Srinagar
Summer Capital Of Jammu And Kashmir; Mughal Gardens Of Kashmir On UNESCO'S Tentative List · Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
The summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, spread around Dal Lake in the Kashmir Valley, and for centuries one of the most celebrated landscapes in Asia. The Mughal emperors built terraced gardens on the lake shore, among them Shalimar Bagh and Nishat Bagh, and came here to escape the heat of the plains. The British, barred from owning land, built houseboats instead, and staying on a carved cedar houseboat on Dal Lake, reached by a shikara, is still the classic way to see the city. At dawn a floating vegetable market trades from boats. The old city holds wooden mosques and shrines, including the Jamia Masjid and the Hazratbal shrine, and the valley beyond leads to Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Pahalgam. The honest context matters here. Kashmir has seen decades of conflict, and several governments advise against travel to parts of Jammu and Kashmir; a militant attack killed tourists near Pahalgam in 2025. Check your government's current advice and your insurance before going. Winter is cold, with snow, and spring and autumn are the finest seasons.
Boulevard Road, Dal Lake, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, 190001, India
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED; confirm before planning. The usual pattern: the lake and the Boulevard are open at all times, and shikaras run from dawn to after dark. The Mughal gardens keep daytime hours, roughly 9 am to sunset, and may have a weekly closed day. The tulip garden opens only for a few weeks in spring. Shrines and mosques close to non-worshippers at prayer times, especially Friday midday. The Gulmarg gondola runs in the daytime and stops in high wind. CURFEWS, STRIKES AND SHUTDOWNS CAN HAPPEN AT SHORT NOTICE and close everything for a day. Check current travel advice before travelling.