alexander the Great's army.

Multan was conquered along with Sindh by Muhammad bin Qasim, from the local ruler Chach of Alor. Following bin Qasim's conquest, the city was securely under Muslim rule, although it was in effect an independent state and most of the subjects were non-Muslim. The British held it from 1848 until Pakistan achieved independence in 1947. Then it lacked industry, hospitals and universities. Since then, there has been some industrial growth, and the city's population is continually growing. But the old city continues to be in a dilapidated state, and many monuments wear the effects of the warfare that has visited the city.

The city of Multan is in southern Punjab province at almost the exact centre of Pakistan. The area around the city is a flat, alluvial plain and is ideal for agriculture, with many citrus and mango farms. There are many canals that cut across the Multan District, providing water for nearby farms. This makes the land very fertile. However land close to the Chenab is usually flooded in the monsoon season.

People
Multan's inhabitants are called Multanis. The majority of Multan's residents speak Saraiki, which is the northern variant of Sindhi (the nomenclature 'Seraiki' is derived from the Sindhi language and literally means 'belonging to the north'), while Haryanvi is the second most spoken language. A good portion of the people are conversant in Urdu. English is understood by the educated. The majority of the people are Muslims. However, the city does have significant Sikh and Hindu communities within the district. There are still many temples and Gurdwaras within the city.

Climate
Multan has an arid climate with very hot summers and mild winters. The city witnesses some of the most extreme weather in the country. The highest recorded temperature is approximately 54°C (129°F), and the lowest recorded temperature is approximately −1°C (30°F). The average rainfall is roughly 127 mm (5.0 in). Dust storms are a common occurrence within the city.

By plane
mainly caters to the population of Multan and its surrounding towns. The airport is in the city in the Cantonment area. A ride to the Cantonment center takes 5 minutes and that to the city center takes 20 minutes.

It has few snack shops and one moving conveyor belt system. It has a prayer room, toilets and dining area. The check-in area has roughly twenty counters. There is a CIP lounge to handle premium and VIP guests travelling through the airport. The only way out from the airport is by hiring a cab. Expect to pay Rs200-500 depending on the destination. Parking at the airport is adequate and is charged at Rs25 flat rate. Passengers can be picked up from the kerb without parking, however cars must take into account long waiting times at security check-post at the premises entrance. Trolleys are provided for free at the airport and porter services are available.

PIA has three weekly flights from Dubai to Multan with seasonal routes to Medina and Jeddah. Moreover, it has direct flights from Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Quetta. Budget airlines such as Shaheen Airlines flies from Karachi. Another useful option is the UAE-based budget airline FlyDubai, which offers direct flights from Dubai several times a week.

By train

Multan has two major stations: Multan Cantt and Multan City. Multan Cantt station is the main station serving the majority of the trains. Multan lies on the main railway line (Peshawar to Karachi) of Pakistan Railways (PR). Therefore, it is well connected with every major city of Pakistan. The major train lines that stop at Multan Cantt Station are Shah Shamas Express, Khyber Mail, Tezgam, Awam Express, Jaffar Express and Quetta Express.

By bus
Direct buses to Multan are to be found at almost every major city bus terminal of Pakistan. Most of the buses arrive at the New Bus Stand which is located at the northern part of the city. Daewoo Bus Service has luxury bus service for Multan from almost all of its stations including Karachi. Buses from Lahore leave at every hour and the trip costs around Rs600. Faisal Movers run a service from Lahore from 05:30 in the morning and then every half an hour up till 02:30. Fare is around Rs450. There are frequent services from Faisalabad, Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Islamabad and Bahawalpur. Multan has a modern new bus terminal where a service to any city can be found at almost anytime.

By car
The N-5 National Highway connects the city to all parts of Pakistan. From Karachi the distance is around 900 km, and from Lahore 400 km. The road otherwise, known as GT Road, allows connections to Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore and Bahawalpur. From Kallar Kahar halfway to Multan is on motorway while other half is on GT road. It takes about 9 hours.

By car
Multan got a major overhaul of its roads and travelling times have reduced significantly. There are still roadworks going on so watch out for detours.

By bus
There are public buses. There are no passes or prepaid tickets. Payment is by cash to the conductor and a ride costs Rs10-25. Mini-vans also ply various city routes, are quicker but crowded and congested. If you want to go to the Cantonment area, catch a bus or van which is going to Aziz Hotel chowk or Dera Adda.

By rickshaw or tuktuk
They are still the most popular and efficient form of travel and are universally found. Expect to pay anything between Rs20-100 depending on the distance.

By taxi
The rickshaws have rendered taxis out of business. Taxis can be found though at the airport and at the major bus stands.

Online travel services

There are some apps such as "Uber" & "Careem" which can be downloaded from play store. With the help of these apps you can easily find a nearby taxi. The amount of payment depends upon number of kilometers you've traveled.

