Srinagar
This 1910 former Maharaja’s palace is set in hectares of manicured lawns with many historical heirlooms dotted about the suave interior. Only suites occupy the original palace building, but modern rooms in the long new wing are effortlessly stylish; those on the ground floor have walk-out garden balconies and offer the best value. The Chinar garden restaurant is charming.
Autorickshaws are not allowed past the gate, from where it's a five-minute walk to reception.
1.61 MILES
Over 15km around, Dal Lake is Srinagar's jewel, a vast sheet of water reflecting the carved wooden balconies of the houseboats and the misty peaks of the…
3.39 MILES
This distinctively spired 1730s Muslim pilgrim hall is Srinagar’s most beautiful mosque. It was constructed without any nails, and both frontage and…
3.16 MILES
Of all Srinagar's Mughal gardens, Nishat Bagh is arguably the most appealing, with beautiful water features that frame a lovely lake panorama. It's on…
27.38 MILES
Five fingers of glacier descend from a fine array of Alpine peaks in the parallel valley behind Sonamarg. The scene is best appreciated from a small…
3.32 MILES
On the strategically and spiritually significant Koh-e-Maran hill, north of the city centre, is this powerful qila (fort), which dates to the 6th century…
1.26 MILES
On top of thickly forested Shankaracharya Hill, this small Shiva temple is built from hefty blocks of ancient grey stone. Previously known as Takht-i…
19.75 MILES
Naranag has two enigmatic 8th-century Shiva temple ruins in a beautiful valley setting that gives one the impression of having stumbled across a great…
3.41 MILES
Looking like the movie set for an imagined Central Asian castle, this mighty 1672 mosque (built on an earlier 1394 construction) forms a quadrangle around…
0.68 MILES
Pari Mahal (literally 'Palace of the Fairies') is a 17th-century former Sufi centre built by the eldest son of Shah Jahan. The terraced lawns and arched…
1.26 MILES
Less formal and not quite as busy as many of the older Mughal gardens, the Botanical Gardens have some well-maintained lawns and a wide variety of tree…
1.26 MILES
On top of thickly forested Shankaracharya Hill, this small Shiva temple is built from hefty blocks of ancient grey stone. Previously known as Takht-i…
1.28 MILES
Crowds throng Asia’s biggest Tulip Garden, just behind the Botanical Garden, during March and April. Its long, straight rows of blooming tulips (60…
1.3 MILES
En route to Pari Mahal you'll pass the small Cheshmashahi Garden, folded amid the wooded mountain foothills. Its central feature is a square fountain pool…
1.61 MILES
Over 15km around, Dal Lake is Srinagar's jewel, a vast sheet of water reflecting the carved wooden balconies of the houseboats and the misty peaks of the…
1.72 MILES
For guests, the first-row houseboats can prove noisy and lacking in privacy. However, as an attraction they collectively form Srinagar's signature image.
1.77 MILES
In the maze of channels at the edge of Dal Lake, the dawn vegetable market is a photogenic sight, even if vendors flogging souvenirs and saffron can…