Gilgit itself has no buildings of any historical interest. The only interesting place to visit here is the Gilgit Bazaar.

The Gilgit Bazaar is the central business place for traders from Central Asia, Punjab, and Sindh. This is the only market town in hundreds of km, and is always crowded except on Fridays, when it is off. The small shops provide an extra ordinary range of goods, especially the spare parts for jeeps, tyres, and batteries. The market also offers a large range of equipments for people interested in hiking, trekking and camping, such as tough climbing boots, sleeping bags, ice axes and camp stoves. There are several bookshops selling every kind of local and international books and magazines. A lot of shops not only supply every kind of local handicrafts and clothing, but also lustrous silks from China. A lot of bakeries, fruit, meat and vegetable shops can be easily located around the area. There also are a few markets for kitchenware selling porcelain pots and utensils.

The Chinese shop, is stocked every year in October with Chinese goods, when the annual truck brings supplies from Sin kiang-China to Gilgit under a border agreement. Correspondingly, a truck carrying Pakistani goods travels up the Karakoram Highway to China, promoting and promising the mutual friendship between the two countries.

The Raja Bazaar is the most colorful market in the area, having a number of spice and sweet shops, cafes and textile stores.