See
Multan has enough to keep the visitor interested for 1 or 2 days - the highlights are the old fort and tombs, and the excellent Institute of Blue Pottery.

Historical gates

Shrines

Multan is famous for its association with saints, Sufis and fakirs. The tombs boast a rich architecture with attention to the details. Some of the major shrines to be found and worth a visit are: Remember to take your shoes off when you enter any of these.
 * Syed Shams-ud-din "Shah Shams Sabzwari"
 * Hazrat Khwaja Hafiz Muhammad Jamal Multani
 * Shrine Khawaja Awais Kagha
 * Shrine Shah Ali Akbar
 * Shrine Mother of Shah Ali Akbar
 * Shrine Mai Maharban- A shrine 900 years old near Children Hospital Multan.
 * Syed Shah Yousaf Shah-e-Gardez
 * Bahauddin Zakaria- The tomb is on top of the old city hillock, behind Shah Rukn-e-Alam's Mazar. South Punjab's largest university is named after this Sufi saint, Bahauddin Zakariya University.
 * Bibi Pak Daman
 * Bahauddin Zakaria- The tomb is on top of the old city hillock, behind Shah Rukn-e-Alam's Mazar. South Punjab's largest university is named after this Sufi saint, Bahauddin Zakariya University.
 * Bibi Pak Daman

 * Eidgah. Historic Eidgah in Multan is a part of beautification of the ancient city of saints and revival of its archaic originality. The 268-year old Eidgah, spread over five acres near the LMQ Road, was built in 1735. The architectural specialty of the building is that it is the only edifice having a bulbous dome in southern part of Punjab.
 * Myrters Memorial. Yadgar-e-Shuhada is a wonderfully landscaped garden with a memorial commemorating the recipients of Nishan-e-Haider, Pakistan's top military award. Its along Shershah Road in the cantonment area. It has a nice sitting place and a popular Fort Bakers nearby.

Do
Visit these beautiful shrines ranging from 400 to 1000 years old architectures. Tomb Mai Maharban near chowk fawara Shrine of Shah Rukne Alam in Multan fort Shrine of Shah Bahaudin Zikarya in Multan fort Shrine of Shah Yusuf Gardez inside bohar gate Shrine of Shah Shah Ali Akbar suraj miani graveyard Shrine of Khawaja Awais Kagha in dera basti graveyard Shrine of Bibi Pak Daman in dera basti graveyard Shrine of Inayat Wilayat Shrine of Musa Pak Shaheed
 * Cricket: You may be able to catch a game at the Multan Cricket Stadium, which is a traditional venue for a test match and a one-day international every cricket season, which runs from September to February in Pakistan. Cricket has a huge following here, as anywhere in Pakistan. The national captain and star batsmen Inzamam-Ul-Haq is a local boy, and any game sets the town into a frenzy of excitement. ODIs are well attended, sell out crowds. For an "at ease" experience, go to a day at the test. Moderate crowds will make it a much more enjoyable experience. The Multan pitch is one of the flatest in the world, so batting feasts are the norm. Good viewing!
 *  Visit Sufi Saint Shrines
 *  Visit Sufi Saint Shrines

Buy

 * Retail stores: Multan has three main shopping districts. Saddar Bazzar, Hussain Agahi and Gulgasht. While there is no big supermarket, tourists and foreigners do their shopping from CSD plaza in Cantonment, Prince Departmental store in Saddar (there is a fine supermarket at the basement where you can get all the imported groceries) and Panda on Bosan Road. Sharif Plaza near the city courts has garment retail shops that sell at a bargain. Food Festival is a local chain of convenience stores with main branch at Nishtar Chowk. HTH stores are located in Shahruknealam colony and Garden town.
 * Multan Mart: out in I11, you'll find a massive Mart offering groceries and household items. While their prices are competitive, they might not be the most budget-friendly option in town. However, if you're in search of a Western-style shopping trolley experience, this is your top choice.
 * Hussain Agahi is a huge but congested market that sells almost anything, famous for local textiles, electronics, spices, carpets, handicrafts, pottery, and the famous Multani halwa. Mind you that without negotiating, you will not get a good deal. Almost everyone are selling the same items, so finding a bargain is quite easy. Haggle for everything you want.
 * Brands and textiles: Most of the brands are found at Chenone Tower at Abdali Road and Pace at Bosan Road. Feb-March is usually the big sales season
 * Blue Tiles: Multan is very famous for its beautiful blue tiles, used in bathrooms and other areas of house/building for decoration.
 * Pottery: Multani pottery is very famous all over Pakistan, used as decoration, especially vases.
 * Quality suitings: There are also good local tailors who can wrestle up a fine tunic-trouser combo in fair time. Nice prices.
 * Multani Jewellery: Very well known all over Pakistan due to its uniqueness of designs, colours and sizes, especially "Multani Har". Hassan Arcade on Nusrat Road has a whole square of Goldsmiths.
 * Multani Mitti: Multani clay' is used as mud mask.
 *  Multani Shoes: Very famous and traditional shoes, worn during weddings and festivals usually. Look for shops near Ghanta Ghar

