Srinagar

A city built around water

Srinagar sits at about 1,585 m in the Kashmir Valley, spread along the Jhelum river and the lakes that feed it. Dal Lake is the famous one, but the city is really a web of water: canals through the old quarter, the Nigeen basin to the north, and the river crossed by a chain of old bridges downtown. Most first visits start on the water, in a shikara at dawn or on a houseboat for a night or two.

What to see first

Give the first morning to Dal Lake and the floating vegetable market, which winds up soon after sunrise. The Mughal gardens line the lake's eastern shore under the Zabarwan hills: Nishat Bagh is the largest on the lake, with Shalimar and Chashme Shahi a short drive away. For the whole city at once, climb the 243 steps to Shankaracharya Temple on Gopadri hill. Phones and cameras stay behind at the security check, so this is a view you keep in your head.

The old city is a different Srinagar. Jama Masjid at Nowhatta is built around hundreds of deodar pillars, and the lanes around it are full of bakers, copper shops and spice sellers. On the north shore of Dal, the white marble Hazratbal Shrine holds a relic of the Prophet and draws huge crowds on its display days.

Getting in and around

Srinagar's airport has direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai and other big cities. Since June 2025 a train also runs through to Srinagar from Katra, with the rail line crossing the Chenab bridge on the way. By road it is roughly 250 km from Jammu along the national highway. In town, taxis and autos are easy to find; for the lake you hire a shikara from one of the numbered ghats on Boulevard Road.

Seasons in short

Spring (March to May) brings the tulip garden, almond blossom and fresh green gardens. Summer is warm by day and the best time for day trips to Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg. October turns the chinar trees red and gold. Winter is properly cold, with the harshest 40 days, Chillai Kalan, running from late December to the end of January. The best time to visit page breaks this down by month.

Food and craft

Kashmiri food here means the Wazwan tradition: rogan josh, yakhni and gushtaba, cooked slowly and shared. Vegetarians have nadru yakhni made with lotus stem from the lakes, and everyone drinks kahwa. Srinagar is also the place to buy pashmina, papier-mâché and walnut-wood carving. Buy from a workshop or a government emporium if you want to be sure of what you are paying for.