Eat

 * Mangoes: Multan is known as the city of mangoes for a reason. The mango season, whilst stifflingly hot for non regional visitors, affords an amazing treat. Multan produces the juiciest, thickest and the most succulent mangoes in the world. Worth an international flight alone... almost! There are many types of mangoes in Pakistan, including "SindhRi", "anwar rittol", "langRa", "Chonsa", and "doosairi". Each of them is different in taste, size, quality of pulp etc.
 * Multani Sohan Halwa: Special dessert of Multan (sometimes mistaken as Habshi Halwa). It is made of sugar, pure ghee and flour and then jeweled with nuts and pistachios. It can be had at most of the tourist spots and sweets shops . Visit Qadeerabad if you want to see it made fresh and indulge in its flavour when it is dished out right off the stove.
 * Many street stalls sell the regional standard fare, kebabs, naan breads, chicken in a range of styles, etc.

Drink
Alcohol is sold at Ramada and Sindbad Hotel to non-Muslims only.

All types of local and international propriety soft drinks are available in almost every store and roadside shops. Bottled water is ubiquitously available. Keep yourself hydrated as mercury can rise sharply sometimes.

In summer you can try the local 'falsa cola' (red currant cola) which is almost unique to Multan.

Also give a try to the 'Goli Wali Bottle' (soft drink bottle with marble in it) It can be had at specialized drink shops at Dera Adda or in the old city.

Sleep
Multan offers budget and uptown room and board options. The city's guest houses and budget inns are mostly found in the Area called Altaf Town on Tariq road. Some of the options are:

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 * Bahawalpur is famous for its Palaces, Library, Museum, Zoo, Historical gates and Lal Sohanra National Park. Also see Derawar Fort and Cholistan Desert. Situated approx 200 km from Multan (3 hours drive), close to Bhawalpur, is huge fort in the middle of Cholistan desert called Derawar Fort. A square shaped fortress, approx 1600 m (5000 feet) in circumference and 30 m (100 feet) high, the forts 40 large cylindrical shaped bastions shows its majestic from far away. Since 1700 the fort is the property of Nawab of Bhawalpur. During 1965 war with India, the fort was also used as an ammunition dump as well, therefore was a legitimate target.

Near the fort is a marble mosque which has been modelled after the Red Fort in New Delhi. Getting to the fort is a bit tricky. Although there is a proper metaled road, but there are no sign boards or directions pointing which way to go. From Ahmedpur East, before the toll plaza, a service road takes you to the town main market (if you are heading south on the highway). Take a left, and after every 10 minutes ask for directions.

 * Uch Shariff, 75 km from Bahawalpur and approx 175 km from Multan is another city which can be labeled a City of Saints in itself. However several of the master pieces are in depleted conditions. Damage was caused by floods several years ago. Visit shrines of Hazrat Bahawal Haleem, Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh Bukhari, Makhdoom Jahanian Jahangasht, Bibi Jiwandi, Shaikh Saifuddin Ghazrooni etc.
 * Head Punjnad is located 130 km to Multan on KLP road where Punjab's five rivers (Jhelam, Sutluj, Beas, Ravi and Chenah) unite to form the Punjnad River which ends in the Indus River. Near the head of Punjnad is Nalka Adda Basti Gabol Village, which is a beautiful area.
 * The Harappa Ruins are located near Sahiwal. The cultural heritage of the ruins shows the ancient history of the sub-continent.
 * Fort Manro is near DG Khan and is a hilly fine place to visit. Fort Munro, at height of 2100 m (6,500 feet), is a hill station in the Dera Ghazi Khan district, and part of the Sulaiman Mountains Range. The place is named after General Munro who was the administrator of Multan before partition. To escape hot Multan summers, General Munro would shift his head office to this location. From Multan, take the Highway N-70 to DG Khan and from there look for the exit after Khar on the Loralai Road
 * Sangher Dra is a pass in hills of Suleiman Range from here a hill torrent traverse out. It has beautiful small blue lagoons in its course, locally called 'Dhunds'. This pass is a valuable site for hunter of minerals and fossil specimens; provides a colourful panoramic view of various minerals in sedimentary rocks. A road to it separates near Taunsa town located on Indus Motorway between D.I. Khan D.G. Khan cities. On route to it worth seeing ruins of Laj Meer are still surviving near a village Mangrotha.

title: Multan